The Secret Superhero

A little boy gets in touch with his alter ego in this emotional short story by Teresa Ashby.

Could Charlie channel his inner Spiderman?

YOUR turn in September,” Mrs Maxwell said cheerfully as Charlie slid behind his mother’s legs. He didn’t want to think about starting school. Playgroup had been awful.

He’d made himself sick worrying about it, and in the end Mum said he didn’t have to go any more and could go to Nan’s instead.

“He’s a bit shy,” Mum explained.

“He’ll change once he starts school,” Mrs

Maxwell said. “Josh was the same.”

Charlie wished the bell would hurry up and go so that his brother would come out and they could leave this awful place where adults kept speaking to him.

“Look at how tall you are,” Lola’s mum remarked. “You’ll be as big as your brother soon.”

“Hello, Charlie,” Ian, one of the dads, said. “I bet you can’t wait to be at school with your brother.”

At last the bell went and Liam shot out of the doors and bowled across the playground.

“You’re in a hurry, Liam.” Mrs Maxwell laughed. “Is Josh on his way?”

“He’s just getting his bag,” Liam replied. “He’ll be out in a minute.”

“Hello, Liam,” Lola’s mum added. “Did you have a good day?”

“Yes, thanks,” he replied. “Lola’s getting her coat on.”

Then Ian piped up.

“How’s the football coming along, Liam?”

“Great!” Liam exclaimed. “I’ve been picked for the school team.”

Charlie spotted Bryn’s dad, Matt, waiting nearby. Charlie liked him. He was kind and friendly, but never got in Charlie’s face.

He didn’t demand to know who’d got his tongue or why he was so quiet. Mum stopped him. “Would Bryn like to come round for tea?”

“Please, Dad,” Bryn pleaded.

“Sure, but we have to nip to the shops first,” Bryn’s dad replied. “Is that OK?”

“Of course,” Mum said. “See you soon.”

Charlie hurried along between his mother and brother and wished he could speak to people the way Liam did.

He hated being shy and wanted to be like Liam, but every time anyone spoke to him, he froze.

Once they were away from the school crowds he relaxed until they got home and saw their next-door neighbour, Steve, washing his car.

“Ah!” Steve laughed. “Help has arrived. Are you boys going to finish washing my car while I go and put my feet up?”

“Sure,” Liam agreed. “How much do you pay?”

“I bet you’d do it for free, Charlie!” Steve joked. Charlie shrank back.

“No,” he said, his voice barely more than a squeak.

As soon as Mum opened the door, Charlie shot in.

“He was joking,” she told Charlie. “He didn’t really want you to wash his car.”

“I don’t want people to speak to me,” Charlie muttered.

His face was hot and red. He was dreading school.

If only his dad were still alive. He’d fix everything.

Tears stung Charlie’s eyes and he hurried upstairs to his room.

He didn’t want to cry in front of Mum, in case it started her off.

He barely remembered his dad, but he could remember riding on his shoulders, feeling as if he was on top of the world and that nothing could touch him up there.

Then one day, Dad didn’t come home and the house was full of strangers and people asking Charlie if he was OK.

He went and hid under his bed until his nan came upstairs and held him.

She said although he couldn’t see him, his dad was “up there” watching him and would always be looking out for him.

Charlie looked up at the ceiling through a haze of tears.

“Where are you, Dad?” he whispered. “Why can’t you help me?”

But all he heard was the sound of Liam’s computer game while Mum clattered about in the kitchen.

“I don’t believe in you, Daddy,” he whispered. “You’re not there.”

It made him feel worse. Then the doorbell rang. “Liam!” Mum called up the stairs. “Bryn is here.”

“Tell him to come up,” Liam shouted back.

Bryn had been Liam’s best friend for ever.

His parents were divorced and he hardly saw his mum since she’d remarried.

After galloping up the stairs, he poked his head round Charlie’s door.

“My dad’s got something for you, Charlie,” he told him. “Go down and see.”

“Ah, Charlie,” Matt said when he walked in the kitchen. “I have something for you.”

He held out a bag and Charlie took it with a shy smile.

“Thank you.”

“Liam said you liked Spiderman,” Matt said.

Charlie looked in the bag and saw the neatly folded blue and red outfit and his heart skipped a beat.

“I love Spiderman,” he whispered.

“Try it on, Charlie,” Mum prompted him.

Charlie raced upstairs and pulled the outfit on over his clothes.

It was a bit big, but that didn’t matter.

He got in a tangle but Liam and Bryn came to the rescue.

“Hold still,” Bryn said. “I’ll do up the back.”

“Let me sort out the mask,” Liam added. “Can you see now, Charlie?”

“I’m not Charlie,” Charlie said boldly. “I’m Spiderman.”

“Wow, you really are,” Bryn said.

“Mum!” Liam shouted down the stairs. “I don’t know where Charlie’s gone, but we have a visitor.”

Mum and Matt appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

“Who’s this?” Matt said. “It’s not Spiderman, is it?”

“Yes, it is!” Charlie was surprised when the booming voice came out of his mouth.

