Our story began at the Midsummer Night’s Cast Party.

“Grant, my dad said there’s been a bunch of robberies recently, and almost all of them had a student here.” Walt set his tray down at their usual lunch table beside his best friend. “If we can figure out who is doing it, we could stop them.”

Grant’s grilled cheese stopped halfway to his mouth. “What are you talking about?”

Walt looked over his shoulder, making sure no one else was listening to them. “My dad is chief of police. They’ve been investigating these robberies, and they can’t solve them. The only link is that each house has a student at the school. But the students were with the families when it happened, and the police can’t find another connection. We could solve it, with, you know,” he lowered his voice, “our crystal gifts.”

“We could solve what?” Vanessa set her tray down across from Grant.

“Oh, are we doing something with our powers?” Joanna slid into the seat beside Vanessa.

“Keep your voices down,” Walt hissed and looked over his shoulder again. They needed to be careful.

“Walt thinks someone at the school is robbing houses.” Grant at least had the sense to keep his voice down.

“Seriously?” Joanna leaned forward. “Cool. Who is it? I mean, not cool to rob people. But cool we’re going to use our powers. I’ve been practicing.”

“I didn’t say that. I said that’s the only connection the police have to the robberies.” Suddenly, it occurred to Walter to be curious. “Practicing what, Joanna?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I can make portals.”

“Portals? I don’t understand.”

“Yeah, openings to other places. I’ll show you.” She held up an empty hand, and reached under the table. Her hair took on a purple shade for a moment, and then she pulled her hand back out, holding a textbook. “It’s from my locker. Pretty cool, right?”

Walter grabbed the textbook, looking over his shoulders again. “You can’t do that here. Someone will see you.”

“That’s why I did it under the table.” She shook her head and picked up her burger. “Really, you need to pay better attention. Who did you say is robbing people?”

“I don’t know who. Neither do the police. All the students had alibis.”

“Actually,” Vanessa’s quite voice spoke up. “I think I might know.”

That got all of their attention.

“You know what?”

“I overheard Mick and Steve talking. It didn’t make sense at the time. But he said his house was next, because his parents are going to be out of town and they just got a new safe. I figured they were talking about throwing a party, but the safe part didn’t make sense.”

“Way to go, Vanessa. They didn’t know you were listening?”

“Unless we’re in the theatre, most people don’t pay any attention to me. They said they would tell everyone in the locker room after school.”

“Why would they tell everyone in the locker room?” Joanna shrugged. “Those guys are dumber than baseball bats.”

“Because baseball practice is after school. The whole team must be in on it.”

“I could use my portals to get in to the locker room without using the door. Listen to their plans.”

Walter shook his head. “Joanna, you are not going in the boys locker room. And they’d still see you. I don’t think you’re small enough to fit in those lockers. You’d have to be inside the wall to hear them.” He slowly turned to look at Grant. “But we know someone who can walk through walls, don’t we, Grant?”

Grant took a bite out of his burger and shook his head. “Nope, no, you don’t.”

“Come on, man, it’s just listening. Just for a few minutes.”

“It’s dark inside walls, man, and creepy.”

“You could stick your head into one of the lockers. They wouldn’t see you, but you could hear everything. Then we can figure out how to stop them.”

“What if I get caught?”

“You won’t. We’ll be there in the hallway to watch your back.”

Walter already knew he would say yes. It didn’t take precognition; they’d been friends a long time.

After school, they stood in an empty hallway that ran alongside the locker rooms.

“Okay, Grant, coast is clear, phase through.”

“Wait, are you sure this is the boys locker room? I don’t want to put my head into the wrong one.”

“It is. But if you hear girls’ voices, pull back and we’ll try again.”

He sighed and put his hand against the wall. “Why do I let you talk me into these things?” After a moments’ concentration, his hand slid into the wall. His arm and the rest of his body followed, and like a ghost he vanished through the plaster.

The girls were each watching opposite ends of the hallway. Grant knew he could depend on Vanessa. She was a trustworthy lighting tech, and always had good notes from her view in the booth above the stage. Joanna was more wild. Fun, but wild. And distractable.

