V.I.R.A.L

"Gale, Gale sweetie, Gale." A voice softly spoke as Gale lifted his head from the kitchen table sleep edged into the corner of his eyes. He gave a groggy yawn of an acknowledgement as he sat up across the table from an elderly woman with thick red glasses. "Go home, dear, it's late."

Gale moved his cuffed knuckles down closing the newspaper he had been reading. Taking his half-drunk coffee, he placed the cup in the microwave, heating it back up. "I'm worried about you, Grandma, what if something happens when I'm gone."

She gave a reinsuring smile sipping her tea. "If something is to happen, I have my phone to call you. I also have my alarm which will go off if I don't turn it off every two hours and that kind boy Harry down the hall said he would check up on me every once and a while. You have nothing to worry about."

Gale took the steaming hot coffee out the burning pain on his hands barely noticeable to him. He sat back down, still conflicted. "I'm still not satisfied. What if he forgets. Harry isn't the most reliable person in the world, all he does is try and chat up women poorly online, and besides, there is a spare room here anyway. Why rely on technology possibly failing when I can just be here in person."

"You look so much like your mother." She chuckled, placing her tea down. "She was the same at one point. Always wanting to take care of me. I would say to her, I may be old dear, but I brought you up that's more than enough experience to keep these old bones in check." The laughter from her soon faded away into a look of despair. "She loved you, you know, that right?"

"Of course, I did Grandma, you don't need to remind me of that."

"Oh, I know dearie. I just wonder sometimes if you forget. You were only young when. Never mind. I really must protest against your wishes, though. People your age are out partying, getting drunk and doing all sorts of drugs."

"You want me doing drugs?"

"Better than being cooped up in here with silly old me. When I was your age, I too was a timid and quiet girl. It was only until your grandfather met me was then I started to experiment and truly live my life."

Gale rolled his eyes, giving a small chuckle holding her hand. "I'm telling you, Grandma, I'm fine."

"Quite right, you are. I hope you are keeping up with your hobbies, though. Your father said you are quite the fighter. How is your boxing going?"

"Gran, I quit six months ago, I told you this last time I visited, remember?"

"Oh, yes, I remember now. You should stick with some sort of hobby. Why not be a superhero? You would make a marvellous one I know that."

"They are called streamers now Gran," Gale grumbled drinking his coffee. "They are only in it for the money. There's no such thing as superheroes anymore."

"That's not entirely true. I'm sure there are good people out there, looking out for people like us. Doing the right thing. Not everything is so black and white Gale. I remember when I was young, superheroes were the craze. Masked superhumans saving lives. They saved my life once. A man with a phantom mask and smoke powers. I would never forget that."

"Just silly fantasies nothing more. No matter."

"oh, could I have another tea dearie?"

Gale stood up glimpsing at the still full cup he had only given her recently. "Gran, I just gave you a cup."

She looked down with a glimpse of shock as she laughed. "Oh, yes, you did. Didn't you? Sorry."

"That's alright, Grandma, I'll get some biscuits." He muttered quickly ducking away into the cupboard next door. Coming back with a small tin of plain bisects he placed them down screwing the lid open handing one over to her.

"Thank you, dearie, you know. You don't have to stay here looking after me all the time? Haven't you got your own family to go back to?"

Gale choked on his words, falling silent for a short while. He forced a smile through his roughed-up face speaking with a shaky tone. "Grandma, it's me. It's Gale, your grandson. I've been staying with you now for a little while. Remember?"

"Oh, oh yes, that's right. Gale. Thank you, you should go home though it's late."

"I'm fine as long as I'm with you."

"I'm sure your brothers and sister must be missing you? I know your father is, he wouldn't like to admit it." She chuckled, biting onto the biscuit, dunking it into her tea. "The island isn't the same without you."

"Eh, I'm sure they are fine. Besides, I have my job here, and I get to see you every day. What more could I want?"

"Quite right, you are. I hope you are keeping up with your hobbies, though. Your father said you are quite the fighter. How is your boxing going?"

"Gran, I quit six months ago, I told you this last time I visited, remember?"

"Oh, yes, I remember now. You should stick with some sort of hobby. Why not be a superhero? You would make a marvellous one I know that."

"They are called streamers now Gran. They are only in it for the money. There's no such thing as superheroes anymore."

"That's not entirely true. I'm sure there are good people out there, looking out for people like us. If you become a streamer, you could be one of those people. Teach those rotten people a thing or two."

Gale smirked, shaking his head. "Tell you what, I will have a look into it tomorrow. I get the day off work tomorrow."

"That would just be wonderful. When I was a young adult, a masked man saved me, you know. A phantom mask and smoke powers."

Gale closed the bisect tin nodding. "Sounds incredible." Gale cupped the tin walking back to the cupboard outback. Opening it, he felt a faint tremor as the glasses began to shake. It stopped. Gale placed the tin back feeling off. He walked back into the kitchen, rubbing the back of his head. "Strange? Did you feel that too?"

