Angela Nicole Parker

I stumbled across a website that was advertising the latest diet --- Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days. It's an interesting concept to me, especially since I'm all about the quick fixes, but I thought wouldn't it be fun if I used that concept for my writing.

I'm currently working on editing my latest manuscript, but I thought it would be fun if I did 21 days of drabbles, short stories under 1000 words. I'm doing it Dribble Drabble style though and for the next 21 days I'll be writing concepts, complete chapters, short scenes and maybe a short story or two to get my creative juices flowing, so if you read anything you like or that you'd like me to expand on let me know, one of these drabbles maybe my next novel in the making.

DRABBLE ONE --- Diary of An Ex-Superheroine
        Life is all about choices, right? So why is it that I’m never making the choices that I want, only the ones I am forced to make. All I want it to be Jana Woods, full-time college student, part-time coffee server. I want to pull my hair out over my biology finals and fight with Latisha over the Friday shift because I have a hot date that I need to spend the entire day prepping for. Frivolous, I know. But don’t I deserve a life in which I’m not washing blood out of my clothes and burying those I love?
       I didn’t ask for this.
      I didn’t choose the way of the hero.
      It chose me.
      But I was the one who put on that costume. And I can’t even remember why. When I was five my mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and it sure wasn’t a superhero, or super side kick, depending on who you talk too.
     If I had been born with super powers like those arrogant “pure bloods” who take to the sky like gods, I could blame my family. If I was the victim of some freaky laboratory experiment gone bad I could blame fate.
      Yes, I had all the qualifications that propel A Chooser into the life: murdered parents; check. A score to settle with an Ultimate Villain; check; a rich benefactress; check; an almost pathological need to risk life and limb to save others just to remind myself that I was still alive; check.
     I don’t blame Matta. When she recruited me to be her sidekick I had no idea what I was getting into, but neither did she. She saw that the hurt and anger that was festering in me over my parent’s murder was threatening to consume me and she wanted to give me an outlet. It took us a while to figure out what we meant to each other. I don’t know if we truly realized it to the end, but what was evident from the beginning was that Norton City never had a better one-two punch than Black Ryder and Silver Shadow. Most kids cut their teeth battling school bullies, oversized jocks and over pampered, label obsessed princesses. I spent my school years battling the biggest, baddest, craziest villains in the universe. It was the best time of my life. I grew up believing that it was my destiny to make a difference. I grew up believing that hero’s were invincible. Then Matta died, and I just grew up.
      God, why can’t I move past this?
      Because Matta died because of me and nothing that I did, or ever could do, would make up for that.
They called me a coward when I chose to walk away. Maybe they were right. But it’s easy to be stay in the trenches when bullets bounce off you. So, Black Ryder and Silver Shadow merely disappeared and became the stuff of myth and legend.
     Simple, right? Except for the dreams. The ones in which Matta dies over and over again and I just stand there and let it happened.
   I’m tired. I haven’t been able to sleep in weeks and it’s finally catching up with me. I catch a glimpse of myself in the front door of the Cup of Yours and gasp. My light brown skin has taken on a darker tinge and my brown eyes seem sunken. And my hair? I was just grateful that the brown, curly mass hadn’t busted out of the ponytail holder that was keeping it in place on top of my hair. I took my new square framed glasses out of my blue apron pocket and put them on. They weren’t the most stylish specs, but if I was going to do the nerdy act I might as well go all the way.
      No, I reminded myself, taking a few small breaths through my nose. It wasn’t an act. This is who I really am. Jana Woods a quiet, unassuming college student who was so ordinary that I was practically invisible, or so I hoped. That other life was the act.
     I let out a frustrated sigh, the meditation techniques that served me so well during my nightly patrols just aren’t working.
     How in the hell did I spend so many years prowling the streets at night when two weeks sans my eight hours was making me a useless wreck?
    I peeped into the coffee house. It was busier than usual.
   Damn.
   “You’re late!” yelled Mel, plopping the tray he was holding in my hand as soon as I entered.
   “Sorry,” I said, watching the back of his brown bald head as walked right past me..
   “Hey Jana, are you just going to stand there or are you going to bring us our right order?”
   I looked at the young couple. Both blonde and both dressed like they were straight out of an Abocrambe and Fitch catalogue.
   “Sorry Selius, what did you and Maggie order?”
