Originally Written 2022
Warn: [ horror, graphic violence, assault ]
Prompt: You're the janitor for the biggest superhero foundation ever known, but one day, when all of the heroes are gone, a villain appears. what they don't know is that you are the most powerful superhero there, and the only reason you aren't put on missions is because you are TOO powerful.
submitted to r/WritingPrompts by u/f---thezodiac
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It was Christmas, everyone had gone home for the holidays, even the guards.
After all, there were no weapons here, no guns, no super suits, only paperwork. Even though this building belonged to the hero's association, it was a simply an office. Anything vaguely important would be stored in other locations, or backed up on servers. A simple place for heroes to come and fill out paperwork if needed.
So why was I here? I liked it, the tile floors, the smell of cleaning chemicals, even if it's just moping the floors. I may not be a hero, but someone has to the job, and this way I could help, even if only a little.
An empty building full of useless papers, and me. No reason for anyone to target here, then again, villains are not the most reasonable of people.
I found him in a hallway, my mop in hand. A thin man in a trench coat. I called out to him, "Hey, were closed, it's Christmas, come back tomor....". He turned to look at me. His piercing red eyes caught me off guard.
It only took a second, before I knew it, he was in front of me. I fell, no, I was pushed back against the wall. I felt this... sinking pressure around my neck. Pain. I could feel his fingers wrapping around my throat.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
I felt the urge to cough. Reaching up I begin grabbing, pulling, at the hands, desperately trying to re-leave the pressure. Those piercing eyes staring at mine, observing me. My heart beats fast.
I desperately claw and scrape at the hands, they hold firm, unmoving. I can feel the Adrenalin building higher and higher. A sneer twists across the man face.
Is this how it ends? The grip tightens. Why me? Why here? Why now? A snicker invades my ears. My heart is beating so fast it feels like it will tear a hole in my chest. What about John from accounting, we were supposed to go bowling. What about Jennifer, who always smiles at me from behind her book?
My lungs burn with intensity. My arms no longer attempt to claw at the hands, they feel heavy like lead. A toothy grin is stretched eternally thin below those red eyes. My muscles burn, My vision blurs.
I don't want to die, I don't want to say goodbye, I DON'T WANT TO DIE.
Like lifting the heaviest weight I ever have, my hand shoots forward and touches the man's face. His hands release, and his body crumples to the floor.
I slide against the wall onto my hands and knees gasping, coughing, desperately breathing the sweetest air I have ever felt. I stayed there, for a long moment, the cool sensation wicking away the burning from my chest.
My shaking arms push me up as I sit against the wall, unable to believe what's just happened. I see the body, Still writhing, the arms and legs contorting. The skin growing thinner, tauter, wrapping around the man like a skeleton, until it becomes hard and begins to crack, splitting open.
Tears begin to well in my eyes, I look at the body as it begins to fall apart. "i'm sorry", but a breathy whisper, "i did not want ...", "i did not mean to", "i- i'm sorry". The man is long gone by now.
There is no place for an inescapable death in a world of heroes, no man deserves such a fate.
My throat burns.