Chapter 5

With the posting of this chapter is the finishing of Volume 1, which means from now on no more freebies :).  Chapter 5 is about one of the worst days possible I ever had at the cheese, and yes all those experiences I have wrote about in this chapter have happened to me in the past.  So please read, laugh, and enjoy my painful experiences from the past as now I can :)

Chapter 5

In an undisclosed location underneath an abandoned bread factory two hulking figures are staring at a screen.  On the screen is the video of Topher Thompson's exploits of last night, and on the side of the video that keeps running on repeat is a government military dossier of Topher Thompson explaining every little detail about his life.  Where he went to school, who he married, where he married, where and who he lost his virginity to, anything and everything the government would want to know, or wouldn't.  It was in that file.  The two figures who are watching the screen so intently are the Basher Bros, at least that's what they are called when they are in the field.  The Basher Bros are identical twins, in fact so identical they don't even have names, just numbers 1 and 2, and even sometimes they forget which one they are. They have the same brown hair shaved look, brown eyes, 8 feet tall, 350 pounds of pure muscle, and look like they could bench press an elephant if asked.  Long story short when something big needs broken, and fast, they call the Basher Bros in.
1 turned to his brother 2 and said, "Good to see the switch still works after all those years.  But any idea when we are going to go get him, because you know she's watching him too.  And if she's as smart as the General says, she has seen the same video, and put two and two together."
2 just looked at his brother with stupified amazingness , and wondering why his brother would want to defy a direct order from the General.  2 finally said to his brother, "You of all people know how big of a D-bag the General can be if you don't follow orders and do EXACTLY what he says!  Remember when Tommy brought the General a white mocha when the General ordered a regular mocha.  Before Tommy could even blink the General had Tommy's ass in a space suit sitting on the moon staring at Earth, and left him up there for a good thirty minutes to think about what he had done to the General.  If you wanna be the moron who messes the plan that was hatched thirty years ago, go ahead!  But you're not dragging me down with
you!"
1 forgot about the Tommy incident, and how much of a prick the General can be.  1 replied to 2, "That's right I spaced the Tommy incident.  Get it spaced!  Anyways Tommy deserved it everyone knows you don't mess with a man and his coffee.  But in our defense we don't know how long the General will be.  He was called into space two weeks ago, and before he left he told us to go on as scheduled with Topher.  The General more than likely thought he would fly up to the planet Nejo, kick some Nejoan ass, or what ever those aliens have, and be back in time for dinner!  The General is never gone for two weeks without contact.  The longer we wait to make first contact..."
2 had enough of listening to his brother plead his case.  1 had a point, but 2 didn't want to be an accomplice of ruining the plan that has been set since day one.  Project Ultra was and is one of the General's top priorities.  2 always thought of himself the brains of the operation, so he knew he had to interrupt his brother's thoughts before they became more than just thoughts.  2 simply said to 1, "We wait for the General, or I have a feeling our fate will be worse than just sitting in the corner on the moon.  We wait!"

Topher was sitting in the office counting the money from the token machine to get the bill changer sales from the previous day, letting his mind wander, and get the best of him, like he always does.  Here he was with two degrees under his belt, one in drafting and the other in multimedia, and he still works at Prehistoric Pizza.  Why the reasons are simple Topher thinks, if he took a job in drafting it would be a major pay cut and there's no way his family could afford that, and if he wanted a job in multimedia, they would have to move.  Moving was out of the question for a few reasons, first everyones family was in Idaho Topher's and Anne's, next the kids just started school and Topher loves the school they go to, and lastly Anne just started her job and it would be unfair to ask her to leave, just so maybe he could get a job in the cut throat multimedia field.  Topher knew he was born for greater than things being just a manager at Prehistoric Pizza, and the sudden emergence of his powers finally proved that to him.  He became the world's first superhero, but he also didn't want to be the only superhero and charge an arm and a leg for the heroing, so Topher made a finaly decision.  Don't quit the day job, and do the night job pro bono.  The way a true hero would do.
Since 9:05 people have been in the building at Prehistoric Pizza, in fact they were lining up like it was Black Friday and Prehistoric Pizza was giving away big screen televisions for dirt cheap.  That meant constant monitoring of the cameras so no children escaped, because even though parents are required to watch their children while they are there, few rarely do.  They treat Prehistoric Pizza as a walk in day care that serves pizza.  Topher knew that this day was going to be one straight from hell, and was actually wishing he was still in that burning building from last night.  Being killed in a burning building while saving people is more heroic, than going psycho in a children's entertainment restaurant Topher thought to himself.  Topher went back to counting money and separating it when his defender sense went off, in all actuality he heard about thirty kids waiting not so anxiously at the front door, thinking he was hearing things glanced at the camera, and confirming his suspicions.  The daycare was an hour early so Topher rushed out to greet them, before the situation got even more ugly.
"Hi guys welcome to Prehistoric Pizza are you guys from the Little Tike's daycare?", Topher asking the group fully expecting an overjoyous scream from the kids.  What he got was the exact opposite.
The little overweight middle aged woman who was wearing a name tag that Susan just stared at Topher dumbfounded, and Topher had no idea why. "Umm...no.  We are from Tiny Tater's Daycare.  Are you guys open because we have been standing out here for like ten minutes waiting to be let in.", Susan said angrily to Topher.  Topher knowing it wasn't near ten minutes, maybe only two that they were standing out there apologized, because Topher knows the customer is always right, even when they are a lying.  Topher stamped all the kids in and Susan, but not without Susan shooting Topher another dirty look.  He was really missing that burning building right about now, to maybe run Susan up there and leave her there, but that wouldn't be very heroic of him, so he would go save her a a minute later once she realized she was over exaggerating.  He apologized once again and gave Susan time to go find tables for her thirty children she brought in, there goes at least six tables Topher thought, and by the looks of the children they were going to be trashed if they ordered food.  Topher made a silent prayer for them only order tokens.
   Susan comes back up to Topher ready to order and says, "Do you guys have any coupon deals?  I left mine at home.  I think the deal I saw was a hundred tokens for 10.00.  Can I have that one.  Like four of those would be good."
Topher looked at her apologetically and said, "I'm sorry that coupon is no longer valid.  In fact it hasn't worked for two years now, our current best deal is a hundred tokens for 20.00.  I can do that for you, because I know the coupon code."
Susan looks at Topher and then menu.  Noticing that you get ninety tokens for 20.00, and doing the math in her head.  Topher swore he saw smoke coming out her ears trying to do the math in her head.  "So you're saying I get an extra 10 tokens if I use that coupon! What kind of crap coupon is that!", Susan practically yelled at Topher.
Topher said to Susan, "I'm sorry I have no power over our coupon deals, but currently that is the best deal we have on tokens.  If you want I can throw some extra tokens in for the trouble at the door."
Susan reluctantly agreed, "Fine I'll take three of those deals then!", and slammed her debit card on the counter to pay.  "And make sure I get a receipt!"  Topher rings her up and puts her tokens in the cup, plus the extra five he threw in for her wonderful attitude, hands her thirty token cups so she could divide them, and she was on her way.  At least she didn't order food Topher thought, at least she didn't order food.  After she dropped off the tokens at the table and the kids scurrying like bugs when the lights go on, she headed back up front before Topher could disappear to the back again to finish his deposit.  "Can I get thirty water cups", purposively leaving off the please Topher thought.  Topher smiled and counted out cups, knowing full well that there was going to be soda filled in them instead of water, and just said here you go.  Susan smiled with her mini victory of procuring free soda for her children, and Topher smiled because he was able to return to the office to finish the deposit.  What a start to this day Topher thought to himself.  What a start.
Not even a second passed when Topher sat in the chair that he looked up and saw another group of kids at the door, Topher knowing full well that this must be the Little Tike's daycare, jogged out there to greet the daycare that was nice enough to book a group party, but still shows up fifteen minutes early.  "Hi welcome to Prehistoric Pizza are you guys from Little Tike's Daycare!", Topher said with as much enthusiasm he could muster up after his last encounter at the door a few minutes ago.  The kids shouted yes they were, and Topher looked up, thanking the restaurant God's for allowing one thing to go right this morning.  He stamped them all in, and led them to the back, completely forgetting he never checked to see if their party was setup last night.  It wasn't.  He walked them back and sat them in the middle of showroom, and ran to the back to grab cups for them, and their tokens.  He could still salvage this one he thought.
Mandy was the girl in charge at Little Tike's. and was a lot nicer than Susan Topher found out right off the bat.  But in Susan's defense Mandy wasn't waiting for ten minutes at the door waiting to be let in, but in Topher's defense it was only two Susan waited.  Mandy smiled at Topher and introduced herself, "Hi I'm Mandy and I'm the one in charge of all these little rascals."  Topher was a little amazed that people still liken children to little rascals, even in this day of age.  "We have twenty four kids, instead of thirty.  I hope I counted right, because I am teaching these kids how to count also", Mandy says while letting out a little chuckle. Topher unsure how to react chuckles along with her.
"No problem, I'll just grab twenty four token cups so you only pay for the twenty four, and with twenty four kids you get five pizzas so the kids each get two slices.  Do you know what kind you would like.", Topher asked Mandy.  Topher was hoping she would  say just cheese and pepperoni.  
"Those would be fine.  What kid doesn't like cheese or pepperoni!", Mandy tells Topher.  "Also can you grab us our sodas. two rootbeers, two sprites, and a water please?", Mandy asked Topher.
Topher thanking the restaurant Gods once again for the easiness of this party.  Topher said to Mandy, "Not a problem I'll be right back with your tokens and your drinks."  Topher went and grabbed the pitchers and tokens.  He dropped the tokens off with Mandy because Topher knew how patient kids are, and went and filled up the pitchers of soda.  While Topher was filling up his second pitcher of rootbeer a child from the first daycare came up to him.
"Mister, Mister!", the boy said to Topher.  Topher looked down and saw that he was wearing his name tag, and wondered why the ten year old boy coudn't read his name tag when he turned around. "Do you work here?" The boy asked Topher.  Once again Topher just thought to himself no I like to wear nice dress shirts, a tie, and a nametag that says manager on it for fun and walk around.  Topher nods to the little boy.  "A few things.  One there are no skeeballs in the lanes. and I put like thirty tokens in it to work."  Topher knowing full well that there is no way that this boy had thirty tokens, since Susan didn't buy that many to give out, knew right away he was lying about the number of tokens he lost.  "Also my teacher was playing air hockey and the puck wouldn't come out!"  Topher not wanting to see Susan again till the end when they were leaving out the door was dreading fixing that game, and getting stared daggers in the back of his head from the ray of sunshine she was.  "And also is Timmy going to be out soon! I wanna see Timmy!"
Topher knew his luck was to good to last for a little bit.  The rule at Prehistoric Pizza is when someone asks to see Timmy that person who was asked is the lucky soul who gets to go dress up in the T-Rex costume, roam around giving hugs, high fives, and being very photogenic.  "I'll be right there buddy to fix those games", Topher told the boy and handed him a handful of tokens to they boy, a small handful because he knew he was lying.  Topher dropped off the sodas at the table and went to go fix the games.  He walked by the air hockey and hit the bottom where the puck comes out.  Susan glaring at him the whole time.
"We tried that!  The puck didn't come out!", Susan just barked at Topher.  Topher went to the other side and hit it.  The puck came falling out, along with a little ticket from another game.
Topher just smiled at Susan and handed her another token and simply said, "There you go next game is on me."  Then headed off to go fix skeeball.  Topher looked at the lanes and noticed that one lane had all the balls in it.  Topher spent a few good minutes fixing all the lanes, and saw his tech manager fixing a game right next to the skeeball.  Topher wondered why the little boy just didn't get Gabe his tech manager when he was standing right there working on a game.  Topher walked over to Gabe and asked him, "Can you watch the front?  There was a little boy asking when Timmy is going to wake up and you know the rules."
Gabe laughed at Topher, "No problem man I'll watch it go and wake up the dinosaur!"  Topher heads off to Timmy's room and gets dressed in no time.  Topher has it down to being able to get changed into that suit in less than thirty seconds if need be, and sometimes due to the intelligence of some of the showroom girls they have, that skill is a necessity, but others take minutes to get dressed.  Topher used to wonder why it took so long for them to get dressed, until he spotted them slyly pulling out their cell phones on the way back to check their twitter feed, their facebook wall, message whomever, or play a quick game of Candy Crush.  Sometimes Topher hated the ease of cell phones.  Topher went out as Timmy and walked to Mandy to give her a high five, because every guest must see Timmy. It was one of the many rules of Prehistoric Pizza.  Timmy also high fived Susan, but then got punched in the back by a little kid. "You are not real Timmy!", a little boy screamed at Topher.  "You are just a guy in the costume!", the little boy screamed again.
Topher turned around to look at the little boy, and realized it was the little boy who asked for Timmy to come out.  Topher just put two and two together, he was set up by this little kid, and that did not make Topher happy one bit.  The little boy continually followed Topher around the whole store punching him periodically, or stomping on Timmy's foot.  The whole time Susan watching, and not saying anything to the little terror.  Topher finally having enough turned around and caught the little boys fist in mid air before it could annoy him again while trying to hug other children in the store.  Looked down to the boy and squeezed his fist a little bit and shook his finger at him with the other hand, signifying stop hitting Timmy or he might just give in to his carnivorous ways and eat the little brat.  The little boy went crying off heading to Susan to tattle on Timmy more than likely Topher thought.
"Can you go down with the slide with me", a little girl pleaded to Timmy while grabbing his hand.  Topher felt sad, because he wanted to tell the girl that he was to big, but Timmy can't talk, so Topher had to improvise.  Topher pointed to the slide, then himself, showing how tall he was and that he was too big to fit in the slide.  Topher felt bad for crushing the little girls dream of going down the slides with Timmy.  "What about those ones?", the little girl said to Topher while pointing to the toddler zone slide.  Topher looked at the slide and thought it was big enough to fit Timmy's head through went up with the little girl into the slide.  Well she went up first and down, and waited at the bottom of the slide for her new best friend Timmy, to come sliding down after her.  Topher somehow managed to get inside the small crawl area and started going down the slide, until he realized something that made him panic.  His body was going down, but the head was still stuck behind him.  Topher quick thinking stopped his body from going down the slide, and used his weight to climb back up backwards, right back into Timmy's head.  Topher panicked that he almost ruined a little girls childhood by finding out that Timmy was just a guy in the suit, tried to crawl out of the tiny play area.  Topher lurched forward towards the exit, but couldn't because he felt his back was heavier.  Topher thought that was odd, and just thought that is was the mixture of fear, and adrenaline in his body at the time.  He pushed again towards the exit but got stuck once again.  This time Topher was starting to get mad, he got in here he must be able to get out.  He pushes forward to all the might he could gather at heard a smack and then a a little boy crying.  Topher turned around and saw the little boy that had been terrorizing him the whole morning crying inside of the playground.
Topher then figured out that the boy was the extra weight on his back in the playground and that was why he couldn't get out.  He almost felt bad for what he did to that little boy. Almost.  Timmy shrugged his shoulders at the boy, completely dodging the ice queen Susan's stare at him.  Topher overheard Susan say to the little boy, "It's your fault!  You picked on him all morning, and then you crawled on his back in here.  I watched you so don't say you didn't!  It's karma!"  Topher laughed almost loud enough for people to hear when he heard Susan say that, and headed back to put Timmy back to bed.

