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  “Nick, this is important,” she says.

  “I know, but so is your future.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not going to send you out there without helping you. Don’t worry about me. You focus on helping people.”

  I don’t like the sound of this, but I tell her okay. She wishes me luck and I fly out her window.

  I’m not too high, because I need to see everything that’s going on below. As I pass an elementary school, I see three boys in the yard. Two older ones seem to be picking on the little one. I gotta help him. I quickly descend, and then I smash into the ground with a loud bang.

  The kids’ heads whip up.

  “What was that?” the biggest one, with spiky blonde hair, says. He looks around and sees me. I look down at myself. Must have lost my invisibility when I crashed to the ground.

  Spiky Head grabs the little one by the collar. “Did you rat on us?”

  The little kid shakes his head, his eyes filled with tears. He can’t be more than nine years old.

  I get to my feet and march over. “Hey!”

  All three of them stare at me. The oldest one looks me from top to bottom and bursts out laughing. “Who are you supposed to be?”

  “I’m…uh…” Crap, I don’t have a name. “Well, it doesn’t matter who I am. What do you think you’re doing picking on a little kid?”

  Spiky Head laughs again. His friend backs up a bit. The little guy just stands there, shaking a little.

  Spiky Head says, “Yeah? What’re you gonna do about it?”

  I step toward him, waving my hands around, causing a gust of wind. “Well, there are many things I can do. But I won’t do them. See, I don’t believe in picking on someone smaller than me. Heck, on picking on anyone in general. So why don’t you figure out what your problem is and deal with it instead of bullying other kids?”

  The guy crosses his arms over his chest. “Or what?”

  I stretch my hand and use my telekinesis shove him back. I’m not going to hurt him, just scared him a little.

  The guy stands straight. “That’s some sort of trick.”

  “Billy,” Spiky Head’s friend hisses. “Your mom’s gonna pick us up soon.”

  “Shut up,” Spiky barks. “I’m dealing with this idiot now.”

  I tap my chin. “Your mom’s going to be here soon? Hmm. What would she say if she knew what you like to do in your free time?”

  Spiky charges toward me, but I hold out my hands, freezing him in place. “Trust me,” I say. “You don’t want to mess with me.” I let him go.

  “Yes, I do.” He charges at me a second time.

  I’m about to stop him again, but a voice says, “What’s going on here?”

  A woman stands there, her eyes moving from Billy, to his friend, to the little guy, then to me. She must be Billy’s mom.

  “Yeah, Billy,” I say. “Why don’t you tell your mom what you were up to today?”

  Billy presses his lips together.

  “I’m sorry, who are you?” the woman asks me.

  “Just a guy trying to help a friend out.” I smile to the little kid, who returns a small one. “The bigger question is why your son is picking on someone half his size?”

  Billy’s mom turns to him. “Is that true? You’ve been staying after school picking on this little boy instead of practicing for your music recital?”

  Billy kicks some mud. “I hate music, you know that.”

  Shock fills her eyes. “So it’s true, then? You really are bullying this poor boy?”

  Billy doesn’t say anything. His eyes flash anger at me. I raise my hands. “I know everyone goes through stuff, but bullying is never the answer.” I should know. I’ve been bullied all through elementary and middle school.

  Billy’s mom is about to say something, when a man walks into the yard. He must be the little guy’s dad because they have the same red hair and blue eyes. “What’s going on here?”

  Since I’m done, I shoot to the sky.

  “Wait!” the little kid runs after me, trying to chase me. I lower myself a few feet but still hover over the ground. He smiles wide, showing two missing front teeth. “Thanks!”

  “No problem. You take care of yourself.” I zoom to the sky and wave to the kid, who waves back enthusiastically.

  I grin as I continue on. That kid reminds me of me. I wish someone cared about me when I was getting picked on. I hope he stays strong.

  “Nick, that was so cool,” Maddie says.

