There once was a family of heroes. Their powers were hereditary. The family held the power of controlling light. The valiant heroes held their hands out to the ones lost in the darkness and showed them the light. They blinded the villains and forced them to surrender. But of course, every superhero story has to have at least one super villain, right? That super villain is me, Doctor Night, or in other words, Scout Bright. Oh, there also is another important fact about me. I am the youngest child in the ‘great family of heroes.’
I’m not a bad guy! My older brothers can vouch for me. My parents and grandparents… see me in a much darker light. I don’t kill or mangle anybody. I mostly just vandalise or destroy properties of people who are corrupt. Maybe the public would’ve thought that would’ve been nice of me if I also don’t sometimes slander the heroes’ names as I do so. Eh, what does it matter? My brothers don't really care.
No one knows that I am a super villain except for my three older brothers. Finley, the oldest of us, finds it a little backhanded that I made myself into a villain when he had been throwing me hero-themed birthday parties for all of my life. Sandy, the second child, honestly thinks that it was the funniest thing to do. As long as I don’t beat anyone up or make it hard for my brothers to ‘defeat’ me before I do anything to brash, Sandy will keep our parents from doing anything. Rafael hates the fact that he didn’t think of it first. Sure, being a superhero is fun, but the constant paparazzi whenever he goes out of the house must be tiring.
I also hold the power of controlling light. Controlling light can also mean I can snuff it out. Whenever I decide to make an appearance as a super villain, I contort the light, making it an evil violet colour. The frazzled citizens look towards the ominous footsteps and see me, Doctor Night (that name wasn’t thought up by me, by the way. I find it so embarrassing) walking towards them with a vile smile on my face. It is surprising that no one came close enough to me to see that I was just wearing a really realistic looking mask. My brother, Rafael drew it for me.
Also, I wasn’t thinking of being a super villain when I was like, 10 years old. I certainly considered the idea, but I threw it away when I asked my parents and saw how disgusted by the idea they were. I only did this because I rarely saw any of my brothers. They all were in their secret hideout that I still, for the life of me, cannot find. If they did come home, it was only for a weekend once a month. They were too busy destroying some arbitrary and boring plain villains to spend time with me.
Then at a Halloween party that I hardly remember anymore, I experienced being a villain for the first time.
My parents sent me off to one of my classmate’s halloween parties, fearing that I was spending too much time in the house. I was wearing a Dracula costume. I wore black gloves, a black cape, black boots, and you guessed it, a white button-down. Rafael had given me a mask that was kind of itchy when I wore it. Everyone found it super scary, though. I didn’t get it. It was just two eyes and a smirk with a red marker lining its bottom lip. In my haze, I suddenly saw my brothers run by the window that I stood by, wearing their bright and flashy costumes, and I thought up the ridiculous idea of how I could finally spend time with them.
Crazy as it was, I ran out of the party and after them. The three lights were like stars to me. I wanted to catch up to them, to reach them. They were always so far away.
When I finally caught up to them, I hid behind the thin pole of a streetlight and made myself concealed in the darkness as I watched my brothers confront the villain.
After the battle, I asked them why they didn't defeat such a boring villain sooner. Finley launched into a long and dull speech about how heroes should be fair, blah blah blah….
I was always the smallest one of us. The smallest one of the hero family always had to be the smartest since they didn’t have a lot of strength. I was also the one who was most likely to be overlooked. I used to see that as a disadvantage. I certainly don't now.
I saw Finley step forward and start his speech on justice and being better for the hundredth time. It was like watching a dramatic movie. The villain that I had only seen on tv rolled his eyes and punched Finley square in the face.
The world slowed down as he toppled backwards into Sandy. Finley was always the fairest of us. He was the most diplomatic. If he had been born in a normal family… I know he would be a police officer or something similar. Finley’s eyes were wide and I could faintly see blood stain his mask where his nose would be. He was my big brother.
I ran out of the darkness with my black cape fluttering behind me. My fist met the barbarian’s face with a tasteful crunch. He stumbled back and cupped his hands over his nose. It satisfied me that there was a confused but angry look in his eyes.
“Why, you-!”
My gloved hand covered his face and a black dome encased his whole body. Taking back my hand, I shook it a little. I wasn’t used to reversing my light powers. I don’t doubt that I didn’t terrify the madman. At the time, it would seem to him that he was in an endless black void. I practised this once on myself. I think it’s obvious that I didn’t enjoy the experience.
I turned towards my brothers. I wasn’t expecting them to be happy to see me, but I wasn’t expecting they would be confused and disoriented either.
Finley still stood tall after he got punched in the face. I could see the confusion in his eyes, though. The same could be said for my two other brothers.
“Scout?” Rafael finally asked. “Is that you?”
To this, I waved to them. “Hi, guys!”
I think I heard the barbarian topple over some garbage cans behind me.
The scene was quickly surrounded by curious onlookers. They gasped at the body encased in darkness behind me. I looked in their direction, and someone screamed.
“A villain!” Someone yelled out, pointing at me.
“Huh?” I blinked in surprise. I glanced at my clueless brothers.
Finley was still piecing together that I was standing in front of them wearing what seemed to be a villain’s outfit. Sandy and Rafael started to walk towards me hesitantly.
Without a clear thought running through my mind, I started to laugh. The scared onlookers must have thought I was laughing evilly.
“What are you doing here?” Sandy asked me and I could distinctly hear a smile in his voice.
“I…” Looking at the people surrounding us, I didn’t know what else to do but roll with the villain role. “I am, uh, here to spread chaos and discord!”
Snapping my finger, the two street lights behind me flicker out. The oblivious crowd of people gasp and scream, suddenly surrounded by darkness. The three heroes just looked around, confused, then looked back at me.
I waved a goodbye then run off into a dark alleyway and hope that that was believable. In that moment, I think I had never felt that much adrenaline before. Peeking out behind the corner, I focused on my brothers. None of them were moving into the crowd. It amused me that they were so confused, but I can’t really blame them. I was also a bit confused on why I did that.
Anyways, that was my story of how I became one of the 'most feared' super villains.
My parents figured it out pretty quickly that it was me who did it, and they still aren't impressed. I don't care about though. I successfully found a way my brothers and I could spend time together, and they haven't started hating me just yet.
In the end, I'm glad I didn't become a hero.
Comments