At home Anne was having a day like Topher's but a lot more damaging to their marriage.  Anne went to go do the laundry for Topher trying to do him a favor when she noticed that his gym clothes were not in the laundry basket from last night.  She thought that was kind of odd, then remembered when she woke up in the middle of the night around midnight, he still wasn't home from the gym.  Anne didn't believe that Topher was at the gym that long for three plus hours and came to a conclusion in her mind.  He must be having an affair, and his clothes are at his mistresses house.  That would be the only logical explanation.  She headed towards Topher's office to gather evidence to prove her story true.
She went through all his drawers, and didn't find anything until she found a shoebox pushed to the back of the closet he had in the office.  Not knowing what to expect she opened them and saw a bunch of cards with little notes such as, happy birthday, congratulations, i miss you all signed with only a crudely drawn red heart.  No name.  It must be a mistress Anne thought to herself.  She took the box downstairs so she could confront her husband when he got home when the doorbell rang.  Anne wiped away the tears that were forming and put on her mom face.  The one that could be screaming at a child one second, and be pleasant a second later.  She walked to the door and saw the UPS guy walking away and there was a package dropped off, and it was addressed to Topher.
Anne feeling utterly violated of trust from her husband opened up the package. Inside the package was a box wrapped with birthday wrapping.  Anne let out a sigh of relief until she looked at the card attached to the present.  Once again there was a crudely drawn heart with the words happy birthday on it.  Anne ripped open the box and inside was a pink dress shirt and a matching tie.  Anne then threw it across the room yelling, "You wear that for that whore you are seeing, because we are done!"  Butter's looks at her like she's crazy because she just threw clothes across the room, and yelled. But there was no one there but him.

It was a little after one when both the daycares left, leaving a few of the day families in Prehistoric Pizza which was the way how most Friday's were at this time of the day.  Topher called in the eye of the storm, and it usually came right before the shit hit the fan.  Topher was at merchandise helping a little boy pick out his prizes, he had a 1000 tickets and was only picking form the ten and twenty bins.  "Ummm...I....wannntt....a car", the little boy tells Topher.  Topher grabs the blue car for the little boy thinking to himself only 900 more tickets to go, and this kid will be done. "I want the red one not the blue one!", the little boy says to Topher.  Topher goes back and switches the color.  Only 900 more he thinks to himself.  Only 900 more!  "And two smarties, and a sticker please", the boy continues to tell Topher.  Topher grabs the item the boy asks for subtracting the tickets from his total.  "Now...I...want....ummm...can...I....get...a..sword."  The boy finally stammers out.  Another hundred down Topher thinks to himself. Only 800 to go.  That's when he looked up and saw a grandmother heading his way with a game is broken face on.  He thanked God for the reprieve of merchandise and had his front check take over.  Going over to meet the lady before she got to him.
"Are you breaking my games Miss?"  Topher jokingly asks the grandmother.  Topher always tried to joke because it would help break the anger if they had continually had game trouble.
"Well we were playing skeeball, and there were no balls", the grandmother tells Topher.  Topher has her lead the way to which lane it is and notices there are no balls in her lane, but next to her this a lane with all it's balls and also all the lost balls.  Topher waits for the little boy playing skeeball next to the grandmother to finish before he can jump in to grab the balls from the other lane.
"Excuse me buddy can I get in here real quick", Topher says to the little boy.  He steps back and Topher puts in his keys and gets the extra nine balls out of the lane and puts them in the grandmothers game so she can play, and gives her three tokens for the hassle of non-working games.  When Topher was suddenly tapped on the shoulder.
"What are you doing!", a very large angry man yells at Topher.  Topher didn't have time to get his name.
"The lane your son was playing had the extra balls in it, so I asked him if I could get them out she could play her game, because somehow all here balls were in the lane he was playing", Topher told the large man politely.
"You don't fucking know me!", the large man screams at Topher once again.  Topher shocked and wondering why this guy was so pissed off has chosen to drop the F bomb in a childrens place automatically went to the defense.
"Sir, that language is not appropriate for a kids place so please don't use it", Topher said sternly to the man.
This angered the man even more because he didn't like being told what he can say and what he can not say. "You don't know me!  You don't fucking know where I come from!  Who the hell are you thinking...", the man yells at Topher,
"Sir either stop that language right now, or leave.  I will call the police because right now you are on borderline verbal abuse with me, but I do not want to do that.  I want you and your son to have a good time.  So please stop using that language.  I'm sorry if I offended you, but let's just move on with it and go play some games with your son."  Topher tells the man with a very pissed off look on his face.  Topher fully knowing now he could take that guy out in an instant if he wanted to, but then it would be on camera, and the police would question him, and worse possibly get sued.  So Topher decided to take the high road apologize for God knows what and appeal to the father inside the very large man that was pissed off at Topher for some reason.  And it worked because the man let out loud guff and went to go play basketball with his son.  Missing every shot which Topher laughed at silently.  With great power, comes the control of not punching every asshole you meet in life, Topher thought.  And with that thought had his new motto in life, and he would need it because there were a lot of assholes to be dealt with as Defender and as Topher.
Topher headed back up to the merchandise counter and noticed that boy from before still picking out prizes and went and took over for his front door person so she could go back to helping people in and out at the door.  Topher thought the boy must be done by now, because those last few moments felt like hours due to all the tension that was brewing between him and the large man.  "He has 400 tickets left still", Mary the front door person tells Topher as she walks back up front to let the newest family in.  Topher groans silently.
"I....want....a...giant sword!", the boy says excitedly pointing at the wall.  The sword that is worth 1000 tickets.  "Can I put all my prizes back and get the sword?", the boy asks Topher.  Topher just nods grabs the sword and trades the prizes for it.  Shoot me now Topher thinks to himself.  Shoot me now.

