(Page 1 of 2) Xooper Powers by Menaka G
 (4 ratings)
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SUMMARY: Entry for September flash fiction. Theme-Super PowersJames looked up at the moon-less night sky dusted with sparkling stars. A cool breeze made him shiver slightly and he cuddled further into the blanket he shared with Julia. Julia smiled and hugged him under the blanket.
"You were right. This is relaxing," she whispered.
"Mmmm..."
"So how do you know about this place?"
"My friends and I used to camp out here during summer."
"Really?"
"Ya... we would tell each other ghost stories. And then when we couldn't sleep, we would read super-man comics under our blankets with a torch!"
"Why was that?"
"Well, we had to pretend we were really brave, you see!"
Julia chuckled.
They were silent for a few seconds.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Julia asked.
"Sure!"
"If you could have a super power, what would you like?"
"Hmmm... I think I'd like to Super-strength!"
*****
Xuru stared at his blurry face, getting reflected off the base of his translucent space capsule. His eyes, perched on top of his long ophthalmic tubes, looked tired. The buck-tooth he was proud of was chipped in one corner, a result of the most recent punch. He had doubled up, placing his three-fingered paws on his blunt knees, trying to recover from the blow. Beyond his own dull reflection, he could see a strange, blue-green planet, looking like a marble thanks to the distance. His round, green head under the ophthalmic tubes had suddenly filled up with a lot of noise. A side effect of the punch, no doubt. He shook his head once making eye tubes wobble separately. This had no other effect, except to increase the volume of a low-pitched voice speaking a language he didn't understand. Nevertheless, being the brave captain that he was, he straightened up and faced his adversary.
And what an adversary it was!
A giant mass of grey jelly-like substance with one huge, menacing eye that reflected the whole of Xuru's tiny frame flexed its many tentacles and advanced towards him.
Xuru lifted both his wiry arms posing to fight the creature that had taken over his capsule. His crew of five Xippeexips watched in awe. They certainly hadn't expected Xuru to survive the blow.
*****
Julia giggled as James collapsed in front of her after performing an elaborate fight sequence involving him having super strength.
"So," he asked after breathing deeply for a few seconds, "what would you like for a super power?"
"Me? Hmmm..."
"How about Flying?" James offered.
*****
The massive creature lifted one of its tentacles and made to grab Xuru. In a moment of inspiration, Xuru jumped to avoid the tentacle. But then, his feet did not come back to the floor. He was flying!
He looked around the capsule wondering if the gravity controls were messed up. But the wild creature and the rest of his crew were still grounded. It was only him. He had somehow acquired the power of flight. He whooped in joy and flew towards the creature.
*****
"Na..." Julia pouted.
"Oh c'mon! It'll be amazing to fly!" James eyes sparkled.
"I think I'd like Invisibility more..."
*****
The creature was about to grab Xuru.
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