    “Like I was telling Mel over there we ordered a half cap frap with soymilk, no sugar, but a hint of cinnamon and a twinge of lime.”
     “And I told you that you sounded like a fool!” Mel shot back.
     “Mel!” I warned smiling. “He’s kidding. Mel tell them you’re just kidding.”
     Mel let out an umph noise.
    I turned my attention back to the couple. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’ll be right back with your order. I walked toward the kitchen, ignoring all the other customers who were calling my name and demanding my help. I just wanted to get my coat off. I didn’t think that was too much to ask. A rough brush past my shoulder stopped me n my tracks.
      “Hey princess,” said Latisha, her long face twisted in the ugliest sneer. “Are you working or what?”
      “I’m sorry,” I said, pressing down on her shoulder to keep my right hand from delivering an instinctive and very painful back slap to the girl. ‘I was just…”
     “I know it’s a pain when the butler isn’t around to wake you up,” she said, running a dark brown hand over her short hair. But I know for a fact you can afford an alarm clock.”
      “You’re right,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry that I’m late.”
       “This job isn’t a hobby for all of us,” she said moving closer behind the counter and taking her apron off,” “When you’re not here on time it…”
       “I said I was sorry,” I said, rougher than I intended.
      Latisha gave me another nasty look and bumped me again as she walked by. If it wasn’t for my cat like reflexes, the tray and all its contents would have spilt all over the guy at the counter.
Latisha noticed my quick actions and gave me a funny look.
       “Nice reflexes,” said Thomas Moore, his cheeks as red as his hair.
       “Thanks.” I looked at Thomas and ignored Latisha’s continued glare. I was grateful when she finally walked towards the door.
       “Where do you think you’re going?” Mel asked, peeking his head through the kitchen door.
       “I’m off,” Latisha said.
       “We still have too many customers, you’re going to have to work late.”
        “No can do, the Princess of Norton City is here, let her handle it.”
        “Latisha!”
       “I have an audition Mel.”
       “I didn’t know they held auditions for your types of movies during the day,” I said, putting the tray on the counter and putting some utensils in front of Thomas.
       “The trust fund brat has a sense of humor,” smirked Talisha. “Who knew?”
      I smiled. In the six months that I had been working here I had gotten use to her insults.
     “I mean it Latisha,” said Mel. “If you walk out that door, you’re fired!”
      Latisha kept walking.
      I looked around and noticed that whole coffee house was staring at Mel. He returned their looks and they started sipping their coffee and talking. I alone continued to hold his gaze.
    “What are you looking at?” he asked.
     I shook my head. “It’s a wonder you have any customers.”
    “This ain’t uptown Jana. The people who come her like the ambiance my colorful personality creates.”
    “I’m sure.”
    “Jana our coffees,” said Selius.
    “Sorry,” I said, moving behind the counter to make the couple’s ridiculous concoction. I put on the machine but was soon distracted by the television. There was a special report on and I found myself holding my breath, wondering what had happened now. I hadn’t been in the super hero business for a while, but you never loose the rush of excitement when a new crisis reared its head. Sylvia Cox’s voice was as cheery as ever. The tall, red head was standing in the center of the malay, wearing a bullet proof vest to show just how much “danger” she was in. “As you can see,” she said,” there is still quite a bit of chaos in the streets, but the immediate danger to the city appears to be over.”She walked over to a kneeling figure that I recognized immediately. His gold cape was flapping in the wind and when he turned around I noticed that his black and gold costume seemed to fit a bit better than I remembered.  Somebody let out a whistle and I could see why. Tall, dark and handsome, Fox Williams was gorgeous. He was also a pure blooded snob who I could go the rest of my life without ever seeing again.
        “Knight Star ,” Sylvia said, shoving the microphone in his face. “Another great job catching the bad guys.”
        He smiled. “Thanks, but The Bouncer wasn’t really hard to catch, he’s really…”
       “I’m sure,” she said cutting him off. “But what we all really want to know is how were you able to stop the Sable Minx?”
      Knight Star looked back at the unconscious villain on the ground, whose pink and white outfit made him look like something out of a demented circus, and then back at Sylvia. His green eyes were peeping through his dark mask and there was a slash on his forehead that looked really nasty against his light brown skin.