In New York is the headquarters of Titan Comics the largest comic book company in the world.  On the top floor is the office of the chairwoman, Melissa George, the woman whose family had single handedly ushered in superhero comics, and each year brought something more exciting to comics.  Whether it be a new event, a heroes death, a new character, or the announcement of a new movie or video game based off their products.  Titan comics is the comic company that other companies strived to become but always fell short, and for one reason, they didn't have Melissa George.
Melissa sat in her office staring at her computer smiling, watching the video of a man jumping out of window on repeat.  This is exactly what she was looking for that day, because that meant that Project Ultra still went ahead on as planned even though the General was not on Earth.  She arranged the General's Earth absence by giving the Nejoians an overactive warp drive that could double as a bomb, and told them to hold an orphanage, hospital, or whatever was close by  hostage, and demand the General to come make the deal.  Knowing full well that the General would never postpone Project Ultra even if he wasn't there himself to flip the switch.  She knew his ego would love the stroke of being a hero being demanded light years away to help an interstellar hostage situation.  She knew the General all so well.
Melissa watched the video one more time, when a call came over the intercom. "Viper you have incoming."  Viper is how Melissa has been known for the last thirty years, because she's the head of the Snake corporation which acquires all of their fundings by selling stories about super heroes.  The ones they fight secretly and have convinced the world that they don't exist.  That was the Viper's master plan all along, she was inspired by the Devil's greatest trick to humanity, convincing us that he doesn't exist.  So she used her exploits for stories and created super heroes so the world would belive in them, but knew that they could never exist.  She single handedly showed the world super heros, and at the same time had the whole world that is was all fake.  Just like the Satan did.
On the call was the Viper's mole in the hero's camp a very loyal mole.  One that knew all the secrets of the heroes because they thought of him as one of their own, having no clue that the mole has been working for the Viper since day one, sent to infiltrate them, and pass along information that the Viper might find useful.  "The switch has been pulled and the results are amazing Viper!  How shall we procced?  The General has still to yet make contact, so we can still snatch up Topher", the mole pleaded on the phone wanting to earn brownie points with the boss by coming up with a good plan.
The Viper had other plans though she wanted to see more of what Topher could do.  One video was not enough for her, sure it was fun to watch him jump out of a window, again and again, but she truly wanted to test him.  "I have another approach will be more fun for everyone involved.  That will be all", the Viper says then hangs up the phone.  Melissa picks up her phone and sends a text to her loyal Lieutenant who has been undercover since the day she trained them and set them off on this long period mission that would hopefully pay off.  She simply sends a text saying, "you didn't tell me he got his powers!".  A second later Melissa's phone vibrates with a response, "i didn't know he did".  Melissa smiled at how fast and loyal her Lieutenant was after being so many years without any communication.
Melissa has found out while being a villain there are two types of helpers in this world.  The special ones that will die for you, or avenge your death if need be, and there are the lackeys in the world.  The disposable ones.  The ones you hire to make random killings to instill fear, set off a bomb here or there, or rob a random bank.  She thought the third option would be best because Topher has already proofed his merit with fire and burning buidlings, but he's not sure how he would fare against bullets and there's only one way to find out.  Melissa then picks up her phone again and sends a simple text, "bank job is a go".  Five minutes later she gets a response, "you got it boss!".  Melissa makes a mental note to kill them after they commit this robbery, because they are loose ends.  Lackeys.  And lackeys are easily replaced.

Topher couldn't wait to head off to the bank to drop off deposits, because that meant one step closer to having this day over and done with.  He got in his car and just sat there for a few minutes soaking in music that wasn't lame 80's covers sung by barely robotic dinosaurs.  Songs he heres a thousand times each month.  He drives to the bank which is not even a mile away and parks.  His phone vibrates, it's his wife. He gets the dreaded text that every person hates to get, "we have to talk".  Topher not sure what is up texts back, "about what?".  Topher sits in his car waiting for a response from his wife, wondering why the sudden text.  Fearful of what it implied.  Maybe she saw the video and somehow realized it was him jumping out that window, but then Topher realized there is no way you can tell it was me.  He looked at his phone again and still no answer.  He trades his phone for the deposits on the car seat and starts to head in.
Halfway through the parking lot he notices a car parked at the front of the bank with it's window down, and a half lit cigarette, and a pile of cigarettes next to it.  The classic signs of a bank robbery Topher thought.  Then he looked inside and saw two men in masks holding shotguns up to the teller faces.  A bank robbery.  Can this day get any worse Topher thought.  Can it get any worse.  Just then his phone vibrated it was his wife finally answering.  "We will talk when you get home."

Chapter 4!

Chapter 4

Topher still couldn't believe it.  A minute ago he was in his gyms parking lot, and a few past and then he is in Seattle, looking up and seeing the Space Needle.  Now that he was in a bigger city Topher knew he would find some crime to stop, and since it was in a another state he wouldn't have to worry about being recognized.  He got rid of the risk of being pulled into the police station and being questioned if any of his potential thugs he stopped decided they wanted to tell the truth of how a superhero powered individual stopped them.  Topher thought to himself it was a perfect plan.
Topher just started walking down streets through out the city, and was peering through dark alley ways.  If the police saw him it would look pretty suspicious, but luckily there were no officers on patrol that he could see.  Topher saw a lot of other people instead.  He spotted the obvious tourists who were navigating the city by smart phone, the normal Seattleites who walk down the street ignoring all traffic signals for pedestrians and drivers alike, and a slew of homeless holding signs that said, "Why lie I need money for booze and weed :)".  Topher laughed and cried a little bit at the same time due to their honest bluntess.  That's when he heard the sound that meant he had to spring into action.  Topher heard the screaming siren of a fire truck, and was going down Fifth Avenue with lightening speed.  So fast no human could catch up, well no regular human Topher thought.  Topher immediately went running after it to assist the other heroes, the firefighters in whatever danger they were about to walk into.
When Topher was following the truck he noticed where the smoke was billowing into the sky, and therefore didn't have to follow the truck to its destination anymore.  Topher raced ahead to get a jump on the situation before the authorities showed up and it would be even harder to accomplish what he had planned, helping people in need.  When he got to the fire he saw what looked like an apartment complex engulfed in flames all fifteen stories of it.  Standing outside standing all in terror and fear was the group of people just like in the movies.  Just like they do in the movies Topher thought.  Topher looked up and saw different bodies in windows, or hearing life fearing screams coming from the building.  Topher knew long falls and knifes didn't harm him at all, but he wasn't sure about fire, or extreme heat but there was only way to find out, so Topher headed towards the back of the building so there were less witnesses.
Topher found the back of the building and found a back door, looking at the knob he noticed it was glowing red hot, Topher touched it, and didn't feel any pain in his hand.  Topher than without one hesitation kicked the door in with a swift kick, shattering the door to pieces.  Topher felt like a total badass after seeing himself do that, got a shot of adrenaline in him. and rocketed up the stairs knowing he had no time to lose. He stopped on the second floor because that was the first floor he saw where people were still stuck when he was watching the front of the building.  He stood at the start of the hall and yelled as loud as he could the only thing that he thought logical to say, "Is there anyone here on the second floor!".  Topher mentally facepalmed himself after hearing himself yell that in a burning building.  The only sound Topher heard for the next few moments were the obvious sounds of a building being burned down.  Flames crackling, walls and floors falling down, in short sheer utter destruction.  But then he head a faint scream over all the sounds,
"Help! If anyones there help! We are in room 215!"  Topher without thinking ran as fast as his legs could carry him to room 215, and kicked the door in.  In the room there was a single mother with two children clinging to their mom's leg in pure terror, and in the mom's arms was a nine month old infant Topher guessed.  "Save my kids!", the mom screamed at Topher, the only thing a mother could think of while being in this situation, and told her children to go with him.  Topher had the ten year old son grab his baby sister in his arms.  Topher then motioned for the kids to come closer and he bent over and picked up all three kids in his arms.  The mother such in shock had no idea what to say at this amazing sight.  In the blink of an eye Topher was out the apartments door, and back out front with all the other spectators.  Topher handed the kids off to a neighbor who gave all the children hugs, and ran back to grab their mom.  In seconds mom was reunited with her kids.  Hugs and kisses all around, but Topher knew there were more trapped in side and he was their only hope, so he headed back around the back and went back inside. The mom didn't even time to tell Topher thank you.
Topher ran up to the third floor and yelled the same thing as he did before, but there was no success this time.  He hoped they all got out, and went straight to the fourth floor.  Topher didn't need to scream this time because he heard the blood curdling scream of a boy begging for his father to wake up.  Topher then ran down the halls just punching doors into he found the boy and his unconscious  father.  When he found the right room he saw a little boy crying starting at his father, who was encircled with a ring of flame, and a beam on top of him.  Topher was praying to god the father was still alive.  Topher felt for a pulse, and found one, a small one, but still there was a pulse.  A pulse meant hope.   Topher jumped through the flames and lifted the beam with one hand and grabbed the boys father from under it with the other.  He hunched the father on his back and jumped back through the flames back to boy.  Topher turned to the boy who looked a lot like his son Parker at home and said, "Hi my name is To...Defender.  I'm here to save you and your dad, but I need your help.  Will you help me?"
The boy in shock over the man who didn't look like a fire fighter saving his dad made the only other logical connection in his brain.  "My name is John, and that's my dad Ron.  I'm usually not allowed to talk to strangers, but I think super heros are ok.  And you must be a super hero, because you are not a fireman, but you are saving us", John said to Topher.
Topher smiled at John and grabbed him and Ron and turned to go out the front door of the apartment.  Just then the entire floor by the front door collapsed.  Topher knowing that white men can't jump far, or at least Topher couldn't had to think of a plan B, and quick.  He ran to the window and saw empty deserted ground.  He survived two stories last time he thought.  He tried opening the window, but it wouldn't budge so he just punched it instead sending shattered glass everywhere.  Topher said to John, "Close your eyes buddy!", and jumped through the window with Ron and John slung over his shoulders.   The fall seemed longer, but at the same time shorter from when he jumped off his own house the other day.  A combined weight of over 500 pounds landed on the concrete, and all what was the result of the fall was tiny little crater that they made.  No broken bones, and three live bodies, perfectly fine.
John looked at Topher wide eyed and thanked him, "That was totally awesome! I wanna do that again!."  Topher let out a laugh, and shook his head.  Topher laughed because he thought John's comment was funny and typical of a ten year old boy, but also because he survived a jump from the fourth floor of a burning building, and was alive to talk about it.  Topher dropped John and Ron back off at the front, and noticed the fire trucks and para-medics have arrived now.  Which was going to make his job a lot harder to do.
Topher sped through the sixth through ninth floors since there was no one trapped on them.  He silently thanked God for that one.  Topher thought he had everyone out until he hit the last floor, the tenth.  Topher called out his ritualistic help beacon, and for once wasn't greeted with silence, instead it was eight different distinct voices begging for help.  Not knowing how to react at the swell of people he had to save Topher just screamed, "What rooms are you in?!".  He swore he heard 1005,1010,1016,1014,1030,1006, and 1020.  This will be a true test Topher thought because he had no idea how many people were still in each room.  Topher came up with the plan that it might be safer and faster to gather them into groups to get them out.  He ran to the first four rooms and gathered the first batch of people.  A mixture of elderly, children, and scared middle aged adults.  He ran the elderly and children down first, because they would need the most help to get to safety on account of age, and the adults followed as fast as they could behind him.  After Topher got the children and elderly to safety he returned to the stairs to give the others a helping boost to safety.  When the first four groups were down he headed back up to save the last group of four rooms.  He saved the whole building with no casualties.  Topher thanked God again for the obvious assist.
Topher went back to the front and watched with all the other spectators, who by this time have whipped out their cell phones to film the horrific scene, and recording fire fighters enter a doomed building.  When Topher overheard a fire fighter yelling into a walkie talkie, "TONY ANSWER! TONY! ARE YOU STILL ON THE SIXTH FLOOR!! DO YOU COPY!! TONY!"
Topher remembered how bad of shape the sixth floor was in and took off running not caring who saw the man disappear in a blink of an eye.  He ran up the six flights of stairs pushing himself to near exhaustion.  He ran to the end of the hall on the sixth floor, because he heard the yelling of the walkie talkie coming from that direction.  Topher saw why Tony wasn't answering as soon as he found the walkie talkie.  Tony was stuck under a wall fully engulfed in flames, and underneath him were the flames eating away at the floor.  Topher knew Tony would not survive a drop to the fifth floor with all that weight, and whose to say the fall would end on the fifth floor.  That is when the hunk of flaming debris gathered a voice out of shock that there was a man standing in front of him, and it wasn't Death himself. "Get out man and save yourself!"  Topher in shock that Tony was still alive ignored his pleads, and pushed the wall off of Tony saving his life.  Topher noticed the fallen wall was not kind to Tony's legs, and look like they have been crushed and would have no chance of being able to work at all.  Then Topher heard another sound that scared him. Topher heard a group of firemen in shock asking who that guy is standing over Tony.  Topher unsure how to respond acted without caring about the consequences and ran as fast as he could straight ahead.

