4.1 The Awesome Titan!

Johnny B. Goode felt like he was flying. It was like all the movies of the cool metas on TV, only way faster. He could feel the wind whipping through his hair, the power of the air currents all around him, and the freedom of soaring though the sky. It was like heaven. Johnny had just one problem.

He couldn’t actually fly.

Johnny struck the earth at several hundred miles per hour. Dirt and rock exploded beneath him and created a storm of dust around him. Slowly he rose from the hole his fall had made. He brushed the dirt from his remaining clothes as he cleared his head.

The area around him looked utterly barren. Dirt, some stones, an occasional patch of grass, but nothing more than that. It reminded him a bit of the parks when he was a kid, back before the destruction, but way less cool. No jungle gyms at all; he couldn’t even find a slide.

He did see a massive wall though. It stretched as far as the eye could see, taking time only to curve to cover both his right and left as he followed its trail. He couldn’t remember ever being this close to the dividing wall before. Jack was always warning him, telling him again and again, “Stay away from there,” or “You could get hurt in the…” What was it? The DMZ, that’s what he called it.

He didn’t see what was so bad about this DMZ place. It seemed sort of nice, quiet.

“Unidentified metahuman!” Johnny looked up from the dirt and back to the wall where the voice was being projected over loud speakers. He wondered if they were talking about him, so he pointed at his chest. “You have entered the line of demarcation. Withdraw immediately or we will open fire.”

Fire? The word reminded him of his battle with Mister Mayor. Sure, Jack used it too, but he was nice enough never to keep it away from him. Not like that other guy back in Downtown. He was mean.

“I don’t like fire.” He spoke the words softly. Jack always told him that he needed to make sure people could hear him when he talked. “No fire!”

They didn’t throw fire at him, but they did start shooting his guns. Johnny scrambled away as bullets rained down around him. He knew they couldn’t really hurt him, but he still didn’t like them. They stung.

“Hold your fire, men!” Johnny looked for the fire again, but he only saw a red, yellow, and white streak descend from the sky. At least the soldiers stopped shooting their guns.

The metahuman did several full circles over Johnny’s head as the young man watched in awe, before he slowed and alighted on the ground just in front of Johnny. Johnny recognized the slicked back black hair, the white costume with its gold logo, the red boots and capes. He would recognize Titan anywhere. He remembered reading the legendary metahero’s comic book back when he was just a kid.

“You’re Titan!” Johnny jumped up and down and clapped. “You’re so awesome! I used to have all your stuff. The toys, the lunchbox, even your movie on videotape! You’re the coolest ever!”

Titan arched one prominent eyebrow. “Er… yes, son. That is me. What are you doing in the demilitarized zone?”

“The whatsit?”

“You are from inside the Divide aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah, sure, but I just—”

“You are not allowed in this area, son. The demilitarized zone is the line of demarcation between the Divide and the United States. No one is allowed to enter or leave through it. Any trespassers are to be shot on sight.”

“Oh, that explains the guns.” Johnny shuffled his feet like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I didn’t mean it or anything. It was all an accident.”

Titan patted Johnny on the shoulder. “I’m sure it was, son. This Divide business is a dirty sort, but you and I both must follow the rules of law.” He glanced back at the wall. “If you allow me to escort you back to the boundaries of the Divide, we can end this without any further violence.”

“Are you going to fly me?”

Titan looked at the gleeful excitement on the face of the nearly seven foot tall man in front of him. “I suppose that can be arranged. Turn around and raise your arms up a couple inches. Keep them locked there, okay?”

Johnny nodded. He felt Titan’s hands touch the back of each of his upper arms. Less than a second later, Johnny felt his feet leave the ground.

“Woo hoo! Thanks, Titan, this is great!”

“What’s your name, son?”

“Johnny. I don’t really have a last name no more, but my friend Jack calls me Johnny B. Goode.”
Titan curved in a half-circle in the air before suddenly starting a zigzag motion. Johnny again whooped with joy.

“One more question, Johnny. How old are you?”

“Uh… well…” Johnny fell silent.

“What is it, Johnny?”

“Well, Jack told me never to tell anyone I don’t know really well how old I am.”

Titan gently descended to the ground at the edge of the DMZ. Johnny clapped with joy at his ride and Titan gave him a broad grin.

“Now who do you know better than me, Johnny? Didn’t you say you owned all my toys and read all my comics?”

“Well, yeah, I guess so.” Johnny scratched the whiskers on his chin. “I just don’t want to make Jack mad. He’s been a real good friend to me.”

“I promise not to tell if you promise not to tell.”

“Okay, Titan, as long as you can keep a secret.” Johnny leaned in close to Titan’s ear. “I’m fourteen,” he whispered.

“How is that possible?”

“I’m a little big for my age.”

Titan glanced back at the border wall only a few hundred yards away. He turned back to Johnny. “It is a travesty you’re forced to stay here, Johnny. But I can’t do anything to change it, at least not right now. I promise that I will find away to make this blasted place whole again. I swear it.”

“Gee, that’s mighty cool of you, sir.”

“Will you be able to get home all right, Johnny?”

“Sure. I’ve done it a lot of times. I mean, I’m fourteen, not eight.”

“So you are. Farewell, Johnny. Be careful and I am certain we will see each other again.”

“I sure hope so, Titan. You’re the best.”

Titan only smiled as he rose in to the air. He shot off a quick salute to Johnny which Johnny quickly and excitedly returned. Then he disappeared in a flash of movement.

Johnny couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as he headed back to home.