  Huh? Oh, right. She listened in on this. “Way to spy on a guy, Mads,” I say.

  “I told you that you can turn the switch off whenever you want.”

  “Oh, right. Did I do okay?”

  “Of course. That kid is probably going to be inspired now.”

  “You think?”

  “You never know what effect your actions have on people. Trust me, you’ve changed him.”

  “I’m just sick and tired of watching people get picked on because they’re smaller or because others feel like they’re not important enough. Like me.” I didn’t mean to say the last part out loud. Maddie has been my friend since forever and she knows all the stuff I’ve been through, but some stuff are still hard to talk about.

  “See, Nick. You’re already making a difference.”

  Could she be right? Am I?

  Chapter Twelve

  “Nick, you need to get to Manhattan as fast as you can,” Maddie tells me after I’ve been flying around for forty minutes. It’s nearly nine at night. “A building collapsed and many people are trapped.”

  “On it.”

  I zoom. Maddie tells me the house just collapsed and these first few minutes are crucial. I need to save as many lives as possible.

  The place is crowded with people when I get there. Cops, firemen, EMTs, and lots of bystanders and news reporters. There’s a helicopter circling around. I make sure not to crash into it, since it can’t see me because I’m invisible.

  The firemen are trying to get through the rubble to save the people, but there’s just too much. I make myself visible, floating a few feet above. Using my telekinesis, I start to lift the rubble and throw it aside, making sure not to hurt anyone in the process.

  “Hey, what the—?” One of the cops whirls around when debris flies past him. His eyes bug out.

  “I need everyone to clear the area,” I say. “Please.”

  “Who are you?” a fireman asks.

  “Doesn’t matter, please move away.”

  They argue and it takes me a few minutes to convince them I’m only here to help and not give them trouble. They do as I say and I work as quickly as I can. It’s very important for me to be careful not to injure anyone stuck under there. I hope they’re still alive.

  By now a bigger crowd has gathered as well as many more news reporters, but I ignore all of that. I make out a bloody hand buried inside the rubble and I yank the pieces of rubble off the body and dig it out. It’s a woman around my mom’s age. I carefully pull her out and hand her to the EMTs standing nearby. I’m not sure if she’s alive, but I can’t think about that now. There are still people trapped under there.

  “Who is that?” the crowd says.

  “Where did he come from?”

  More voices buzz around me, all asking the same questions, but I pretend they don’t exist. It’s just me and the people I need to help.

  My throat gets tight when I pull out the dead ones. A few are missing some of their limbs. I want to look away, but I can’t. I need to be strong and do this.

  Once I’m sure there are no more people left, I shoot in the air.

  “Hey, who are you?” the cop calls after me.

  I don’t answer as I continue to fly. I don’t want to bring attention to myself, but I guess it’s going to happen. Right now, I need to get home. Need to push the images of those dead bodies out of my head. I can hardly breathe. All those people…especially a little girl who looks around Kaylee’s age. I shut my eyes. It could have been her under ther
e. It could have been my family under there. It could have been anyone. How many people are going to mourn after them?

  I don’t think I can do this.

  “Nick, did you go back invisible?” Maddie’s voice is low, like she’s also been affected by what just happened.

  I’ve been so disoriented that I didn’t realize I forgot to go invisible. People might see me. My neighbors and parents might. It seems silly after what I’ve just done, but if I want to continue doing those things, I need to make sure to keep my identity hidden.

  I turn invisible and slip through my window and into bed. I don’t bother taking off the uniform and mask.

  I close my eyes. So many people…all dead. Many were saved, most of them in really bad shape. I hope they get well soon.

  “You feel like crap, too, don’t you?” Maddie asks.

  “You have no idea.”

  “It’s, like, you should feel a little good, you know, because of all the people you saved. But then you feel really bad because of all the lives that were lost.”

  I squeeze my pillow under my head. Don’t want to talk about it. “I’m beat.”