His Grandma looked at him, slightly confused. This was met by rubble. The roof collapsing. Large explosions. Gunfire. Screams. And then. Nothing.

Gale coughed being thrown serval foot into the apartment next door. People began panicking rushing past all trying to escape the blitz. Gale pulled himself from the rubble, seeing the next-door neighbour dead in the bath. He gritted his teeth, fearing the worst for his grandma as he rushed to action. Boasting up, he crashed through broken walls climbing through the wreckage back to where he was once peacefully resting moments ago. Breaking back into his apartment, he found very little, which could be recognised. The wall to the main street had been blown to bits a lot of the floor had caved in. The bannisters had collapsed over the kitchen with the table he was just sitting at destroyed. From the corner of his eye, he could see her—his Grandma.

He dived forward sliding down to his knees, finding her trapped under serval pieces of rubble. With all his strength, he picked up and threw the wreckage aside his worst fears becoming realised. Turning his grandparent around, she was without a doubt gone. Gale's eyes widen as he held his dead grandma in his arms when just moments ago, she was alive and well. He held her tightly as the rest of the roof collapsed with Gale trapped. It would take hours for the firefighters to even find him, more just to get him out. Gale would eventually be trapped in his own home for almost a day his grandma's lifeless body beside him. Gale didn't try and move during this time. He never called out for help. Nor did he try and free himself. He was trapped in a trance—one of pain, sorrow and hate. One which would never leave as that time trapped, he had only one thing staring back at him—a drone belonging to a streamer and the one behind this.

****

Alton's eyes widen as a large truck was thrown into the alley. He looked up in dismay as the car toppled towards him. With no way of getting out with his back against the corner and injured his chance of escape was almost none, Alton tried getting up but fell back down again gasping for trapped air. His eyes were met with the truck as he was without a doubt about to be crushed to death. In that small moment, his eyes darted around, looking for a means of escape. That's when his eyes met with a drainage pipe. Although not a pleasant way out, it was a way out nonetheless. Kicking the tube with all his might, it burst as water spilt all over the floor. Collapsing to the ground, his hand touched the water, turning it to thin and slippery ice. As his body impacted on the basis, he was sent flying forward. Missing the truck by the skin of his teeth, he shot up into the air throwing a punch at Gale.

Gale stumbled back stunned by Alton's move he didn't even have time to react as water shot him in the face alongside his arms and legs. At that moment it all froze up trapping Gale against the wall. Alton held his head back, squeezing his neck adrenaline racing. He took a few deep breaths coming to grips with what just happened. "I should just kill you right here, I would very much like too." A single sharp icicle pierced forward moving toward Gale's neck. "You talk about how streamers are bad. How we are no different than the villains, we fight, hurting innocent people who are just trying to make a living. Putting people in the hospital. Do you call that righteous? Justice! Hiding your hideous acts behind false lies is barbaric and villainous in its rights. And I'll be doing everyone a favour taking you down once and for all."

Gale's eyes burned with rage as he pressed his head forward the icicle scrapping at his neck. His whole body began to glow as the ice started to crack. "You have no idea what I've been through?! There is no such thing as an innocent streamer!" The ice shattered as Alton was knocked back with a single punch. His body crashed against the wall as he slumped over. Gale kept his momentum going landing another punch breaking Alton's balance and sending him plummeting to the ground. Alton's body shattered by the force as he felt all the air leave his lungs. He gagged trying to breathe as Gale tore at his leg, throwing him back out of the alley.

Alton rolled into the road the pavement scraping against his face as small drops of blood ran down his cheeks.  Zinnia ran to his aid, trying to help him up. She looked at Gale with a look of fear but also pity. She felt his every emotion. Neither of them to her was in the wrong. He had suffered and been wronged. Another poor victim just like she could sense with Alton, the reason she was brought to him. She was pushed to the side as Gale held Alton tightly by the shoulders. He flung his legs around gasping for air as he was strangled—the bloody tears falling onto Gale's fists. Almost passing out Alton used the last ace up his sleeve. Moving his hand away from stopping Gale, he slammed it down on the small drop of blood as it froze crimson red stabbing into Gale's eye. Gale dropped Alton holding his eye in pain. Hitting the ground, Alton laid back readying his killer blow as Gale spun around, throwing a punch himself.

The two were about to end in a heated climax until Zinnia stepped in between them both. Alton managed to retract his attack breaking the ice as blood splattered on Zinnia. Gale tripped, throwing away his attack as he fell to the ground. "Both of you, please. Stop!"

Alton took long breaths staring at both Gale and Zinnia still stuck at the moment. "Zinnia get out of the way before he attacks you! I have to finish this. With him out of the picture streamers won't be targeted. They will all be safe."

Zinnia kicked Alton in the stomach as he curled over coughing, she did the same to Gale who also rolled over in pain. "Good people, heroes don't kill people. You two are good people, why must you fight?"

Alton rolled onto his front leaning on his arm. "In case you missed, I was thrown around and used as a fucking piñata. How is this sack of shit a good person?!"