“Hey, Vanessa, did you dye your hair?” Joanna was still technically watching her end of the hallway, but her eyes were on Vanessa.

Walt glanced at Vanessa. Her hair did look different than it’s usual dark brown color.

“No,” she grumped. “It just got lighter. Maybe I’m spending too much time in the sun.”

Walt doubted that to be the case. Her skin wasn’t tan at all. He decided to keep out of the girl talk and watch the hallway.

“I like the purple you’ve been putting in yours, Joanna.”

“Purple?” Joanna pulled a lock of her dirty blond hair around in front of her eyes. “There’s no purple in my hair.”

“Just streaks. It shows up sometimes. I noticed it this week.”

Walt couldn’t believe this. They were on a reconnaissance mission and the girls were talking about their hair color.

A teacher turned the corner. Walt held his breath as the teacher walked past. He realized they had no idea what to do if there was someone in the hall when Grant comes back out. No way of knowing when he was coming back out. The teacher turned the next corner and was gone.

“Vanessa,” Walt whispered even though there was no one else in the hallway. “You can make light. Can you take it away? Like could you turn the hallway dark if someone were walking down it?”

“I- I don’t know. I haven’t tried.”

“Well, we’re just standing here. Try now.”

Vanessa closed her eyes and bit her lip. Walter watched the light in the ceiling. It didn’t change, but he heard Joanna gasp. Vanessa was translucent!

“Vanessa, you can turn invisible?”

“I can what?” She opened her eyes and returned to solid. “Did it go dark?”

“The light didn’t change, but we could see through you.” Joanna held up her hand for a high five.

At that moment, Grant stepped back out of the wall. Seeing Joanna’s hand up in his face, he gave her a high five.

“You were right. It’s them.” Grant took a deep breath. “Air sure smells better out here. It’s almost the entire team. About nine or ten of them. Larry Benson said his parents are taking him skiing for the weekend, so they’re hitting his house this Friday. He gave them security codes, told them where the keys are, how to get into the new safe, and what to take from which rooms. Charlie Hayes said his parents just got their insurance check. He’s getting a new stereo. Frankie handed out their ‘cut’ from his uncle. Those were thick wads of cash.”

“Why would they do that?” Joanna looked from one to the other. “They’re stealing from their own families.”

Walt understood the plan. “Not exactly. They’re selling stuff through Larry’s uncle, and the unsuspecting families report the thefts to their insurance and get new stuff. They’re only taking things the insurance would cover, that the family can do without for a bit, and they pocket the cash from the sales. Now the question is how do we catch them?”

“We just have to be at the Bensons’ house by seven on Friday,” said Joanna. “He lives down the street from me.”

“Shouldn’t we tell your dad?” Vanessa asked Walt.

“Without evidence it would do no good. They’ll just say they were playing a prank on Larry. We need to catch them with stuff they’ve already stolen from reported robberies. Follow them to wherever they’re keeping the stuff. That’s where we catch them. Just remember, tell no one.”

“What about the rest of the cast party?” asked Joanna.

Walt shook his head. “Johnathon and Greta didn’t get any powers. This is mostly a stakeout. Too many people would just attract attention. Let’s keep this one just us.”

Friday night, the four of them met at Joanna’s house. Under the cover of studying at the library, they slipped out into the night. There was no moon at all. The night was covered by stormy clouds. Walt pulled the collar up on his trench coat. Grant pulled the brim down on his fedora.

They reached the Bensons a few minutes before seven. A hedge between front yards offered a good hiding spot. The family was still loading up the station wagon. Larry and his father strapped their skis to the roof.

Vanessa elbowed Walt and pointed across the street. “Isn’t that Jimmy Wilson?” she whispered. Jimmy leaned against the street light, his baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. “How dumb can you get? He’s fully visible to everyone, but he won’t be able to see us at all. You watch from the shadows, not the light.”

