So today I was thinking about all the people who make this whole being a writer thing worth while and how grateful to you all I am.
Thank you to everyone who has ever:
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- bought one of my books
- read any of my fiction
- visited one of my blogs
- commented
- retweeted or tweeted for me
- reviewed one of my books
- had a kind word to say
- reshared my posts
- followed/friended me
- offered advice
- written one of those really helpful blog posts telling me how to do something
and so much more...
I've written a short, humorous flash fiction which I hope will make you all smile and brighten your day. You really all do give me reasons to keep doing what I love. Thank you so much.
D.o.K.E.I.B.
by Natasha Duncan-Drake
Being a superhero was not all it was cracked up to be. At least that's what Kate was thinking as she peeled herself out of yet another ruined outfit. One of these days, she was sure, a reporter was going to track down her secret identity just by finding out how much flame retardant, stretch, breathable material she bought every week.
It was lucky she was loaded. Which, when it came to superheroes was probably a bit cliché, but you had to cope with what you were dealt. It wasn't as if she was a run of the mill superhero, oh no. She hadn't been powered up in a lab accident or been dropped off as a baby from another planet. She had been created in a lab specifically to be who she was, thank you very much.
She had only met her "mother" once, but she'd been sent to all the best schools and had all the best friends until her "mother" had summoned her and told her that she had a destiny. She still had all the best friends, but it wasn't always easy keeping up with her social calendar with all the superhero business as well.
"I need a new suit," she said, looking up at the camera in the corner of her costume room.
"Of course, Sweetie," came back almost instantly, "I'll be on it straight away. You still have the spare if there's anything before it's done though."
"Thanks, Eliza, I don't know what I'd do without you," she replied, "kisses."
"You go and have a nice long bath, Sweetie," Eliza told her. "You've earned it. I'll sort everything out."
"You're an angel," she said and headed into her mansion.
If Eliza, her trusty sidekick, hadn't been such a dab hand with a sewing machine she had no idea what she would do. It wasn't like you could send out to a service for a superhero costume. That would just be silly.
Eliza sat back in her chair as Kate wandered towards the bathroom. Flicking a switch on her desk a little panel turned over and she typed in her access code. Immediately the picture on the wall went transparent to reveal the flat-screen panel behind it, which popped into life.
"Call costume department," she said.
"Hello DoKEIB Costumes, how may we help?" a very efficient looking man said as he appeared on her screen.
"I need a new one for Kate Fortune aka The Butterfly," she said. "Same as last time, we're not going for any fashion statements this iteration."
The man on the other end smiled just a little.
"Of course," he said, "we can have it ready for you by tomorrow."
"Can we make it next Wednesday?" she asked, checking her planner. "Mine believes I make them myself."
"Ah yes," the man said, "I see the note on your file. We will have it delivered discretely first thing Wednesday morning."
"Many thanks," Eliza said. "You have the account information for billing?"
"Yes, and you're most welcome," the man replied, "anything we can do to help those on the front line."
Eliza smiled, everyone in DoKEIB were a dedicated lot.
"Couldn't do it without you," she said.
A little box popped up in the corner of her screen with the message 'incoming call - Sally Klondike'.
"Sorry, I have to go," she said, "mission debriefing. Thanks again."
"Anytime," was the polite reply, before her contact disappeared.
He was replaced by another window that was black for only a moment before a familiar blonde woman with a pencil holding back her hair appeared.
"Eliza, oh, what a perfect mission," the woman said.
"Hello, Sally, it was rather good, wasn't it," she replied with a big smile. "Best one yet, I'd say."
"Maybe we'll make mission of the month this time?" Sally said, taking a big swig from a giant mug of coffee.
Eliza made a mental note to have a gentle word with the younger woman about her coffee addiction next time their section of DoKEIB met up in person. It wasn't the type of thing to get into over the comms.
"The freeze ray was a work of genius," Eliza said with a nod, "how did you get yours to make it?"
"Oh, you know," Sally said, "I just mentioned global warming and how an evil genius might confuse an enemy by claiming a freeze ray was designed to counter it. My boy is only a genius at building things, so giving him ideas is really easy. If he knew anything about the real world it might be harder."
"Which reminds me, thank you," Eliza said, "I need to schedule in a gala or something to keep Kate occupied until we're ready for the next operation. Can't let them get bored can we?"
Sally laughed.
"That is the job description," Sally said. "She was very good out there today, totally on point. The new training routines seem to be working."
"Definitely," Eliza agreed, "I will have to thank Bill for the mysterious mentor idea, it totally got her out of her funk. She could do with another visit actually, I'll have to give Bill a call and plan one in."
Sally nodded while drinking more of her coffee. She looked a little wired. Being the sidekick of an evil genius, it could just be her cover, but Eliza wasn't so sure.
"I think I might need something for mine," Sally said. "Karl looked a bit down today. He never usually looks down when he's been allowed to blow things up and he usually gets a real kick out of exchanging one-liners with Kate. He practices them in front of the mirror all the time."
"In front of the mirror?" Eliza asked.
"Pose and everything," Sally assured her.
An idea began to form in Eliza's mind.
"Oh, oh," she said as she thought about it, "that could be good. It might keep them both out of trouble for a while too."
"I can see your brain working from here," Sally said, "what is it?"
"How do you think your boy would take to a redemption arc with a side of romance?" Eliza asked.
Sally lifted her eyebrows, but paused, looking away from the screen for a moment.
"You think he's becoming disenchanted with the supervillain life?" Sally asked.
"Well, from what you said, it sounds like the early stages," Eliza said, "and the whole mirror part; I think he's falling for his arch nemesis."
As Eliza spoke Sally began nodding along.
"You could be right," Sally said, "but will your girl be receptive?"
"Karl is gorgeous and Kate would get to declare to the world that The Butterfly redeemed a supervillain through love," Eliza said with a laugh, "she'd jump at it in a heartbeat."
"It'll take careful planning," Sally said.
"Of course."
Sally had that little frown between her eyes that said her mind was already off and working.
"We should meet up and discus it," Sally said. "How is next Tuesday for you?"
"I'm free all day until seven," Eliza replied. "We can meet at Norman's; I'll bring the pizza, you bring the wine."
"Done," Sally said, her face lighting up with a new smile. "Oh this is going to be fun."
"Absolutely," Eliza replied. "Once we have a plan we can call headquarters for clearance."
Sally's smile dropped a little at that, as if she had forgotten about that part.
"Do you think they'll go for it?"
"Something to keep two enhanced individuals busy for possibly years?" Eliza replied. "They'll be begging us to implement it."
"To redemption then," Sally said and saluted Eliza with her coffee mug.
"To redemption," she replied, "see you next week."
"Looking forward to it," Sally replied and broke the connection.
Sitting back in her chair, Eliza mentally patted herself on the back for another job well done. She shuddered to think what the world had been like before the Department of Keeping Enhanced Individuals Busy had been formed. It must have been anarchy.
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That was cute, and cleverly done! I guess we are like those "admins", keeping our heroes busy and keeping those stories in order. It was very sweet to dedicate a story to the blogging community.
ReplyDeleteThank you :) Gotta keep the heroes and villains out of everyone's hair somehow! ;)
DeleteI would be shouting into the void without the blogging community and readers, I think they deserve the thanks.