  “Yeah, sorry. That must have taken a lot of energy.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, turn the switch off.”

  I’m about to do that, but stop. “Mads?”

  “Yeah?”

  I swallow. “It’s gonna get a little easier, right?”

  She’s quiet for a second or two before, “I don’t know, Nick. I don’t think it’s ever going to get easy.”

  She’s probably right. I don’t know how cops, firemen, or doctors do it. Seeing all the bodies, the blood, the family members crying.

  “But you can’t give up,” Maddie says.

  I sigh. “I know.”

  “Go to sleep, okay? You’ll feel better in the morning. Good night.”

  “’Night. And thanks, Maddie.”

  “You don’t have to thank me all the time. We’re in this together, remember?”

  I smile, even though she doesn’t see it. “Thanks the same.”

  I turn off the switch and hide the mask under my bed. Just as I drift off to sleep, something bounces on my bed.

  “Nick!” It’s Kaylee. What’s she doing up at this hour? I want to open my eyes, but I’m worn out. Drained. I never expected these powers to put such a toll on my body.

  “Nick!” She bounces again.

  My eyes shoot open and I quickly check to see if my uniform in exposed. Nope, I’m well hidden under the blankets.

  Her face gets in mine. “Are you sleeping?”

  “I was.”

  She tugs at the cover, but I hold it in place.

  “Why aren’t you in bed? Do Mom and Dad know?”

  She shakes her head quickly, a huge smile on her face. “They’re too busy watching the news. Matt’s there, too. But they won’t let me see. Play with me?”

  The news. Matt never watches the news unless it’s about sports or unless something major happened. Something major. Does that mean the events from tonight are being shown…? Am I…?

  I gently pull a lock of my little sister’s hair. “Kaylee, I’m, uh, kinda not really wearing anything under here. Can you please leave my room so I can put something on?”

  She giggles. “You’re naked?”

  I want to slap my forehead. “No, no. Of course I’m not naked. I’ve got underwear on.”

  She giggles again, louder.

  I want to tickle her, but I can’t expose my arm. Instead, I do it from under the covers. That makes her giggle even more.

  “Get out of here, kid.”

  She’s still laughing as she rushes out of my room and shuts the door behind her. I jump out of bed, throw my pajamas on, and leave my room.

  Kaylee is waiting for me in hers. I tell her I’ll be right there, I just want to talk to our parents for a bit. I go down the stairs and peer into the living room, where Mom, Dad, and Matt are watching the news.

  I step inside. The reporter is talking about the building that collapsed in Manhattan this evening. Images play on screen, of all the people who came to the rescue. Then the reporter discusses the flying guy.

  “No one knows where this mystery man—who has been dubbed the Blue Masked Hero—came from. Who he is. What he is. Or what he wants. But we do know one thing. Eight lives were saved, thanks to him. Witnesses describe the scene…” The image shifts to people talking to the camera.

  “He came out of nowhere,” a woman says.

  Another adds, “He was floating in the air. Flying. He moved all that rubble aside without touching it.”

  A little boy yells, “He’s a superhero!”

  All this is making me very uncomfortable. I shift from one foot to other, causing the floor to creak and my parents and Matt to turn around.

  “Nick,” Dad says. “I didn’t see you come in.

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time at Maddie’s lately,” Mom says. After I left Billy, his friend, and the little kid, I called Mom and told her Maddie and I were doing our homework at her place because I need some help with algebra.

  She and Dad exchange a glance. I’m not in the mood to argue that Maddie and I aren’t a thing. Besides, Mom should know I like another girl.

  Another girl, Nicole. Funny how I haven’t thought about her all day until now.

  “I need all the algebra help I can get,” I tell my parents.

  Dad opens his mouth, but Matt shuts him up by pointing to the TV, where the reporter continues to talk. “Our news helicopter followed him as he flew away, but he vanished into thin air sometime later.”