“We already knew you were a better a watcher than any of them, Vanessa.” Grant moved a branch to get a better view as he heard car doors slam. “Besides, I don’t think we’re the ones he’s watching for.” The car engine turned over and the family rolled onto the street. As they passed his position, Jimmy pulled a walkie talkie from his jacket and spoke into it. Within minutes, two pickup trucks pulled into the Bensons’ driveway and the baseball team piled out.

“It’s the baseball bandits!”

Walt, Vanessa, and Grant turned to look at Joanna. “What are you talking about?”

“The Baseball Bandits. That’s what we can call them. All villains have names. Everybody knows that.”

Walt didn’t even know what to say to that. “Maybe. Keep watching.”

“Do we catch them now?” Grant asked. “They’re in the house already.” He was right. They’d already found the spare key, disabled the security, and Bobby Shortstop and Eddie Left Fielder were bringing out the first items to load into the pickups. But it wasn’t enough. Walt wanted to have a solid case before they called the police in.

“No,” he answered. “We want to follow them to where they’re hiding everything. That’s what the police need. Solid evidence.”

“Hey, Walt,” Joanna poked him in the ribs, making him jump. “They’ve got trucks.”

“Yeah, so?”

“How are we going to follow them on foot?”

Walt didn’t answer. He didn’t have an answer.

“That’s a good question, Walt.”

“Yeah, Grant, I know it is. Feel free to share any ideas.”

Just then, four of the players came around the corner carrying a big wooden armoire. Two more of the “baseball bandits” followed and helped load it into the empty truck, setting it back against the cab. It almost looked big enough to hold the four guys loading it, thought Walt.

“Well, you don’t see one of those get stolen every day. Must be an antique.”

“That’s our ride,” said Walt. “Joanna, can you see if there’s anything inside that thing?”

She grinned and opened her hand in front of her. The air shimmered like the surface of a lake when a rock drops in, and she stuck her hand into the hole that opened up. She seemed to feel around, and then stretched in all the way up to her shoulder. It was an odd thing to see. “It’s empty. They must have unloaded whatever was in it to make it easier to carry.”

“Can you get us in with your portals?”

Joanna’s eyes widened. “You want to go through a portal?”

“I mean, it was an idea. Can you make them that big?”

“I’m not sure. I haven’t tried.” While the trucks continued to be loaded, Joanna focused on widening the portals. At about two feet wide, she started to sweat.

“Guys, I think we’re almost out of time.” Vanessa had kept close watch on the trucks.

“Gee whiz, these guys are fast. They should go into the moving business.”

Walt’s eyes widened. The scene looked hazy, like in a dream. The baseball team all came out of the house at once. They tied down the last ropes, closed the tail gates, and started the engines. The vision faded and he shook his head. The driveway was empty save for the two loaded trucks. “Now or never, Joanna,” Walt said. “Give us a portal.”

Joanna took a deep breath and opened a two foot wide portal into the antique armoire. “Vanessa, you first. We’ll need a little light to get settled.” Vanessa only hesitated a moment before diving into the portal.

“Grant, you’re next, so you can phase out and make room if needed.”

“Great. Thanks, old buddy.” He shook his head and went through with no more comment.

“Follow me,” he told Joanna, and shouldered his way through the portal as well. “Tight fit,” he commented as he stood up in the dimly lit box, shoulder to shoulder with Grant and Vanessa. Joanna slid into the box as well, and the boys helped her through and and upright. The portal vanished, and she slumped against Walt and Grant.

“That was. Fun,” she panted.

Outside, they heard voices approaching, and Vanessa doused her light. A moment later, they heard car doors, and the engine of the truck rumbled awake. There was a jerk as they backed up, and then shifted gears, accelerating onto the street. They spent half an hour in traveling darkness with occasional reports from Grant, who peeked cautiously out. They were on the outside of town, and pulled up to a farm.

The engine shut off. Car doors opened and closed. Muffled voices again.

“How are we going to get out?” whispered Vanessa.

“Joanna can portal us out again.” The answer seemed obvious to Walt.

