20 In 5 -- Vol. III -- See And Understand

By Brian Middleton, Jr.

We know superheroes
are not perfect, right?

I've seen this moment a thousand times in my dreams, he thinks, and his heart skips a proud beat in his chest. It is a surreal moment for the hero known as Foresight. All of his life he has had dreams of the future. All of them, save one, has been a warning of some kind, steering him away from heartache or disaster. But the first dream that he ever had, and the one that has been most persistent ever since, has always gone like this:


He sees himself, as if in a movie, and he is running down the hallway, all by his lonesome. He has left his super-powered companions behind for he has seen the face of The Pensive Death, and he has decided to capture him. The Pensive Death is the most dangerous and notorious of criminals, and has been for as long as anyone can remember.  The hero sees himself round the corner, and then sees the look on his face become one of righteous determination. The Pensive Death attacks, and Foresight dodges. The hero lands a blow to the villain's stomach, and then to his face. The evil man falls to the ground, weak from some unknown sickness. Foresight grabs the villain by the front of his shirt and lifts him off of the floor. The Pensive Death reaches up and touches the hero's head for a moment, and then falls limp. Dead. Defeated by Foresight.


This is the moment that inspired me to be a hero, he thinks to himself. Were it not for the dream, I might have been something perfectly reasonable. Like an accountant. Or a dentist, he thinks with a chuckle. Not some costumed superhero, he thinks, although in truth, he is excited. This will gain me the respect of men like Captain Strong and The Vigilant Protector. He reaches down to pick the villain up by the front of his shirt, just like in his dream. I must have a look at his face, he thinks. 


He looks into the villain's eyes and sees ...


--



What? What does he see? To read the finish of "See And Understand," you'll have to purchase a copy of the new edition of "20 in 5." Currently available directly from Smashwords in a variety of e-book formats. Or you can purchase it from the Mis Tribus eBook Store. 


Included are the ending to "See And Understand" along with 19 other flash fiction stories. Brought to you directly by Mis Tribus.