Paul was standing outside with all the other crowd outside filming the building with his camera phone, banking on selling it to a t.v. station for amateur video footage of the fire.  Little did he know that he was about to capture the first video footage of Defender.  Paul was in shock staring at the man flying out the window of the sixth floor, and falling to his obvious demise.  Paul felt bad for the man who just died, but then smiled when he thought of the paycheck he would receive for his video.

Topher landed face first on the street below.  Topher peeled himself off of the street and walked down an alley to disappear from the fire.  Knowing he just saved a handful of lives, he knew he did good, and it felt good.  He took a five minute breather and started running home.  When Topher made it back to his car he was fully exhausted, and could barely keep his eyes open.  He got into his car and turned the ignition noticing the time, 1:00 in the morning.  To his wife it looked like he just spent four hours at the gym, and she would never believe that.  But if she asked at least he had the body to prove to her that the gym is actually working.

The three firefighters ran to the window that the man that came out of nowhere sprinted like a bat out of hell to.  They looked down expecting to see a pool of blood and guts, but looked down and saw nothing.  The three firemen went back to Tony and made an oath that they saved Tony, because no one would believe them if they ever told the truth.
Topher woke the next day, and looked at his phone, which has become every persons routine when they upgrade to a smart phone.  A phone that has your entire life on one little plastic electronic device.  Brad his best friend, who moved to Washington in the past year,  posted on his Facebook wall a link to an article telling the story of the fire last night in Seattle.

""Last night a ten storied apartment burned down.  There have been no
casualties reported at this time, and only a few minor injuries have
occurred.  The cause of the fire is still unknown, but there is a bigger
mystery.  Some called him a guardian angel, but another eye witness
has another theory.  " A superhero saved him and his Dad is what John
has told reporters, but wouldn't tell us his name...

Topher scanned the article in shock all while the whole of last night replayed in his mind soaking in all the details.

Another part of the mystery involves an amateur video that was shot on
Paul Fisher's cell phone last night.  The footage looks like glass shattering
out the side of the building, and what looks like a man falling six floors.
Authorities went to investigate but they found no evidence of a body...

Topher then clicked the video and watched himself jump out of the window.  And then he watched it again.  And again.  And again.  Topher watched the video of himself over ten times, and each time he swore all the smells of last night were coming back to him, almost as if he was still in that building.  He then noticed he fell asleep with his clothes on from last night, and if his wife woke up he would have no chance at an explanation of why he smells like he was fighting a fire last night.  He hopped in the shower and put his clothes in a bag to get rid of at work, because he didn't want in the laundry which would cause questions.  To many questions Topher thought.  Topher grabbed his clothes and headed out the door.
Topher made a stop at DB coffee on the way to work.  Corey the manager and Topher's three favorite girls were working this morning.  When this team was working the coffee always comes out perfect Topher thought, never burnt.  "Toph!", Corey yelled to Topher over the blaring techno music.  "What's happening my man!", and gave Topher a high five.
"""""Long night man!  Long night!  Definitely need your coffee today!", Topher said to Corey.  Topher came to the realization that DB coffee must put crack in their coffee, because he was addicted after his first cup, and no other coffee comes close to being as good as DB.  Topher looked at his cup when Corey handed him his coffee.  Dig life the lid said.  Perfect for the day after the night he just had.
Topher goes for his wallet to take out his debit card to pay, but Corey shakes his head and stops him.  "You know what, today it's on me because you look like you went through Hell last night, and really need this today!"  Topher high fived Corey and told him thanks.  Topher also made a mental note to bring him cookies the next time he baked.  Topher gets work with half of his coffee drank already and walks in the door.  Yay, my Tuesday Topher thinks to himself.  He walked to the back and noticed the dishes that were piled in the sink from the night before.  He looked at the salad bar bowl and saw all the utensils just thrown in with no sign of order or separation making his life easier when he opens salad bar.  Went through the walk in, noticing that there was no cheese left which meant he had to shred cheese once again, and counted out how many trays his kitchen opener James would have to roll out because it was Friday.  Topher counted out thirteen trays.
Topher got into the office to check parties and saw there was a day care organizational booked that would have up to fifty children accompanying them at 11:00, and also a birthday party for Sophie that would have up to twenty children and fifteen adults joining them for the celebration.  Topher was about to go out to the showroom to check to see if he still had to setup those parties, when his phone vibrated notifying him about a new text message.  Early morning text messages are never good news.  It was his kitchen opener James calling in sick.  Topher screamed out at the top of his lungs, "F.A.I.F!"  Freaking A It's Friday!

Chapter 4: Teaser!

Here's a sample of chapter 4 so far.  Hopefully I will have the rest posted on Tuseday!

Chapter 4

Topher still couldn't believe it.  A minute ago he was in his gyms parking lot, and a few past and then he is in Seattle, looking up and seeing the Space Needle.  Now that he was in a bigger city Topher knew he would find some crime to stop, and since it was in a another state he wouldn't have to worry about being recognized.  He got rid of the risk of being pulled into the police station and being questioned if any of his potential thugs he stopped decided they wanted to tell the truth of how a superhero powered individual stopped them.  Topher thought to himself it was a perfect plan.
Topher just started walking down streets through out the city, and was peering through dark alley ways.  If the police saw him it would look pretty suspicious, but luckily there were no officers on patrol that he could see.  Topher saw a lot of other people instead.  He spotted the obvious tourists who were navigating the city by smart phone, the normal Seattleites who walk down the street ignoring all traffic signals for pedestrians and drivers alike, and a slew of homeless holding signs that said, "Why lie I need money for booze and weed :)".  Topher laughed and cried a little bit at the same time due to their honest bluntess.  That's when he heard the sound that meant he had to spring into action.  Topher heard the screaming siren of a fire truck, and was going down Fifth Avenue with lightening speed.  So fast no human could catch up, well no regular human Topher thought.  Topher immediately went running after it to assist the other heroes, the firefighters in whatever danger they were about to walk into.
When Topher was following the truck he noticed where the smoke was billowing into the sky, and therefore didn't have to follow the truck to its destination anymore.  Topher raced ahead to get a jump on the situation before the authorities showed up and it would be even harder to accomplish what he had planned, helping people in need.  When he got to the fire he saw what looked like an apartment complex engulfed in flames all fifteen stories of it.  Standing outside standing all in terror and fear was the group of people just like in the movies.  Just like they do in the movies Topher thought.  Topher looked up and saw different bodies in windows, or hearing life fearing screams coming from the building.  Topher knew long falls and knifes didn't harm him at all, but he wasn't sure about fire, or extreme heat but there was only way to find out, so Topher headed towards the back of the building so there were less witnesses.
Topher found the back of the building and found a back door, looking at the knob he noticed it was glowing red hot, Topher touched it, and didn't feel any pain in his hand.  Topher than without one hesitation kicked the door in with a swift kick, shattering the door to pieces.  Topher felt like a total badass after seeing himself do that, got a shot of adrenaline in him. and rocketed up the stairs knowing he had no time to lose. He stopped on the second floor because that was the first floor he saw where people were still stuck when he was watching the front of the building.  He stood at the start of the hall and yelled as loud as he could the only thing that he thought logical to say, "Is there anyone here on the second floor!".  Topher mentally facepalmed himself after hearing himself yell that in a burning building.  The only sound Topher heard for the next few moments were the obvious sounds of a building being burned down.  Flames crackling, walls and floors falling down, in short sheer utter destruction.  But then he head a faint scream over all the sounds,
"Help! If anyones there help! We are in room 215!"  Topher without thinking ran as fast as his legs could carry him to room 215, and kicked the door in.  In the room there was a single mother with two children clinging to their mom's leg in pure terror, and in the mom's arms was a nine month old infant Topher guessed.  "Save my kids!", the mom screamed at Topher, the only thing a mother could think of while being in this situation, and told her children to go with him.  Topher had the ten year old son grab his baby sister in his arms.  Topher then motioned for the kids to come closer and he bent over and picked up all three kids in his arms.  The mother such in shock had no idea what to say at this amazing sight.  In the blink of an eye Topher was out the apartments door, and back out front with all the other spectators.  Topher handed the kids off to a neighbor who gave all the children hugs, and ran back to grab their mom.  In seconds mom was reunited with her kids.  Hugs and kisses all around, but Topher knew there were more trapped in side and he was their only hope, so he headed back around the back and went back inside. The mom didn't even time to tell Topher thank you.
Topher ran up to the third floor and yelled the same thing as he did before, but there was no success this time.  He hoped they all got out, and went straight to the fourth floor.  Topher didn't need to scream this time because he heard the blood curdling scream of a boy begging for his father to wake up.  Topher then ran down the halls just punching doors into he found the boy and his unconscious  father.  When he found the right room he saw a little boy crying starting at his father, who was encircled with a ring of flame, and a beam on top of him.  Topher was praying to god the father was still alive.  Topher felt for a pulse, and found one, a small one, but still there was a pulse.  A pulse meant hope.   Topher jumped through the flames and lifted the beam with one hand and grabbed the boys father from under it with the other.  He hunched the father on his back and jumped back through the flames back to boy.  Topher turned to the boy who looked a lot like his son Parker at home and said, "Hi my name is To...Defender.  I'm here to save you and your dad, but I need your help.  Will you help me?"
The boy in shock over the man who didn't look like a fire fighter saving his dad made the only other logical connection in his brain.  "My name is John, and that's my dad Ron.  I'm usually not allowed to talk to strangers, but I think super heros are ok.  And you must be a super hero, because you are not a fireman, but you are saving us", John said to Topher.

Chapter 3!

