HEARTBREAK TRIES TO INSPIRE ME

Jul 28th 2011, 14:32 by E O Hatterpol | 1228 AU FROM SUN

"Aw, maaaan!" I said bitterly, bent over double.  I was clutching my knees, heaving, trying to fill lungs that didn't seem inflatable for the moment.  "Nothing happened!  So why do I feel so exhausted, then?"


"Because something did happen," Heartbreak answered.  "You just couldn't see it."


"What did?  What happened?" I asked eagerly.


"Just the tiniest thread of blue energy.  I saw it just there, off the very tip of your bottle, as you spun around.  You did it!"


He slapped me on the back and smiled.  He seemed really proud of me.


"It didn't feel like much," I confessed dejectedly.


"It will.  You simply haven't got any energy left after our sparring session," Heartbreak explained.  


"Is that what you're calling it now?!"


"Just give it some time.  You'll learn how to control it, how to produce it at will and how to govern its energy use.  Who knows?  If you keep training with me, we might actually be able to have a proper bout one day!"

He beamed two big rows of white teeth at me, like a dental double-decker.  I smiled back, tired but exhilarated.


"Cool.  I have motherflounding superpowers, bro!"


"No.  You've only tapped into the physical energy all humans share.  Everyone has it, but people just go through their lives never really needing it, that's all.  Get up, go to work, come home, go to sleep, get up, go to work, come home, go to sleep.


"But have you ever heard of 90-year-old grandmothers who lift burning cars off their grandchildren?  It's traumatic stuff like that that will bring the energy up to the surface.  Mine was being in the ring with my dad."


"Well, then... what happened to me?"


"I don't know, E O.  You'll have to figure that out for yourself."


"Well... I'm still calling it my superpower, broheem."


Heartbreak chuckled, shaking his titanic shoulders gently.


"You know what you need?  A strong cup of tea and a rousing display of physical energy!  That should help yours to regenerate."


Heartbreak put on the kettle -- it was one of those electric ones you can plug into the wall, only kind that worked in a gymnasium -- and returned with two cups of Earl Grey.  I couldn't figure out how he was able to hold his in those ginormous boxing gloves of his, but I imagine he had had plenty of practice in the past.


"OK, ladies!" he called out.  "Let's give E O a gymnastics show he'll never forget!"