“If only Charlie were here.” Mum sighed.

Charlie knew they were just playing along, but he felt different in the outfit, as if no-one could see him.

All they could see was Spiderman.

“Matt, it still has the label in it,” Mum said as she bustled off to find some scissors. “Did you buy this for Charlie?”

“Something smells good,” Matt changed the subject.

“It’s pizza. There’s plenty if you’d like to join us.”

“Stay for tea!” Charlie insisted. “I will set a place for you at the table.”

“In that case, yes, please.” Matt smiled. “If you’re sure you don’t have to rush off on any rescues!”

“Yes, of course,” Charlie replied. “It’s my day off.”

Mum and Matt burst out laughing and Charlie grinned behind the mask.

He had made them laugh!

Usually it was Liam who said funny things and made everyone happy.

He had to take the mask off to eat his pizza, but it didn’t matter. He felt quite at home with Matt and Bryn.

****

The next day, Charlie insisted on wearing his Spiderman outfit to walk Liam to school.

Steve next-door was wiping his windscreen.

“Birds!” he exclaimed. “Just when I’d cleaned the car, too.”

He looked at Spiderman and did a double take.

“Is that you, Spiderman?” “Yes,” Charlie said boldly. “Well, I never,” Steve said. “I’ve always wanted to meet you.”

He held out his hand and Charlie shook it firmly.

“Your car looks nice,” Charlie said.

Steve beamed.

“Do you think so? I spent hours cleaning it yesterday. We’re going to a wedding on Saturday.”

“I hope you have a nice time,” Charlie said.

“We will,” Steve said. “I can’t wait to tell everyone I met Spiderman!”

As they walked to school, he kept hearing people say, “Look, it’s Spiderman!”

It must be hard being a superhero with people always recognising you, Charlie thought.

He liked seeing the smiles on people’s faces.

“Oh, my word!” Mrs Maxwell exclaimed when Charlie walked through the school gate.

“Is that . . .? No, it can’t be! It’s Spiderman. Are you going to school?”

Normally Charlie would have hidden behind his mum, but the outfit gave him courage. Besides, no-one knew it was him.

“Not today,” Charlie replied. “I’m keeping an eye out for the Green Goblin.”

“Well, thank goodness you’re here,” Mrs Maxwell said, her hand flying to her chest.

“I feel very safe knowing you’re around.”

“Look at you,” Lola’s mum commented. “Don’t you look smart?”

“I’m Spiderman,” Charlie replied, tilting up his chin, posing with his hands on his hips and his chest out.

“You are,” she said. “I didn’t know Spiderman lived round here! It’s nice to meet you.”

He noticed Ian looking at him and gave him a wave. Ian waved back.

Everyone was surprised to see Spiderman. No-one asked where Charlie was.

“Hello, there,

“I didn’t know Spiderman lived round here! It’s nice to meet you”

Spiderman,” Matt said when he arrived with Bryn.

While they waited for the door to open, Charlie ran round the playground with Bryn, Liam and their friends.

Once the boys had gone into school, Mum walked Charlie round to his nan’s.

“Who is this superhero and what have you done with my grandson?” Nan demanded.

Charlie lifted his mask. “It’s me, Nan!”

“Oh, Charlie! So it is. Don’t you look super?”

“I must dash,” Mum told her mum. “I’ll be back to pick him up just before three. Do superheroes hug their mums?”

“Of course,” Charlie said. “Have a nice day at work.” It was an amazing day. At the park, lots of other children wanted to play with him and he spoke to their parents and grandparents without thinking because he was Spiderman, not Charlie.

When they went shopping, he chatted to the lady on the till.

When Mr Briggs, Nan’s neighbour, saw him playing in the garden, he asked if he knew Superman.

“I know all the superheroes,” Charlie told him, and they had a long chat about everyone from Elastigirl to

Batman.

When Mum came to pick him up, she noticed he had food down the front of his costume.

“I’ll have to wash it, Charlie,” she said.

“Will it be ready for tomorrow?”

“I’ll do my best,” she promised.

****

It was amazing. Charlie wore the Spiderman costume every day, and every day he spoke to more and more people.

When Bryn’s dad invited them out for a meal,

Charlie asked if he could wear his costume.

“I don’t think it would be suitable, Charlie,” Mum said. “Sorry, love.”

Matt smiled at Charlie. “I don’t think they’ll mind in the restaurant. It’s Italian, and Italians love superheroes.”

“Go on, Mum,” Liam urged. “It’ll be cool to eat out with Spiderman.”

Charlie relaxed behind his mask at the restaurant and noticed how happy Mum seemed. She got on really well with Matt and it felt as if they were all part of the same family.

Charlie had been to restaurants before and was always too nervous to eat.

He hated it when the waiter or waitress spoke to him. This time it was different – he was starving.

“We’ve never had Spiderman in here before,” the waitress said. “I can’t wait to tell my friends.”

Charlie beamed behind the mask.

“You’ll have to roll the mask up to eat, Charlie,” Mum reminded him.

“No-one will see,” Liam reassured him.