  I nearly choke. Good thing Maddie reminded me to go invisible or else I would have led the news crew all the way to my house.

  Matt leans back on the couch. “Who do you think this guy is? You think he really has powers, or was it some joke?”

  “I don’t think anyone would pull a joke there, Matt.” Mom nods to the images on TV, of the collapsed building and the people being pulled out on stretchers.

  Matt shrugs. “I still think he’s a fake.”

  “Why?” I say. “Why can’t you believe there’s someone out there who has powers?”

  Matt stands up. He bumps my shoulder as he walks out of the room. “Because I’m not a little kid who believes in superheroes.”

  Well, I didn’t either. Not until a few days ago.

  After I say good night to my parents, I climb the stairs to Kaylee’s room. She’s slumped over her table, where she set everything up for a midnight tea party, as she calls it, even though it’s not midnight. I guess she fell asleep waiting for me.

  I carefully pick her up and carry her to her bed. As I tuck her in, I can’t help feeling relieved that she’s okay and well. That my whole family is well. Today made me realize just how quickly someone’s life could change.

  “Why are you staring at me like that?” my little sister’s sleepy voice asks.

  I poke my finger in her stomach, tickling her a tiny bit. “Sorry I missed the midnight tea party.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “I’ll make it up to you.”

  She beams. “Okay.”

  I pull the covers to her chin.

  “What were you all watching on TV?” she asks.

  I push some hair out of her eyes. “Something you shouldn’t know about.” They might talk about it at school tomorrow, though.

  She’s not satisfied with the answer, but she must be too tired to argue. I wish her good night, then leave her room.

  I fall onto my bed. I’m so tired I could sleep for ten years.

  Chapter Thirteen

  During breakfast the next morning, the news is on. Just like last night, everyone is trying to figure out where this Blue Masked Hero came from. Right, that’s what they’re calling me. Isn’t that a bit lame?

  All these experts are trying to figure out who or what this being is. Is he human? I want to yell at the TV that of course I’m human. Do they think I’m an alien? I
mean, yeah I don’t exactly know why I have powers, but that doesn’t mean I’m from another planet.

  “What’s that?” Kaylee asks, her spoonful of cereal a few inches away from her mouth. Some of it splats onto the table.

  “Matt, turn it off,” Mom says.

  He shrugs and does as she asks. Kaylee says, “Who is that?”

  “No one, honey.”

  She frowns. “You’re lying to me. Just because I’m six doesn’t mean you can lie to me. I’m not stupid. I got a hundred on my test yesterday.”

  Mom sighs as she wipes the mess my sister made. “I know you’re smart, Kaylee. It’s just that you’re too young for certain things. All right?”

  “No.”

  My phone beeps. A text from Maddie. I know school is going to start soon, but there’s been a 911 call. A woman is trapped in her house with her husband who’s holding a gun at her. Cops are outside, but they can’t get in because he might shoot her. You need to hurry.

  I nearly choke on my orange juice. She expects me to try to help when the cops are having a hard time? No way.

  Nick, now!

  It’s like she can read my mind. “Going to the bus early today,” I say before leaving the house. I’m wearing my uniform underneath my clothes, Superman style. My mask is in my backpack. I turn invisible, take my shirt and jeans off, dump them in my bag, put on my mask, and shoot in the air.

  Maddie tells me the location. “I’m going to have to install a GPS into your mask,” she says. “The house is the last one on the block.”

  “Yeah, I see cops all around. Are you sure it’s a good idea to just butt in? You know, it’s kinda illegal.”

  “I know, but the more we hesitate, the more we put that woman at risk.”

  She’s right. I can’t be selfish. I fly around the house, looking into the windows to see what’s going on. There doesn’t seem to be any kids. Just a man and a woman in their bedroom. The woman is pressed against the wall with her knees to her chest. She’s crying. The man, her husband, holds a gun to her. The cops are trying to talk to him, but he won’t hear it.