      “Well, the Sable Minx wasn’t really trying to hurt anybody,” he said, cuffing the baddie. “This time,” he added. “There seems to be some kind of power struggle going on within the Dark Order and The Minx seemed to be the target.”
       Sylvia’s eyes lit up and she scrunched down, shoving the microphone even closer.
       “So, basically what you’re saying is that you used your fabled charms on her?”
        Knight Star seemed genuinely perplexed. “Pardon?”
      “Oh, come on,” she purred. “Isn’t it true that you and she use to date, isn‘t that one of the reasons that you and Jade Fire broke up?”
       Knight Star’s face went a shade lighter, which made me laugh. I loved to see him flustered.
     “What? No…We…” he stammered.
    “And what about that sexy Quick Force? What part did he play in all this?”
    Quick Force? The newest super hero on the block. There was always a bit of excitement when a new superhero came into play, but the level of hysteria around this new guy was becoming ridiculous. Sure, he looked good in his tan leather pants, but he was a hero, looking good in tight gear was a prerequisite. But what was he really about and whose side was he really on? Either way, I reminded myself. It’s not my problem anymore.
       I turned to see two older ladies grimacing at the television.
      “Those so-called super heroes are nothing but trouble,” said one of them. “They attract those weirdoes. They are more dangerous to the city then all the members of that so-called Dark Order.”
      I rolled my eyes. I had heard this argument before and it just smacked of ingratitude.
     “I don’t know,” said the other lady practically purring.” They have saved this city more times then I can count and that new one, Quick Force. He is fine…fine…fine.”
      The blue haired one smiled salaciously. “Personally, I like that Knight Star and he’s legal now.”
      Both women laughed and put their knuckles together, “Star Power!”
      It was all too disgusting.
       “Ouch,” I cried, realizing that my hand was hurting. I looked down at the coffee spilling over my counter and at the embarrassed guy that was responsible.
     “Sorry,” said Thomas grabbing some towels and wiping down the counter.
      Of course, Thomas being Thomas only managed to make more of a mess, sending his plate of chili cheese fries flying all over my new white blouse. He looked up apology and began rubbing her blouse.
      “Just don’t,” she said, removing his hand. “I’ve got it.”
        Thomas nodded and sat back down. He grabbed the pad he was drawing in and watched the water flow down the page.
        “Your picture is ruined,” I said, suddenly feeling less annoyed
         “It’s okay. I can draw others.”
         “You’re an art major, right?”
         “Yeah,” he said, trying to smile.
          “Every time you come in here, you’re squibbling in that thing,”
          “Sketching,” he corrected.
       “Huh?”
        “I sketch, not squibble.” He held his pad closer to his chest.
       “Sorry.
       “Can I see your stuff?”
       Thomas shook his head and clutched the book to him. “No. It’s not ready, yet.”
       I shugged. “Okay.” I turned to walk away, but he grabbed my arm, wordlessly putting the book in my hand.I smiled and began to flip through it. He liked “How do you get the idea for your pictures?”
       “I just see them in my head.”
        "You have quite an imagination there Thomas.”
       “ I didn’t think you knew my name.
        The old women were still chattering on.
      “They are wrong you know,” he whispered Leaning forward. The world would be nothing without our heroes. “ He bragged the book and turned to the back, “It’s the newest guy, Quick Force,” he said, showing it to me. “You ever seen him? I mean in person?
        I shook m head. “My hero license has been revoked.”
        Tom just laughed. “Your funny.
        “Thanks You know you really have a great talent here. You shouldn’t hide it.”
       “I’m supposed to be painting works of art that will have people talking for centuries, not drawing comics. Here look at this one."
           My face fell at the sight of Shadow Ryder and Silver Cat. The pain is still there.
          "Are you okay?"
          “Yeah I just. I haven’t seen or heard anything about um…
          “Shadow Ryder?”
           “Yeah. Shadow Ryder for a while. I thought everybody forgot about them.”
           “No way. They were the best and that was all natural you know, neither one of them had super powers.
             I smiled. The Pure Boods sold all the merchandise, but The Choosers, had the people’s hearts because it made them feel like they could be heroes too.
          “You know some people say that she isn’t dead. You know how her body disappeared and all? What do you think?”
          I bit my lip.
         “Jana I’m serious,” said Selius. “If that coffee isn’t on my table in five minutes…”
          “Sorry,” she said.
           “And don’t expect me to pay for it."