Gale stood up on one knee glaring at the streamers as he spat blood from his mouth. "A good streamer? Give me a break! The only good streamer is a dead one!"

Gale shot up as Zinnia met him by merely touching him his forehead. Gale fell back down with all motivation of revenge and murder gone. "What the hell did you just do?"

"I suppressed his negative emotions temporally. That's my power, Alton. I can feel others emotions and suppress or share the negative ones around. None of you is bad people."

"My headache is disagreeing with you. I swear when I get back up…" Zinnia moved her hand over to Alton as he gave a little look of panic pulling himself back. "Don't touch me, don't you dare. I warning you! Zinnia!" Sharing the same fate Alton collapsed onto the floor with all the rage and hate in his heart suppressed. He looked up at the night sky, feeling empty as he took a deep breath. "I don't get it. He attacked us without warning. Attacked many other streamers, how could you come up with the conclusion he was a good person?"

"Let me show you." Zinnia whispered as she took both of their hands. Alton shook his hand around, trying to break free while Gale didn't fight back, turning slightly red. The two retracted as quickly as they began fighting, looking at each other in disbelief. "You feel it don't you? Your feelings, your deepest regrets. They are the same. I can't show you the memories, but you don't need to see them understand how you both feel."

"All that pain, constantly there… never leave no matter what you do…" Alton whispered.

"So much guilt, never being able to let go of the past…" Gale gritted in shock.

"We've both lost someone important to us because of the streamers…" They both spoke at the same time.

Zinnia smiled, faintly nodding. "Do you see? You two are the same. You have no reason to fight."

"Why? Why, after all the guilt. All the anger. Why side with them? The streamers have done this to you. Why return to relive that pain again?" Gale questions in horror.

Alton sat up, leaning on his arm, panting. "It was for the money." Gale tutted as Alton spoke up. "To begin with, it was. Don't get me wrong; the money is still significant. I can't make ends meet without it. But, coming in a second time around. I feel like it's my duty. To carry it on since she can't. Sam would want that. I'll carry on that legacy. That's my punishment."

Zinnia kneeled smiling. "You bet it is. We are going to be superheroes!"

"Way to ruin the moment girl…" Alton groaned.

Gale looked on in shock as his whole world came crashing down. His hands began to start shaking as he muttered broken to himself. "There will always be good people, looking out for the little guys… Grandma… you, you were right…" Gale fell to his knees begging to throw both the streamers off. "I am so, so sorry. I was foolish to judge you without a second thought as I did to so many others. You two are heroes full and centre."

"Ugh, Zinnia I think your powers made a few loose screws in his head…"

Zinnia shook her head, feeling pleased. "No, these are his true feelings. He is sorry." Zinnia kneeled wiping his eyes. "It's ok. You have nothing to be sorry for. We forgive you."

"Speak for yourself…" Alton muttered as Zinnia snapped at him. "I mean. Yeah, it's alright, I guess. I enjoy being a punching bag…"

"You two, your both superheroes. I can see that. Please, I beg of you. Let me join you. Let me tone for my sins and make things right."

"Whoa, ho hold on a minute their buddy, you aren't just going to join like that. You're still a criminal front and centre. We are going to turn you over."

Zinnia stood up, turning to Alton. "We'll love to have you."

"Huh? I'm sorry, did I hear that, right? You want the mad lunatic on our team? You are balls to the wall girl."

"Just listen to me, right. He is a good person. I know. You are. I wouldn't be saying that otherwise."

"How are you so certain?"

"Because of your emotions. They aren't suppressed anymore. Look at him, not a sense of hate in him anymore. He's an outcast just like us. I don't see a more fitting person as a member of Rhapsody."

Alton looked at the bumbling thug sobbing his heart out sighing. "Whatever, you're the leader. Whatever goes. It's going to be a real hassle to get him as a streamer. Probably won't work. But might as well try."

"You hear that? You're in umm?"

"Gale. My name is Gale Lampard. Thank you so much, I'll make sure to be the best hero I can. Do you hear that Grandma?! I'm going to be a superhero!"

Alton turned away, feeling down. He took a deep breath as Zinnia stood beside him. "You got what you wanted princess—another loser to our band of Merryman. Say when we met a few weeks back, you said I was the one you were looking for. Was that because you could read my emotions?"

"Yes, the wind guided me to you. You were so hidden away closing yourself off. But I could see the pain hidden away. I knew I had to help."

"Ha, there are some things you can't help Zinnia. Somethings not even heroes can help with."

"We can talk about it? If you want?"

Alton wiped the last drop of blood off his face playing it off. "Nah, another time, we've only just met recently, after all, I'm not just going to spill my guts out and tell you my sob story."

"I understand."

Alton took a deep breath turning back around as Zinnia was going to help Gale. "Oh, and Zinnia, thank you, I guess."

"What for?"

"Well you know, stopping me killing a good person. Just trapped in the heat of the moment. And you, well, you know. Thanks."

"You'll make a great hero Alton. Don't forget it."

Alton chuckled, scratching his forehead. "You know what, she said something like that too, funny."