Chapter 3

All that Topher saw when he opened his eyes was the brightest light he has ever seen before. He knew it wasn't the light to heaven, because dead people can't smell, and he smelled a freshly laid dog poo about six inches from where he landed.  Well not really landed more like jumped off a roof in an attempt to fly and belly flopped to his almost demise.  Topher didn't even have one second of flight, instead he somehow flipped in the air and  landed on his back directly under the sun and opened his eyes directly into it.  Butters Topher's golden labrador came up to his owner and gave him a kiss.  A kiss that if dogs could talk would probaly be followed, You jumped off the roof, I don't know, but I'm a dog, and I still love you.  At least that is what Topher thought the dogs kiss meant.  Topher also didn't know how we would of explained to his wife if she came out and found his body on the ground either dead, well if he was dead there would be no needed explanation really, or completely paralyzed.  He thought he can lift heavy stuff, run fast, the most logical thing that would he be able to do also would be fly.  Super-dude does it.  So why can't Super Topher.  He then scratches that name at how absurd and egotistical it sounded.  He got up with not a scratch on him, just a little soreness from the fall.  Looked down and saw his body imprint on the lawn.  He had no idea how he was going to explain that to Anne, but when the time came to he would of think something fast, or just blame it on the kids.  The second option usually works.
Topher went into the house with a tiny limp to think of costume options or possible names, because he thought that would be the most logical thing to do after finding out you have super powers.  First test them to see what you have, your limitations, and the powers you don't have would be the most logical 3 steps of part 1.  Part 2 would be think of a name that would strike fear in criminals minds, but at the same time instill hope in the people who need saving. Part 3 would be make an awesome costume, Topher was thinking something in orange because that was his favorite color, and possibly sleveless to show off his massive arms he has now.  And finally part 3 would be of course go fight crime and make a name for yourself.  But make sure to not step in the line of bullets until he was sure it wouldn't kill him.  He didn't want to hold the record for world's first superhero, and also the one who has the shortest career because he didn't know he could stop bullets.
Topher went and got some printer paper and his kids crayons.  He was pretty sure this isn't how most superheroes designed their costume but you have to start somewhere.  Topher was not the best artist, in fact he wasn't a good artist, to be honest he could barely draw a straight stick figure.  But he did what he always does and just tried.  He first drew a basic body and added massive arms to it, in fact it reminded of an anorexic person who had massive arms because he was on steroids.  He drew a cape on his hero looking person and a little mask to barely cover his identity.  Topher thought to himself that will work for now.  His next step would be figuring out a name for himself.  He was thinking maybe Captain Awesome but thought that might sound way egotistical.  Then he remembered the time when he called himself Leviathan but then remembered the beating he was handed last time he called himself that, and even let a little tear come out when he was haunted of those painful memories.  He then remembered why he wanted to become a hero in the first place, to be a voice for the voiceless, be able to stand up for those who were afraid to stand up for themselves, and to always defend the little guy and who ever else needed.  That's when the name came to him out of the blue, Defender.  Defender he thought to himself has a heroic tone to it, and also a hint of danger to strike fear into evil.  He smiled because he came up with the perfect name.  He wrote the name Defender under his stick figure person, and underlined it for good measure.  He colored his cape a dark orange, and wrote a big block lettered D on his chest, after he added a triangular chest to his drawing.  He was so in tune to what he was designing he didn't hear his come down the stairs.
"Were you on the roof?  I could of swore I heard something pacing on the roof a little bit ago?", Anne asked her husband.  Topher was not prepared to have to answer this question so soon.  In fact he was hoping the grass would grow over the body indent he just made in the lawn so there would be no questions asked, because Topher sucked at lying.  And his wife always saw through his lies, and that's why he always just told the truth instead.  He ponderded whether to make his usual smart ass remarks which might make his wife even more upset, or act like she was crazy and say he didn't hear anything since he was down here with his headphones in for a little bit trying to drown out the dogs barking while he was drawing.  But at that thought he looked down at his drawing and realized that was a drawing to be proud of, and his kids could whip out a better looking one in less time and in full color as well.  He opted for a plan A, being a smart ass.
"It might of been Santa practicing for the winter on peoples houses.  I heard he chooses random house where he knows kids are in school so they won't see him in the daylight to practice his rooftop walking.  You remember that movie the Santa Clause, well I heard that was based on a true story, so now the elves make Santa practice three times a week on random houses through out the year to make sure he doesn't fall down again", Topher said to his triumphantly on the spot.  Trying to hide his smirk he just wanted to let out and his sudden moment of sarcasm and intelligence.  Topher had no idea how his wife would respond to this absurd comment.  He waited for fury to be unveiled, or a laughter of how insane it sounded.
Anne just looked at Topher dumbfounded at what her husband just spurted out of his mouth, and responds out of sheer anger and amazement of how stupid her husband just sounded.  She hits him really hard on the shoulder and says, " You are so full of shit!"  She shakes her hand and realizes it feels like she just punched a wall, and then said, "You also need to stop going to the gym so I can punch you, and not be the one in pain."  The pain and the ridiculous answer her husband made her forget about what she asked in the first place and just changed the subject entirely instead.  "Let's go pick up the kid's now so I can get an iced tea because I'm thirsty, and a little snacky, maybe some fries too."
Topher completely amazed how easy it was to get out of that one smiles and grabs the keys to his wife's car and heads out the door with her behind him.  They sit in silence for most of the car ride there, except for when they had to order the teas and fries.  When you have children in the car ninety percent of the time the most two common things happen one you get a headache from hearing the kids scream and yell at the top of the lungs of who's touching who or they are in the sun.  The other side is yelling at them to be quiet, or attempting the many failed attempts at starting the quiet game which barely lasts ten seconds before a child says something.  So Topher and Anne were enjoying each others company in the silence why there still remained some in the car, before it was replaced with chaos and screaming.  Also the fact Anne's running on maybe four hours of sleep, and when she doesn't get any sleep she's grumpy, and Topher doesn't like grumpy Anne, so he just drives letting his mind wander due to the lack of conversation.
They pick up the kids and there's the sudden flurry of information though out the day.  Only a child can cover eight hours of a day in an incomprehensible five minutes or so, and will get mad if you one don't understand what they are saying, or two answer the way they didn't want you too.  The second Parker shot out of his classroom he instantly started telling his dad about his day, "Dad guess what!  Today for snack we had something I didn't like so I didn't eat it.  It was chocolate.  I go out of control with chocolate don't I dad.  And then at first recess I fell down on the slide because James pushed me, but I'm ok. And at second recess I was running around and tripped and scraped my knee.  At lunch Damian hit me because we were sitting next to each other, but I'm not sure why because we aren't supposed to sit next to each other we were supposed to sit with our class, but there were no seats left.  And at art we painted a picture for you, its you wearing a cape riding a skateboard, I called you Skateboard Dad.  Is that cool Dad! It's cool huh. And then we went home!"  The only thing Topher could do was nod while trying to digest what his son just said.  He knew if he said the wrong answer Parker would get mad at tell on him to mom that he wasn't listening.  He gave his daughter a hug after the giant explanation which gave him a few more seconds to pick and choose the right words to tell his son about his day.
Topher decided to tackle on each event his son told him one by one so he could gauge how he was reacting to each of his very carefully chosen words. " I'm sorry you didn't like your chocolate snack, but I'm glad you were a good brother and gave it to your sister instead."  Topher than offered a high five to his son which he happily gave. "Did James say he was sorry for pushing you? It was an accident wasn't it."  Parker nodded both times.  Two for two Topher was on a roll.  Topher than kissed Parker's knee to address the skinned knee. because that's what Topher thought was all that was needed.  Now the tough one involving Damian. "Now Parker being a big kid requires you to be able to sit other aged kids and behave as well.  I'm pretty sure Damian just didn't hit you for no reason, and I will talk to him about it when he gets out of class."  Parker just nodded his head knowing he just tattled on himself during the process of ratting out his brother. Topher knew he had to bring it home with the art picture.  This was the make or break moment of the whole entire conversation.  "That is awesome bud!  I would totally have a skateboard like that!  And that cape is rad!"  Topher sat back waiting for the aftermath of his attempt at having the right answers for the day.  Topher thought he had a victory in this column, but the only true judge of that would be Parker, his son.
Parker just looked at his dad with a quizzical face and says, "What does rad mean?"
Topher counted this one as a win because the only thing Parker got from that whole spiel was, what does rad mean?  "Rad is just another word for awesome buddy", Topher tells his son triumphantly.  Parker then tells his dad he's going to go play on the playground while they wait for his brother to come down.  Since second grade is one of the bigger classes they are always out for some reason.  And like everyday Damian is the last kid out.  The reason is because Damian stays behind to make sure the chairs are tucked in, the wipeboard cleaned off, the floor swept,  and all around the classroom is clean before he can leave.  The funny thing about that is Damian at home could care less about that kind of stuff.  It's true what they say your child is different at home, then he is in school.  Almost every parent is told that their child is so well behaved, polite, and so caring, and then you look at them like they are crazy and say simply he's faking.  All the kids pile into the car and the chaos begins once again.
"He has my book." "He won't give me a chip."  "She hit me!"  "His head is on my shoulder"  Are the constant things Topher and his wife heard being yelled from the back seat.  All the voices meld into one when there is that many things being screamed at once.
Anne turns around and gives the kids her angry look, the one that even scares Topher some times and says, "Not a word from either of your mouths, or if I hear one peep coming from anyone of you I will throw all your toys away!  I mean it!  I want quiet!  Mom has a headache and didn't get much sleep, and you are just making my headache turn into a migraine.  So be quiet or else!"   Short and to the point Topher thought.  The silence than began, but Topher knew it wouldn't last long, seeing they were his kids and they don't know how to be quiet for anything over thirty seconds.  The silence lasted for about fourty five seconds, and then there was a tiny peep from the back seat.  The typical car ride in Topher's mind.
When bed time rolled around it was time for the nightly ritual in Topher's house.  The bed time battle as he called it.  The constant bickering of who didn't want to brush their teeth first, what pajamas they were allowed to wear, who was going to get a bath first and a whole other batch of useless things that didn't matter to the average adult mind.  But when you are a kid it makes a huge difference.  Topher tucks his kids into bed after reading them a story, using silly voices of course.  Also attempting to try to change the names of the characters to his kids names, but they had none of that and complained about it.  Loudly.  He lays in bed and not a second goes by before Parker comes bursting into the bedroom. "I have to go poopy!", Parker says with a smile.
Topher looks at his son, "Well you know where the bathroom is."  Topher then points his finger out the room motioning for his son to get out of his room and head to the bathroom instead.  Topher hears his son making the normal sounds one makes while going to the bathroom and is in the bathroom wipe ready after he hears the all to familiar plop, before his son can yell from the bathroom "I poopied!".  You can tell Topher has done this a few times.  Topher sends Parker back to bed.  Goes downstairs and brings up little cups of water to hand out to the kids, so they can't pull the old classic "I'm thirsty!".  Topher and Anne were pros when it came to parenting.  About thirty minutes go by and all the kids are asleep.  Topher kisses his wife on the forehead and heads to the gym.  Topher gets to the gym and checks in.  Some people get upset about his gym check ins but he sees it as a way if I have time to work out, you can make time too, and the ones who are upset are the ones who can't commit to the a workout.  He goes to the weights because he's afraid to hit the treadmill in fear he will run through the window with his new found speed abilities.  He goes to the bench press bench and grabs all the weights in the gym and loads both sides so they are even.  He is not sure how much weight there is, he just notices the bars on the bench are bending a little bit from all the weight.  He starts to think this might not be a good idea.
Topher lies back on the bench and actually looks at all the weight he has on the bars, and hears the sound of metal and steel bending.  Topher not knowing his own boundaries, wraps his hands around the bar.  Takes a deep breath and pushes up.  Lifts the bar.  The bench thanks him for taking the weight off of the hinges.  He pumps it up and down with no problem.  In fact he holds the bar and sits up.  Then stands up.  Lifts the enormous weight over his head for good measure.  Not even sweating.  The only thing Topher can think is, cool.  He puts the weight on the ground and the bench once again silently thanks him for not putting all that back on it's hooks, out of fear of breaking them.  Unloads the weight and puts them all back where they should be, because one of Topher's gym's pet peeves is when people leave a loaded weight on a bar, or just place the weights in the most random places.  Once he found a twenty five pound weight in the bathroom.  He had no idea what the weight was doing in there, and he didn't want to find out either.  He stepped outside and realized his normal workout wouldn't work anymore with his new abilities.  Then he had a brilliant idea.
Topher left his car at the gym and started running, and ran all the way downtown in a few seconds.  Topher was going to start his crime fighting career tonight.  He decided to worry about the costume later, since he wasn't really well know through out the state.  It's not as if he was a billionaire playboy, or a famous reporter.  He was a manager at Prehistoric Pizza and only had 275 friends on facebook.  Not really the definition of the popular guy.  But still Topher stayed in the shadows just in case.  He spend the whole entire night out looking for crime and didn't find a single thing.  Not even a purse napping.  He then remembered that most superhero stories take place in big cities.  Not Boise. He then had an idea that would have to wait for another day since it was near midnight, and he left for the gym two hours ago.  Plus he has to go back to work in the morning.