“If anyone comes over, you can hold up the menu in front of your face,” Bryn added.

It worked a treat. Charlie cleared his plate and felt fuller than he ever had.

“It’s been a lovely evening. We’ll have to do it again,” Matt said.

“Would tomorrow be too soon? We could go to the cinema.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Mum smiled.”

“Will they let me in the cinema dressed as Spiderman?” Charlie asked nervously from the back.

“Of course they will,” Matt replied.

He was right. The cinema staff all smiled at him and he heard people whispering they could see Spiderman.

Charlie had known for some time that Matt and his mum were friends, but when they left the cinema they were holding hands.

Bryn and Liam nudged each other and chortled.

Charlie looked up, and hoped Dad didn’t mind.

When they got home, the older boys took Charlie off to play on the computer.

“Wouldn’t it be great if your mum and my dad got married?” Bryn stated.

“It would be amazing,” Liam agreed. “What do you think, Charlie?”

“What about Dad?” Charlie asked, and for the first time since he was a baby, Liam hugged him.

“Dad would want Mum to be happy,” he said. “He’d want all of us to be happy.”

“And what would be better than having another big brother?” Bryn said, laughing. “Me!”

“Come on,” Liam told Charlie. “Sit between us. We’ll help you.”

****

The following week there was a catastrophe.

“You’ve got a hole,” Nan said.

“Can you fix it?” Charlie asked, panic stricken.

“I can fix anything,” Nan said and it was true. She was a bit of a superhero herself.

“It’s getting a bit worn out,” Nan said as she sewed. “You really love this, don’t you?”

Charlie nodded.

At the weekend, they went out for the whole day with Matt and Bryn, and one evening Nan came round while Matt and Mum went out to a show.

Bryn was staying for a sleepover.

“They’ve been friends for a long time,” Nan told them. “Since they were at school!”

“You know what this means,” Bryn said. “It must be luurrrve.”

“What’s luurrve?” Nan asked innocently. “Is it like a pancake?”

They all laughed, and Charlie hardest of all. So hard that he dropped ice-cream down his front.

“Don’t worry,” Nan said. “I’ll pop it in the machine. It should be ready in the morning for you.”

He went with her to watch. “I don’t want Mum to marry Matt,” he said once they were alone.

“What’s brought this on?” Nan asked. “Matt’s a nice man. Don’t you like him?”

“I do like him, but what about Dad?”

Nan’s arm encircled him. “Your mum will never stop loving your dad and neither will you or Liam, but hearts are stretchy, like your socks!

“They can hold an endless amount of love. After your mum was born, I thought I could never love another baby as much as her, then Liam came along.

“I found I could. You arrived and it stretched a bit more!”

Charlie laughed, imagining Nan’s stretchy heart looking like a sock.

****

It was the usual rush in the morning, with Mum packing Liam and Bryn’s lunch boxes and making sure they had everything.

“Come on, boys,” Mum said. “I slept through my alarm and I’m all behind.”

Charlie packed his bag to take to Nan’s.

He wondered what they’d do today. She said if it was nice weather, they might go to the park.

He was still wondering as they left the house.

Steve was on his drive. “Morning,” he said. “And top of the morning to you, Charlie.”

Charlie had no idea what he meant, but he gave him a smile and a wave.

“Top of the morning,” he parroted.

At school, Mrs Maxwell said hello and he said hello back, then Lola’s mum gave him a Spiderman comic.

“It was my brother’s,” she said. “He was having a clear-out. I thought of you.”

“Thank you!” He smiled.

Ian spotted him.

“Your brother’s doing really well with his football,” he commented. “Do you like playing football, Charlie?”

“A bit.” Charlie nodded. “But I like swimming best.”

“Good! Are you looking forward to starting school?” “Yes,” he said. “I am.”

Nan took him shopping and to the bank. He chatted to the man on the till and the lady at the bank, and at the park, he played with some other children.

In the afternoon, when he and Mum went to meet Liam, Matt was there.

“No Spiderman today, Charlie?” He grinned.

“Nan put it in the wash last night,” Charlie said.

He felt as if all the blood had rushed to his head as he looked down. He hadn’t noticed. His outfit was still in the washing machine! Matt winked at him.

“You know what, Charlie,” he said. “I used to do a bit of acting. I was very scared going on stage, but once I had my costume on, I lost all my nerves.

“Then I found I didn’t need to wear a costume. I still got nervous, but I didn’t let it stop me doing the things I wanted to do.” Charlie nodded. He remembered how he’d asked his dad for help.

Then Matt had turned up with the costume. Maybe Dad told him to get it.

He looked up at the sky and smiled as the sun peeped out from behind the clouds.

The boys appeared, and they started to walk down the road together.

Like a family.

“Ride on my shoulders, Charlie?” Matt suggested.

Charlie nodded and he was hoisted up.

He waved to everyone, including a wave to the sky. He knew Dad would be watching.

There would always be a place in his heart for his dad, but Matt and Bryn were stretching it – like a sock!

He felt on top of the world. Untouchable.

The End.