ARCHETYPE (Slowburn Superhero Progression)

Bramble and Emulsion-Man bounded over to the other side of the platform and then over a low metal fence. This brought us into a large car park at the back of a pair of two-story buildings.

Both buildings I had passed hundreds, if not thousands of times growing up in Lowems Park.

The two-story buildings were connected by a tunnel-like section which cars could drive under to get in and out – making the overall architecture design a fat H-shape.

And, I remembered, somewhere within one of the two buildings were the offices of The Stowchester Gazette.

For a single flash I remembered that Nathan might be somewhere in Lowems Park. Maybe he was still on the run. Maybe he had gotten the power too. Or maybe he had turned out to be normal and had been sent home with a Piper Pass. The thought of Nathan, seeing him again, speaking with him, was too big. I forced the thought out of my mind and focused on the present moment, but not before remembering that less than fifteen minutes away was the black bench where Nathan and I had our disagreement about the evacuation.

It wasn't quite full circle, but almost.

The nostalgia hit in another fresh wave once the five of us moved under the H-building archway onto the main street beyond.

To the left along the street was the railway line. Just before the railway line to the right handside was the little cafe I had stopped at many times for a sausage roll with ketchup every morning before school.

The cafe marked the end of Winchester road. It occurred to me yet again that all I had to do was walk along Winchester road and eventually I would reach my childhood home.

Concentrate, Burgess, concentrate, I told myself.

One long nostalgically familiar road later we crossed into an overgrown footpath.

Bramble and Emulsion-Man bounded deeper along the path and round the corner.

Snap and Clang and I followed after them, with the backyard fences of residential housing passing by in a blur to our left and right.

And then we were in Lowems Park forest.

The trees were tall and thick, with large snaking roots. It was much darker under the dense tree canopy, but our heightened visions made up the difference.

Bramble and Emulsion-Man came to a stop at one of the deeper spots in the forest.

Bramble stopped by a huge fallen tree and turned back to face us.

Emulsion-Man landed by her side.

CLONK.

Clang landed next, followed by mine and Snap's comparatively quieter landings.

"This it then?" Clang's voice rang.

"Yes," said Emulsion-Man, "But will you like some refreshments before we begin?"

"Nah," Clang's voice rang.

"What have you got?" I resonated.

I was feeling pretty peckish.

"Biscuits. Tea," said Emulsion-Man, "And-"

"-do you have milk by any chance?" I resonated, cutting him off with my sudden enthusiasm.

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"-oh yes, we have the little packets," said Emulsion-Man, "And crisps and sandwiches."

"I think he's taking the mick," said Snap, putting a hand to her hip.

"Oh no," said Emulsion-Man, "We keep supply stashes across Lowems Park. Never know when you might need to refuel."

Emulsion-Man flung a hand over his head and something left his grip. My heightened vision only just managed to spot that he had thrown a playing-card-sized strip of celluloid film.

Snip!

Something above was cut loose, and suddenly a large rucksack fell from the tree canopy above into Emulsion-Man's arms.

"We also have coffee if you prefer," he said as he set the rucksack on the ground and opened it.

Throughout all this Snap, Clang and I were on guard should Emulsion-Man or Bramble try to betray our trust.

But Emulsion-Man simply took out all the items he had previously mentioned, setting them out on a tea towel.

Bramble retrieved something out of a seam in her suit and moved over to the base of the tree behind her. She remained crouched whilst busying herself with something I couldn't see, and then stepped away to reveal a mobile phone perched atop one of the large tree roots.

"Police scanner," said Bramble.

"I thought you said the police don't operate in Lowems Park?" I resonated.

"Only when we show up," said Bramble, "They ignore everything else."

"What about the Pied Piper Task Force?" I resonated.

"They don't operate in Stowchester," said Bramble, uncrossing her arms and putting her hands to her sides.

"Why would the police not go after the gangs?" Clang's voice rang, "Isn't that their job?"

Emulsion-Man sagged, as if exhausted. And Bramble's frame visibly tightened and her fists clenched so hard I could hear her autumn-leaf-gloves crinkle.

"...this country…" said Emulsion-Man tiredly, "...is not what it once was. There used to be a time where everyone would know the name of the local bobby. But such times have come and gone."

Snap crouched low, and made an S-shape in the soil with her clawed finger.

"So you're saying the only time the police do anything is when you try to stop crime?" said Snap.

"That's how the Metropolitan Police operate," said Bramble.

The sound of liquid being poured brought my attention to Emulsion-Man who was busily pouring water into a tin cup which had a tea-bag already in it. He held it out for me to take along with a small milk packet.

"Just add a little heat of your own and there's your brew," said Emulsion-Man.

"Thank you," I resonated.

My mouth felt suddenly parched in anticipation of the cup of tea as I accepted the tin cup and bulbed up my hands to heat it.

"And it's English breakfast," I resonated, unable and unwilling to hide my gratitude.

"Just so you know," said Snap, drawing everyone's attention to her.

Her anime-style eyes narrowed and flitted from Emulsion-Man to Bramble.

"If that tea or the food is poisoned, I'll kill you."

"Duly noted," said Emulsion-Man.

Bramble's masked face gave nothing away about how she took this threat.

With the tea steaming hot I tugged the milk cap open, poured the milk in, and tugged on the tea-bag string a few times to stir. I then took a tentative sip.

"Ah," I muttered resonantly, "Sweet nectar of life."

"So we gonna do this then?" Clang's voice rang, "Who's fighting who?"

"The three of you versus the two of us," said Bramble.

Silence followed as Snap, Clang, and I considered this sparring arrangement. I sipped my tea, which warmed me in a way bulbing up couldn't.

"You don't want an even fight?" I resonated.

"It's just the two of us," said Bramble, "So we're always going to be outnumbered."

"You said you're concerned citizens," Clang's voice rang, "But by the sound of it you're acting like heroes."

"The proper term would be vigilantes," said Emulsion-Man, "Just like in the funny papers."

Emulsion-Man stood to his full height and brought his hands to his hips.

My Intuition triggered inside my head, telling me that violence was soon to break out.

"The rules?" I resonated.

"No lethal blows," said Bramble, "And if anyone is unable to fight back we stop immediately. And if anyone wants to stop the fight, we all stop. Otherwise, anything goes."

"I'm ready," Clang's voice rang, and fresh steam snaked out of the corner of his mouth. He and Snap set their rucksacks onto the ground to get them out of the way.

Snap stood and gave a feline stretch and said, "Ready."

It was then I had to admit to myself what I already had suspected I would do.

"On second thought," I resonated, "I'll sit this one out."

"What?" Clang's voice rang, "You can finish your tea after."

Snap, Bramble, and Emulsion-Man remained silent.

"Sorry," I resonated, "I just don't feel like fighting. You guys go at it if you want. I'll watch."

"Fine," Clang's voice rang, "It'll make it an even fight then."

Bramble and Emulsion-Man exchanged a look, and then Bramble gave an affirmative nod.

"When do we start?" said Snap.

"How about this?" I resonated, holding up the tin cup, "When the cup hits the ground, have at it?"

Since neither Snap, Clang, Bramble, or Emulsion-Man protested, I finished the remaining tea in several big gulps and then threw the tin cup into the air.

It twirled once, twice, and then sank lower and lower to the ground.