Most people are excited for Thursday, because Thursday means Friday and the weekend is right around the corner.  For Topher Thursday is his Monday and he dreads Thursday.  He stopped and got coffee at DB on the way to work, and thinks to himself he should really buy stock in them, and soon so he at least gets some of his money back.  His cup says "You taste good".  And Topher is unsure how to respond to that.  He drives up to Prehistoric Pizza and just takes in the beautiful building that he once thought it was when he was a kid.  The fake palm trees around the building, the giant tyrannosaurus rex head up on top that moves from side to side, or it used to he works at a pretty old and dated Prehistoric Pizza, but when he was a kid that head moved.   Notices the trash all over the parking lot and wishes people would pick up after themselves, he sees everything from soda cups, beer bottles, dirty diapers, and even soiled underwear.  Is it that hard to throw away trash Topher thinks to himself.  He makes a mental note to do a lot check before they open in two hours.  He goes inside dreading the start of his week.
Topher walks in the door and notices some trash on the floor instantly, and thought that the game room closer probably no called no showed once again, and makes another mental note to leave him off the schedule so he might get the hint and quit.  Topher's fingers were crossed on that one.  He had to be careful this morning because he could use his new found powers and get the whole store set up in under thirty seconds, but he didn't want to raise any red flags that something has happened out of the ordinary.  He heads to the office after doing a quick walkthrough and silently cursing himself he couldn't clean up the store super quick.  It would take less than sixty seconds, but he decides against it.  He checks the email and sees a bunch of emails demanding the impossible to happen.  Have bigger sales and use less people doing it.  And still provide the same magical service.  The impossible is what the corporate side of Prehistoric Pizza demand, and to be perfectly honest we rarely hit it.  Being the fact it's Idaho, and we are two years behind everyone.  Some people in the world still think Idaho might be a city in Iowa, but if you say the word's Boise, people automatically think smurf turf, thank you Bronco's.
Topher heads to the ice bins to start filling the salad bar for the day and decides he could cheat a little here.  He fills up the ice buckets as fast as he can and carries what he usually would, walking only slightly faster, to show a little more hustle than usual, to the cameras it would look like he was working extra hard, and that is exactly the result Topher was looking for.  He iced and set up the salad bar in fifteen minutes and headed to go do prep.  This is where he was going to truly test himself due to the fact there are no cameras around the prep area, and also no one would be there for another thirty minutes.  He went into the walk-in and grabbed all the prep he had to do and just started going at it.  Topher cut peppers, cucumbers, onions, oranges, both salad mixes, and filled all the dressings in under five minutes.  Topher could get used to this.  Topher decided to slow down a little bit and started to cut the cantaloupe just a slight faster than usual.  The knife slipped and knicked his knuckle.  Which would usually cause a cut and blood, and an instant white face on Topher due to the fact he hates the sight of blood, there was nothing.  Not even a tiny mark where the knife hit the skin. Instead Topher looked at the knife and after analyzing realized that one of the teeth broke off and was sitting on the cutting board, where there should of been blood.  Topher 1, Knife 0.  This gave Topher another idea which might result in two revelations one he might be invincible, or two he's about to have only nine fingers.
Since no one was at the restaurant still Topher laid his hand on the cutting board, and  stuck out his left pointer finger.  Picked up the wonder knife which is one of the sharpest knifes in the store, one that has cut Topher many times on different occasions and took a deep breath.  He lifted his right hand up about six inches from his left hand and took a deep breath.  After five breathes and trying psyche himself up to cut his finger to see if he would bleed he went through on the fifth breath.  The sound that was the result was the same sound of metal scratching on metal.  But for once in Topher's life he felt no pain when he cut his finger.  Which meant one of two results, one he completely cut his finger off and the pain hasn't reached his brain yet, or two nothing happened.  Topher opened up his eyes half expectantly too see a pool of blood starting, a finger, and a nub but didn't see anything.  Instead he saw a knife, well what remained of a knife.  The knife shattered with the combination of Topher's brute strength he now possessed  and his newly acquired body of steel was the best way to put it Topher thought.  Topher let out a giant WHOOHOO!  And threw away the broken knife so there wouldn't be any questions, or evidence.  The downside is he just broke a thirty dollar knife, the plus side he found out knifes and falls from roof tops won't hurt him.  He thought to himself that is a fair trade off.
The rest of the day was pretty ordinary filled with kids coming up to Topher saying games were broken when all they weren't doing were hitting the start button.  It was a kind of busy day due to the lack of people the company will allow you have to work, but Topher has learned to adapt to doing the job of three or more people, one of his super powers he self developed.  Topher's coworkers call him the Prehistoric Pizza super hero, because he always finds a way to save the day, even if Topher is tired of doing it day in and day out.  And since the Prehistoric Pizza super hero is kind of mouthful to say they tried shortening it to the PP hero, but Topher nipped that one in the butt immediately.  Then came the time that other workers dread but Topher thought was the best part of the job, putting on the Timmy the T-rex costume to go give hugs and high fives to kids.  If Topher is having a bad day he just throws on that suit, in which he holds the record of getting dressed in the fastest in less than twenty seconds, and goes out to make kids smile, laugh, and sometimes scream in fear.
Topher always wondered why Prehistoric Pizza decided on using one of the most vicious dinosaurs of all time for their mascot for their establishment.  He always wondered that about Barney also.  In all honesty, a tyrannosaurus rex would just walk up to a small child, lick its lips, and devour the child whole.  Also Topher once asked the companies trainers a question that has still be answered.  How can a T-rex hug a child with such small arms and a big head?  It is physically impossible, in fact T-rex's can't do a lot of things which explains why they are always so angry and eating other dinosaurs.  They can't do pullups or pushups. T-rex's can't do the bench press or wear a hat.  And female T-rex's can't paint their toe claws if they wanted to.  When Topher brought all that up to his trainer in California his trainer  just looked at Topher with a face that screamed "Okay smartass!" and handed him the huge head of Timmy and told him to go dance.  And ever since that day Topher has danced and hugged his poor misunderstood dinosaur to many layers of sweat from being in such a hot suit.  And he has loved every minute of it and wouldn't change it for the world.
He walks around the store giving high fives to kids, knuckle bumps, and hugs to every child that will take them.  In fact Topher grabs a few tokens from up front and plays air hockey with a few of the kids, because in all honesty if you ever beat a giant tyrannosaurus rex at a game of air hockey that is a moment in your life you will never forget, even in if the tyrannosaurus rex took it easy on you and let you win, but Timmy wouldn't let you know that, he'd make it close enough so you both can be proud of the game.  Topher walked around taking pictures with kids, giving parents bunny ears, putting hats on his head, even though Topher still wonders to this day how is that possible, and sees every child in the building at least three times before heading back to his cave for his nap until the next hour that corporate demands for him to be out.  Which in truth only happens a few times a day to the people issue.
Through out the day Topher just stares at the clock to see if another found power is being able to control time to make work go by faster.  Sadly he does not have that power and staring at the clock just seems to make time go by even slower.  He makes another mental note for not to try that again.  By the time five o'clock hits Topher is ready to go home and see his wife and kids, and be bombared at the door by either screaming children, or faster than the speed of light conversations about how their day was at school.  During the drive home Topher realizes how slow it is driving in the car due to the fact that he could run home and be home in an instant now.  A power he was determined to try out tonight when the kids go to bed.  If he couldn't find any crime in Boise to stop, he would go else where to stop it.  He steps in the door and hears silence as soon as he gets home which wasn't always a good thing.  He walks into the kitchen and kisses Anne on the forehead, "How was your day hon? he asks her.
"Fine until I had to pick up the kids.  Then the migraine began again.", Anne told Topher.  An answer he was sadly used to hearing.  An answer which meant some massive damage control and some time for mom to get stuff done without being bothered by a thousand questions and the all to popular "Guess What!" which is now Parker's favorite way to start any sentence.  Topher heads upstairs and changes into a DB coffee shirt and some shorts and goes out to talk to the kids.
"Daddy!!!". Taylor says to Topher while give her dad a hug.  The best part about coming home from work Topher thought.  Sure he hugs kids all day in a giant dinosaur costume, but it's not quite as special when it comes from your own kids.  Taylor then gets a sad look on her face, "Daddy, Parker was mean to me in school today. He kept taking my crayons and told me I was coloring wrong.  He wasn't being nice.  He made me cry", Taylor says while tears start to appear while telling her dad the tragic event of the day once again.
Topher hugs Taylor tightly and asks, "Did you tell your teacher?" Taylor nods her head.  "Did Parker tell you sorry?" Taylor nods her head again.  "There then problem solved", Topher said to his daughter than asks her if she wants to play his kids favorite game, Destroy Daddy.  Which basically is Topher running around the backyard acting like any kind of supervillian he can think of, while his kids play fight, throw balls, or in his daughters case scream that's my daddy don't hurt him, for around twenty minutes or until someone gets hurt.  Even then sometimes when someone gets hurt they all get up and walk it off and go back to playing.  The quickest way to forget how much pain your in when your dad throws a ball at you and knocks you down, is to get right back up and charge at your dad hopefully tackling him.  And if he's a good dad like Topher feels he is he will go down like a freight train just him, and in some cases like Parker tackling him it feels like it.
"Dinner is ready clean up the yard, and wash your hand's and come eat", Anne tells the family from the door.  Anne looks at her husband and sees he on the ground which means some different things, either he hit Parker hard with the ball and let him tackle him, or he was napping on the lawn, and since she heard her son crying a few minutes ago she knew it was the first one.  "You need to watch your strength", she tells Topher.  Topher his head down nods and goes picks up toys in the yard.  Even though he could pick his wife up and down with one arm now, and run circles around her he knows who's the real boss.  Topher's dad gave him great advice on his wedding day, she's always right, and if she is wrong don't tell her.  That is  how they have lasted ten years of marriage, well that and rarely seeing each other.  
Topher and Anne got the kids off to bed with not as many battles due to the fact Anne threatened them they would wake up with no toys tomorrow if they didn't go to bed nice.  In about ten minutes all the kids were asleep, which meant Topher could go do what he waiting for all day while at work.  Topher kissed his wife on the forehead and left her watching the tv, and heads off to his car to drive the few minutes to the gym.  He parks his car and checks into the gym to cover his tracks.  He decides since Boise is quiet at night crime wise he might as well hit Seattle to see if there any action that needs to be stopped.  He starts running as fast as he can in minutes he is in Seattle about to start a new life as a state crossing superhero.  Topher smiles to himself and says "Let's do this!"

