Superhero

The kids were outside during their first recess of the day when the sky went dark.  The storm sirens never went off.  Most kids ran into the first door they found. The teachers stayed outside, searching for the children that were running through the yard, as the first few drops of rain began to fall.  Kids danced with their hands in the air. Screaming for the rain to fall. The sky cracked. The thunder shook the teachers to their bones.  Kids were screaming.  Some were laughing. One of the teachers looked up and saw one of her fellow teachers laughing at the running children. As she watched, she saw her hair begin to stand up. First a few strands, then more. The blood flushed from her face. She screamed at the top of her lungs. “RUN.  Everyone inside now.” No one heard her over the thunder. The bright flash blinded everyone as the lightning struck the center of the yard. The teachers and students alike flew through the air and landed hard on the ground.  Some landed on slides, swings, and even one student’s back was broken as his body hit the jungle gym.  Chris was a first grader that pushed himself up off the bricks on the walking path.  He rose to his knees and looked around.  He saw his friends and teachers laid around the yard. Susan, one of the girls closest to him, was not moving. Her face had black burns on it. Her eyes were closed. Chris stood and patted his body. He couldn’t find any injuries. He was fine. As he looked around he discovered he was better than fine. He felt better than ever. He felt strong.  He went to Susan and grabbed her arm. “Susie, Susie are you okay?”  She opened her eyes. “I don’t know.” Chris found he was able to pick up Susie and carried her to the closest door to the yard.  The cafeteria. “Please don’t leave me.”  Chris laid her down and told her in a calm voice. “I have to help the others.  I will be back. I promise.”

Chris helped who he could. He was able to bring children back to Susan.  He helped one of the teachers while the others helped with the children Chris couldn’t get too. The rain was coming down hard and cold. The thunder cracked overhead.  Chris was running to one of the children on the brick pathway. He saw one of the teachers kneeling over the boy’s body.  She had a hand on his chest. She was  screaming for help as Chris approached, he saw the boy’s body. His eyes were closed. His shirt had holes burned from the lightning strike.  Chris could see black burns start to bleed on his face, arms and the parts of his chest exposed by the burned shirt. “He’s dead.” Her voice sounded broken. As if she was crying. “There’s so many dead.” As people came to pull the teacher to her feet, Chris was able to get close enough to see the face of the boy.  It was him.  Chris was looking at his own body. His heart began to race. His breathing became labored. He looked around.  He saw some kids crying. Some were sitting, waiting. Some were not moving. He looked to the child  closest to his body.  It was Susan.  She wasn’t moving. Her hair was burned off. Chris looked at the cafeteria door.  The kids he saved were walking through the door. A light was behind the door. Susan was looking at Chris. Her eyes were wide. Tear filled.  Chris walked to her.  He reached Susan. “We died?” Susan nodded and hugged Chris.  A voice came from inside the light behind the door.  “I thought I was a hero. I thought I was saving them.”

“You did.  You helped us find our way here.” She pointed to the light behind the door. They took one last look around the yard and stepped into the light together.