Snippet of a story

Tom lifted the refrigerator and moved it across the kitchen like it was an empty box. “Okay, what next?”

Alison stared at him. He wasn’t breathing hard, or sweating, or looking at all put out. “What did you just do?”

“Moved it.” Comprehension bloomed.“Right. You don’t know. Everyone at home knows. I’m super strong. That’s how.”

“How long?”

“Since puberty, I guess.” He looked around the apartment. “Can we get back to moving you? I am not super-fast, and it’s gonna take a while.”

#

Over pizza and beer, she said, “Why not fight crime?”

He laughed. “In Bruce County? Car chases are like, twice a year, and it’s probably the Macpherson twins on a bender.”

“No, here. In this city.”

“I’m in school.”

“And you’re not bullet-proof?”

“No, I am. I know because kids used to shoot me when I wasn’t looking, just to see. So my mom had some of them charged with reckless endangerment because other folks weren’t bullet-proof.”

“Then why not fight crime?”

“Because the police do a perfectly fine job?” He had another swig of beer. “And before you ask, no, I don’t want to work for the police.”

“So why not?”

“I gotta go,” he said. “Thanks for the food.”

“I thought you’d be staying. Test the bed,” she said.

“You might get hurt.”

A shiver of delight ran through her. “You mean that.”

“I do.”

“See you when classes start.”