Chapter 2

Thank you to all who believe I can do this.  I promise I won't let you down.  I now give you chapter 2 of Super Mid Life

Chapter 2

Topher couldn't believe that his dream finally came true all those years ago.  Ever since that shooting star twenty three years ago he now had the ability to lift cars, fly anywhere he wants, and read minds.  This was proof dreams come true, but with all superheroes there are always supervillians attempting to take over the world.  This time it was Dr. Dementia, a deranged ex psychologist who hypnotizes his victims to do his bidding or believe whatever he tells them to believe.  He has been one of Topher's arch nemesis for many years now, and this time he has Topher right where he wants him.
Dr. Dementia cackles to Topher, "Topher, it's for your own good that I took your powers away, before you hurt anyone else.  You are the one who snapped, flew into the hospital, and punched out all the bottom walls so the building would collapse on itself.  It's your fault hundreds and hundreds of people are dead.  You are not a hero after all!"  Dr. Dementia kidnapped Topher a day ago hypnotizing him day in and day out, and finally he cracked Topher.  Dr. Dementia could tell Topher he was a pink unicorn, and Topher would get on all fours and start acting like a pink unicorn.  In short Dr. Dementia was victorious in finally defeating him.
Topher sat motionless in his chair quietly sobbing to himself, asking forgiveness from God for what he did, even know deep down in his heart he knew he didn't deserve His forgiveness.  Topher was led to believe that his wife was shot during the time Topher was being kidnapped.  She was rushed to the hospital to be operated on.  But the surgeons were not actual doctors, instead they were Dr, Dementia's thugs, and killed his wife on the operating table.  So Topher out of rage took down the hospital with his bare hands, killing hundreds of people, including his own wife who was in recovery after a successful surgery.  This is what Dr. Dementia has been telling Topher for the last two days, and this is what Topher believed.  He came to gain revenge of Dr. Dementia, but then got caught again, and was tricked into being completely powerless.  Dr. Dementia was all smiles for once in his life after an altercation with Topher, he was actually happy.  So happy in fact to add insult to injury just wailing on Topher's face because he knew that there would be no retaliation, no consequences, not even the uttering the word stop, because Topher was broken.
Dr. Dementia was in control and he knew it so he stopped punching Topher and just relied on verbal abuse, but the real reason the doctor stopped punching Topher is because his hand hurt like hell, and he had to give it a rest.  "You are a failure!" Dr. Dementia yelled at Topher.  "You are not a hero!  You killed hundreds of people including your own true love!  Your wife! You killed your wife!! You were never a hero, you are nothing but a time bomb that finally went off killing people, GOOD people!  Hundreds of them!"  Then Dr. Dementia did something very peculiar, and started jabbing Topher in the eye with is fingers, and stopped calling him a failure, and started calling him Daddy.  Then Topher heard a faint cry in the background that weren't his cries.

Topher was woken up from his dreammare, that's what Topher called them because in them he has powers like he has always dreamed of, but somehow always loses control, and kills the ones he loves.  He never got superpowers from that wish years ago, but instead lived out another dream of his, becoming a family man.  His wife was not dead like Dr, Dementia led him to believe she was sleeping soundly next to him for it was five o'clock in the morning.  Topher's eyes than adjusted to the darkness and saw a blurry silhouette of his six year old son Parker standing infront of him, who has stopped for a moment to see if he was successful in waking his Dad up from sleeping.   Parker wanted a story read to him. At six o'clock in the morning.  The previous night Topher told his son that he would read him his book in the morning, and since children have no real sense of time, as soon as Parker woke up that meant to him its morning, and my Dad will now read me a story.
Parker says in a quiet voice, well to Parker he thought it was quiet, "Dad, read me my book please, it's morning.  You promised."  Topher half dead to the world lets out a barely audible word that semi resembles five more minutes.  Since Parker was used to this answer from his father this early in the morning he knew exactly what his father had actually said.  He told his dad, "O.K.", and plopped on the floor and opened up his book trying to read it.  "The..d..o...g...dog...b...a..  Dad what does b, a, r, k, e, d spell."  Topher knowing he wasn't going to be able to go back to bed, rolled out, and walked like a blind zombie to his son's room to read his book to him. Parker followed his father grinning a big grin, because he knew he was victorious.

After Topher read to Parker he proceeded in waking up his other children, his daughter Taylor, who was Parker's twin sister, and his oldest son Damian.  Taylor and Parker were six years old, and Damian was almost eight.  The superhero bug bite was transferred to his children as well, complete with bins of super-hero toys, pictures on the wall, and every article of clothing super-hero related.  To say he was a proud father would be an understatement.  Taylor was craving waffles for breakfast, so Topher told his daughter he would make them after he got dressed.
When Topher went upstairs his wife was in the process of waking up.  Anne was three years older than Topher and he found something new he loved about his wife each day.  Today it was she was wearing his I Fight Dragons t-shirt and looked cute as can be in his eyes.  Her shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes, and natural face was true beauty to him.  "Morning Sunshine!", Topher told his wife.  Her response was turning over in the bed and burying her head under her pillow.  Topher grabbed a a super-hero shirt out of his many hero shirts, and jeans and headed to the bathroom to change.  His morning ritual before he got dressed was to weigh himself before he got dressed. He was at 197 pounds, two up from where he has been all year.  He shook his head and went to the bathroom, and stepped on the scale again.  196, its a minor one pound victory, but a victory none the less, Topher gets dressed and heads downstairs to make breakfast.
Topher was making his kids waffles when they all came down to the kitchen and gave him a big hug, birthday cards, and an off key birthday song.  Today was Topher's thirtieth birthday and by the looks of it his kids were more excited then he was.  To Topher hitting thirty meant another year stuck at his dead end job at Prehistoric Pizza, where everyone appreciates him, except the ones that could help him move up the management chain.  Topher was not proud of his job, but his was proud of being a father, the greatest job in the whole world.  And moments like these wouldn't happen unless he was a dad.  He got the kids fed and in the car and off to school.
Like clockwork his kids were fighting in the car even before they pulled out of the driveway.  Topher was prepared and put on his "children's sing along" playlist that contained many of his and his kids favorite songs they sing to.  Ready, Aim, Fire by Imagine Dragons started playing and his kids started singing along.  "When your backs against the wall...hmphm...Ready, Aim, Fire Away!!!", Topher's kids sang along as loud as their little voices would let them.  The best part is they knew about a third of the song so they mumbled their own words, or what they thought were the words when they had no clue.  They sang the song the whole way there asking it to be repeated about nine times before they got to school.  By this time Topher had a headache and was ready to kick his kids out the door and speed off screaming FREEDOM!  But he didn't instead he went downstairs to the schools gym and waited with his kids for school to start.
Topher shook hands with the few fellow dads down in the gym, and said hello's to the moms.  There were more moms than dads down with the kids, but that was pretty much expected in Topher's eyes.  They had their morning prayer and then the principal asked if there were any birthdays today.  Damian, Parker, and Taylor instantly screamed out, "It's my Dad's birthday!". in unison.  Topher couldn't help but be impressed.  Impressed and embarassed.  The whole school sang "Happy Birthday Mr, Thompson".  Topher started to think Mr. Thompson is my dad, I'm not that old.  But was used to being called Mr. Thompson because that's what all the kids call him out of respect when he helps out in the classrooms.  Topher then led the school in saying the pledge of allegiance.  After the annual morning festivities Topher went to go find his kids to give them a goodbye hug and kiss.
Topher finds Damian standing in the second grade line and walks up.  Topher gives him  a hug and a kiss on the forehead saying, "Love you Kid number 1 be good."  Damian returns the love to his father and tells him he will like always.  Topher than goes off to go find Parker and Taylor before they head off.  There was no real rush because the kindergarten class is always the last one out of the gym.  He walks up behind Parker and gives him a hug and a kiss, "Love you Kid number 2, be good."  Topher then finds his daughter standing next to her best friends and gives her a hug and a kiss, "Love you Kid number two and a half, be good."  Taylor grabs her daddy's hand and asks to walk with her to the class.  Topher knowing that sooner or later this attention will be going away happy obliged.  He walked with his daughter to her classroom, and gave her another hug before saying goodbye for the day.  And heading off to start the day.  Which meant for Topher getting coffee at DB coffee and hitting the gym.  His other morning ritual.

