The boy without a cape :RD:

With that, he solemnly tied the towel around his neck, and started climbing up the ladder.  They thought he was just another silly little boy, did they?  Well he would show them.  Did he not just beat Tommy in the race around the block?  Tommy was the fastest, and he was faster.  Did he not pick up the cinderblock on tuesday?  No one else could pick it up, not even Dad.  Dad was the strongest person ever.  He even got 100% on his math quiz.  That smartty Lizzie only got 99%.  She even had glasses, and Mom said those made you smarter than normal people.
When you were the fastest, the strongest, and the smartest.  You had to put on a cape.  It was your duty, because you were The One.  Lizzy was a meanie too, did that make her his nemesis?  He decided that needed some thought, as he clamored onto the roof from the ladder.  He waved to Steven as he looked down.  Steven was his best friend, he even held the ladder for him.  Steven would make a good sidekick.  He looked down from the roof peak, it was time.  
Just after he jumped he realized.
He had not said anything to mark the occasion......



"He will have to be in a wheelchair for a few weeks,"  said the man.  "After that we will have him in a walking cast, and he will be able to go back to school."  
"But nothing permanent?"  He heard his Dad ask.
"Some scarring from the scrapes I imagine."  The man replied, "but even those may fade, they were not deep."
"Jim he is awake."  His Mom gasped, as she leaned down to stroke his face.  "Oh honey why, why, why would you do such a thing?"  Tears were running down her face.  When he looked over at Dad, he was shocked to see him crying too.  Dad was never scared, Dad never cried.  He looked so old right then.
"He is ok Mina, he is safe."  Putting his hand on Mom's shoulder, he pulled her down into the chair.  Then he looked right into the boys eyes.  "What were you thinking?"
"I..."  He started crying as he realized what this all meant.  "I thought, I thought I could be the one."  Dad just looked at him with those old old eyes, and it started pouring out.  "I was faster than Tommy, stronger than you, Mom said I was the smartest kid in school."  He saw Mom start shaking as she squoze Dad's hand.  "You told me I was special, I thought.."  His voice broke, and Dad just looked at him with a sadness.  Then he reached down and gripped the boys shoulder.
"It is ok, I was not the one either."  Dad said softly., then looked over his shoulder.  The boy realized Mom was standing up glaring at Dad.  "Now you scared us terribly.  You are in trouble because of that.  We will have a talk about that when you get home, Ok?"
"Ok Dad."  He said, and watched as Mom, wearing a stormy look, drug Dad around behind the curtains.
"What was that about?"  She whispered fiercely.  "He goes and throws himself off our roof because of some goof thing you said to him?"  She sounded so angry.  The boy listened closely.
"No, he did not."  Dad whispered back.  "He jumped because he thought he might be the one.  All little boys do it."
"You are NOT excusing this."  She snapped.  "He almost died, your SON almost died."
"I am aware of that."  He had never heard Dad so angry.  "He will be punished, I told him as much.  But something like this was always going to happen."
"No, he did it because he wanted you to be proud of him."  Mom growled, "because of some damn fool story you told him."  He heard Dad choke back a sob.
"I know, but there is not a story I could have told him that would have stopped it."  Dad sighed.  "If there had been, that would have been the saddest thing."
"What do you mean?"  Mom asked.  The boy wondered himself.
"Let me tell you a story."  He heard Mom growl.  "It is relevant, I promise."
"Ok" she muttered.
"I knew an old man back before I met you.  He was not nice, and always skulked about being creepy.  Eavesdropping on everyone, waiting for a chance to interrupt."
"You mean Carl right?"  Mom interrupted, "you have mentioned him before."
"Yea, it was Carl.  One morning we were all hanging around the coffee machine, telling stories, waiting for the day to start.  Well, in the newspaper was a story about a little boy who had jumped out of a tree wearing a cape.  The writer of the story said they just did not understand why this had happened.  Of course we all had a good laugh about that, because every little boy knows why."
"Why?"  Mom asked, interrupting again.
"To find out if you are the one of course."  Dad chuckled.  "There just comes a time when you have to know, and you will never know if you do not find out."  Dad paused for a moment. "Of course, I had to tell the story of when I had learned."
"Of course."  Mom sighed, "I have heard the story."
"I know you have dear."  Dad replied.  "As I was telling my story, and the guys were laughing about it.  I noticed Carl listening from out in the hallway.  I figured we were in for a telling of his cape incident.  He did not interrupt me, in fact, everyone else there told their stories; because every little boy does it.  Carl just stood there, looking in with this blank look.  Then he just turned and walked away.  We were all glad about that, until I realized.  He did not know."
"What do you mean he did not know?"  Mom asked.
"He did not know if he was the one.  What is worse, he had never thought about putting on the cape and finding out."  Dad explained.  "Think about that for a moment.  When I told that to the guys.  Everyone got quiet, it was that sad.  I think we were all a little more tolerant of Carl after that."  It was quiet for a long time, then the boy heard feet shuffle, as Mom and Dad walked back into his little room.
"I am sorry Dad."  He said.  "I am just like everyone else right?"
"I do not know about that."  Dad said grinning.  "I am fairly certain you are the most important person in the world, to two people anyway."