As soon as Topher steps into the gym he feels he has entered his third home.  His first being his family, the second being Prehistoric Pizza, and the third being his "me" time at the gym.  He puts his earbuds in and turns on the Ipod onto shuffle.  It's leg day.  Topher hates leg day.  When Topher was in high school he had surgery on his right tendon, to help correct his acchilles tendonitis he had at the time.  His leg never really recovered and suffered in growth since then.  His right leg was named his girly leg, by teachers, some friends, and yes even his wife.  He was deteremined to make his leg less girly, even if he died trying in the process.  Which he has almost done on a few occasions at the gym.  He did his leg presses adding a little more weight each time.  His ipod going from Five Finger Death Punch to Britney Spears.  He loved his ipod and how random it could be.  The funny thing is Topher made a promise to himself when he started going to the gym that when ever a so called girly song came on his ipod he had to do five more reps than usual.  And just to make it even more interesting he had a ton of so called girly music on his ipod.  From Taylor Swift, to Selena Gomez, to Katy Perry.  He worked hard to it all.   After an hour and half of pain, sweat, and swearing at the gym he checked his phone it was a text from his wife.
"They need our help with an art project down in the twins class, can you go down."  The text read.  Topher shot back a text to the teacher, Mrs. Merring telling her he would be there in about twenty minutes.  She replied back with Topher's favorite word, "Awesome!".  Topher went  home and changed and kissed his wife and told her good night.  Anne works at the hospital on night shifts so Topher and Anne don't see much of each other.  They joke to others that's how they keep their marriage fresh and always so happy.  But deep down Topher really misses seeing his wife, but he knows how much he loves her job.  So he's happy for her that she found out her true calling and gets a satisfaction from her job.  Topher hits DB coffee on the way back down to the school, to pickup his complimentary birthday coffee.
As soon as Topher drives up in his orange Cobalt the smiling faces of the DB workers are there ready to greet him with a friendly, "TOPHER!"  Yes he is on a first name basis at the coffee shop.  They ask him what he is up to, and tells them it is his birthday today.  Then the whole coffee stop starts singing Happy Birthday Topher!  Topher tries to never go anywhere to get coffee, and this is the reason why.  He looks down at his coffee lid.  All the coffee lids at DB coffee have a special message.  Today's his read his favorite, "Get up early. Stay up late. Change the world!"  That was basically Topher's motto in life and that is how he lived his life.  Topher thanks them for their awesomeness and tips them and heads down to the school.
He gets there just as recess is ending and snack time begins.  His favorite time to come down.  He spots the pretty sweet superhero cupcakes, and then sees his wife, Anne putting a candle in a cupcake.  Anne had the idea since they wouldn't have time to have cake at home tonight with homework having to be done, baths need to be taken, and lunches being made all before she had to head off to to work, decided to bring the cupcakes to the twins class and enjoy a birthday song there.  The whole class sang Happy Birthday once again, and Topher blew out his candle.  Making the same wish he has made since he was a kid, wishing to become a superhero.  True dreams never die.
Taylor asked her dad, "Daddy, what did you wish for?" She said smiling.
Parker quickly yelled, "Daddy, can't tell you or it won't come true.  That's the rules of wish making, don't you know that Taylor!"
Taylor looking a little defeated cuddled into her daddy's arms for a hug which he happily gave.  Topher than proudly said, "I wished to become a superhero.  The same wish I have made since I was about your guy's age.  And I never told anyone until now.  It still hasn't come true, So maybe it's not meant to come true, and I should start making a new wish.
Mrs. Merring came and gave Topher a hug and said to him, "Mr. Thompson you are a superhero!  That wish came true a long time ago! Isn't that right class."  Which the class shouted yes in agreement.  The art project they were doing that day were making superhero capes, in honor of superheros everywhere.  Topher loved helping in the classroom, because he knows in a few years parents are really needed in the classroom anymore.  So he will take any chance he can get to help out.  That's pretty obvious with him and wifes combined hours of over a hundred volunteer time for the school.  The minium is thirty five a year.  Topher made his own cape, as well helped the kids design their own.  Topher's cape was orange with a giant A for awesome on it, and lightning bolts down the sides.  Parker's cape was green with a giant B on it for Bat-Dude and little black cut outs that closely resembled bats.  And Taylor's cape was pink with sparkles everywhere with a giant P on it, for what else than Princess!
Topher spent the rest of the day in the classroom helping during class, reading stories, doing funny voices, and playing with the kids outside with all their capes on.  There's no cooler feeling than running real fast and feeling and hearing a cape flap in the wind behind you.  Topher never forgot what that felt like when he was a kid.  And Topher thought it was a little ironic that the day he celebrates getting older he spends being a kid.  Topher wouldn't of had it any other way.  While Topher was down at the school Teresa, Topher's mom called him on his cell phone and sang him happy birthday,  Followed by his sister, Krista calling right after his mom did.  And on top of that his phone constantly vibrating with text messages or Facebook wall posts of happy birthday.  The one day of the year where you wanna take your phone out and chuck it at a wall as hard as you can.  But you can't because of how expensive it is.  But still you think about it.  Alot!


The next day Topher woke up completely refreshed and feeling more alive than he has ever before in his life.  It was the same feeling Topher gets after writing a really emotional blog where he pours his soul out and holds no punches, or after a month of great workouts.  He didn't know how to explain it but he felt different.  A good different.  His wife was still at work from the night before so it was up to him to get the kids fed and off to school once again.  He grabbed a different hero shirt and another pair of jeans and headed into the bathroom to start the morning ritual once again.   He took off his shirt and noticed something extremely odd.  His stomach had shrunk.  Drastically.  And the man boobs, or moobs as he called them.  The same ones that years ago a friend of his asked where his top was to hide his boobs at the pool when they went swimming were.  His moobs were gone.  What was in place was a fully chiseled chest.  Straight off a mens fitness magazine.  He had abs!  Topher has never had abs in his whole life, but staring him right in the mirror was a six pack.  His six pack.  The six pack he has been working on getting for the last two years, now of all days decided to show up.  He didn't know why, and frankly he didn't care.  He then noticed his arms.  His arms were no longer just arms. but full on twenty four inch guns.  Topher pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.  He wasn't.
He put on his shirt best he could and proceeded in waking up the children and getting them ready for the day.  His kids were having trouble getting up so Topher decided to have some fun and grabbed his nerf dart gun and entered each kids room.  He first went into Taylor's room and turned on the light.  He first tried softly waking her up, but she wasn't budging.  So he unloaded all twelve darts into her waking her up with screams of surprise and laughter.  Taylor gave her dad a hug and Topher helped her get dressed.  "Grab your gun and we will go wake up your brothers", Topher told Taylor.  Then Topher and Taylor creeped up the stairs as quiet as they could and split up to go into different rooms, so the screams of one of the others wouldn't wake up the other and spoil the fun to be had.  Taylor went into Parker's room because it was just natural for her to torture her twin, and Topher went into Damian's room.  They unloaded all their ammo on each other's target simutaneously, and woke both brothers up at the same time.  Mission accomplished.  Taylor and Topher hugged each other and gave each other high fives and headed downstairs to go make breakfast.
On the menu today was dinosaur eggs, which was oatmeal with gummy dinosaurs that come out of candy eggs with hot water.  One of Topher's kids favorite meals for breakfast.  While his kids were eating breakfast he combed Facebook for inspirational things to post, because Topher always has to be the ray of sunshine.  Even if people don't wanna see the sunshine.  He finds about ten pictures he likes and shares them all, thinking in his mind if I help inspire one person today, then today will be counted as a victory.   Gets the kids in the car and puts another song on that his kids know only half the words too.  "I wanna live in a world full of heroes", by Kirby Krackle one of Topher's favorite bands, and one he has actually met.  The song name checks alot of different heroes.  "I wanna live in a world full of heroes!", are the words his kids only know.  But they sing that part loud and proud.  And Topher sits in the front seat of his car smiling, and proud.  Some parents are proud their kid is an honor student, Topher is proud his kids love nerd rock as much as he does.
They get to the school with no blood shed and only a little of headache a starting.  A good car ride in Topher's mind.  They all pile down into the gym again for the morning prayer and announcements.  Topher goes up to one of the dad's Jeff.  Jeff is a father of a girl who is in Damian's second grade class, and has become a good friend of Topher's.  They even coached T-ball together, or as Topher called it herding cat's with cattle prods while playing with grass.  Coaching another proud dad moment.  Jeff shakes Topher's hand, a handshake that usually crushes Topher's hand, a handshake Topher barely feels as of right now,  and says, "Man, the gym is being kind to you!"
Topher taken off guard on how there is no sign of pain during the handshake just smiles and answers back, "Thanks man!  I knew if I kept at it something would finally happen.  And I guess my thirtieth birthday present from God was to finally show all the hard work I've been putting in the last few years! So to that I say thank you God!"
Jeff not sure how to respond to that tells Topher he's gotta run to work, and take care and he'll catch him later.  Topher says goodbye to his kids and gives them kisses and hugs and sends them off to class.  Topher gets in his car and just sits there to fully digest what has happened overnight.  He has no answers for himself.  He wonders if he should tell his wife about the sudden change, but he thought it might be more fun to see if she notices.  He gets on his Facebook and posts the status, Today's goal: Be awesome!.  He then puts down the phone and heads to the gym while silently telling himself we are going to go see how awesome I can be.
Topher grabs his ipod again and plugs his earbuds in and decides to warm up with a little action on the treadmill.  He starts to jog, but doesn't feel any burn so decides to speed it up.  He starts running, but it still seems way to easy for him.  This never happens because Topher hates running.  It might stem from years of being bullied, or not being able to run his whole life growing up. Or quite possibly because he's been told he looks like a drunk penguin when he runs.  Doesn't matter the reason Topher sucks at running, but today it felt like a brisk jog to him.  He ran for a good hour and half not really feeling the burn then decides he should do some weights before leaving the gym.  He goes over to the bench press bench and puts thirty five pounds on each side to warm up with.  Topher does an easy twenty reps.  Decides too add another ten pounds to get him started.  Topher again effortlessly pumps the hundred and thirty five pounds up and down twenty times.  Topher amazed and feeling super confident goes to grab two forty five pounds to add to each side on top of the other forty five that were already on there.  A grand total of 315 pounds.  Tophers usual max on the bench is 145 with a spotter.  Once again up and down, up and down, up and down, a total of twenty five times.  Topher is awe struck and grabs his stuff and heads to his car.
Topher takes a swig of his water bottle for the first time in the last two hours, not really out of lack of dehydration, but more of he always did after the gym.  He sat in his car for a good five minutes going over the day, and what has happened.  "Running really fast,  Lifting heavy stuff without any effort.  No way. There's no way it came true. Holy....  I have superpowers", Topher screams in his mind.  Topher can't believe after all those years making the same wish it finally came true and he couldn't be happier.  With all these sudden emergence of powers Topher started to wonder what else he could do.  Topher really wished he could fly.  Maybe he can fly now he thought to himself.  Only way to find out.  Topher stops at DB coffee on the way home, and once again got the lid that states, "Get up Early. Stay up Late. Change the world!" Fitting Topher thought.  So very fitting.   He heads home and pulls into the driveway.  He looks around to see if anyone is around and starts jogging.  Then running.  Topher first was able to see things when he was jogging but as soon as he started running and not limiting himself the world turned to a blur.  He swear he saw trees, and little blurred out forest animals while he was running but he knew that was impossible since he was just running around his neighborhood block.  Topher thought it might be a good idea to stop and see if anything had happened.  He stopped three feet away from a lake, and a sign that said Lake Michigan.  Topher's jaw dropped because when he started running he was in Idaho.
Topher than turned around and ran back home.  Across many different states watching the world go by in a blur.  Smiling the whole entire time.  For once in his lifetime he was fast.  This is the same kid who in elementary school got a note from his doctor saying he couldn't run the mile due to his asthma.  Topher thought to himself look at me now!  Screw running the mile.  I'll run the states.  He had to stop a few times to make sure he didn't overshoot himself and land up in Japan, but after a few missed states he finally made it home.  Surprisingly not exhausted at all.  He walked up to his car and looked around to see if anyone was watching.  Not a soul outside that was good for what Topher was about to attempt next.  Topher grabbed under his car with both hands, and slowly lifted them up.  Lifting his own car over his head in the process.  Topher let out the biggest smile of his life.  Put down the car after a few more pumps up and down for good measure, and decided to see one more thing.  He went to the backyard to clean up the yard from dog poop, a very quick and easy job now that he had a little speed in him.  Then climbed through Damian's window to get on the roof.  He headed out onto the roof and towards the backyard.  If anyone saw him doing this he could just say he was checking the roof for broken shingles, but he would have have no excuse for what he was about to attempt.
Topher walked to the edge of the roof and looked down.  That was a long drop.  A three story house.  Topher knew he could fly he just knew it.  So he first started taking a little jog about to jump and then stopped right at the edge.  Saying to himself, "I have super strength, super speed, so chances are I can fly!  And I will not know unless I try! So I must do this."  Topher goes back again revving up his engines before he launches off the roof and into the sky.  At least that's what Topher was hoping was going to happen.  Topher closes his eyes runs to the edge of the roof and jumps off.