“I can’t portal if I don’t know where we’re going.” Walt would have stared at her if there had been any light. “It’s a spatial thing. I could portal us beside the truck, but I might drop us on top of those guys- or worse.”

“I don’t want to know what’s worse,” came Vanessa’s quiet voice.

“Grant-“

“I’m on it.” Grant’s leg, which had been pressed against Walt in the darkness, moved away, and suddenly there seemed to be a lot more room in the cabinet. They spent a tense moment wondering what Grant was doing. Walt tried to activate his visions, but nothing came. A loud banging came from outside, and then the cabinet door opened.

“Hurry up, climb out.” Grant waved them out, offering his hand to help the girls step out and over the side of the truck. In the headlights of the pickup, there stood a tall red barn. The doors were shut, and behind them was the source of the banging. “I shut the door and threw the latch. Hopefully, they’ll think it was the wind. It won’t hold them long, and there are probably other doors, but it’s enough to get you out.”

They hurried around the corner of the barn and hid in an abandoned chicken coop. As predicted, it only took a minute for one of the baseball boys to find the side door, and come around to open the front. The back of the chicken coop, however, had a hole just big enough to peek inside the barn.

“Geez, look at all that stuff.”

“Must be three houses worth of goods, at least.”

“This is what we need. The police just have to catch them here with it all.”

“How do we do that?”

Walt considered the question as he looked around the barn through the hole. His eyes went wide and his vision finally kicked in. He saw a shadow of Vanessa in the hay loft, floating behind Johnny and Richie. She flew forward, arms out, and shoved both of them off the edge of the loft. They tumbled down into a metal chamber a dozen feet wide. They landed on a layer of feed at the bottom with the air knocked out of them. His vision flashed to a corner of the barn where Frankie was putting a box on a shelf. As he leaned down, Grant’s fist shot through the back of the shelves and caught the unsuspecting second baseman right in the jaw. He was unconscious before he hit the ground. Walt’s perspective jumped to the door where Joanna was crouched down behind a television set sitting on a haybale. Bobby Shortstop and the Right Fielder whose name Walt could never remember walked through the door. Joanna’s hand struck out and a portal opened up under Bobby’s feet. He dropped through it, and there was a metal clang from inside the big metal chamber. The left fielder turned, and caught sight of her in the shadows as she struck her hand out toward his own feet. His shout began at the door, and finished in the metal chamber. He was caught, but he’d seen her.

“You guys see that big metal can thing?”

“That’s a feed silo.”

“We’re going to put them in it. Then we can call the police.” He ignored the looks of confusion, doubt, and excitement, respectively. “Vanessa, how high can you fly?”

“Fly? I mean, I floated that once, but-“

“See if you can fly up to the hay door, above the pickups. Try your translucent thing again, and you can shove them in from the second floor. They’re putting some stuff up there, but only one or two at a time are going up the stairs. Grant, phase through the wall, and grab them one at a time. Joanna, stay here, watch through the hole, and when you see one alone, put a portal under him and drop him into the silo thing. Don’t get seen. Everyone got it?”

“Portal from a distance?”

“What do you mean grab them, exactly?”

“I don’t know how to fly, Walt!”

“You guys can do this. I know. I’ve seen it.” With that, Walt turned and slipped out of the chicken coop. He headed for the trucks. He’d already seen his target, and how to capture them, but he didn’t know how to do it.

The first baseman was arguing with one of the other players between the two trucks, about who should carry a set of golf clubs. Walt knew what he had seen, he just needed to make it happen. In his mind, he pictured a giant ball, and superimposed it over the image of the two baseball players. He grit his teeth and wished, pushed, and silently swore, but nothing happened. He let out a frustrated sigh. He had to make it happen before they finished their argument and went inside. He took a deep breath, focused on the boys, and envisioned the ball again. He knew what it had to look like, he just needed to make it real. With that thought, a silver ball taller than the two boys appeared around them. There was a shout from inside, but Walt knew they wouldn’t get out. He ran forward, his eyes on the ball, holding the reality of it in his mind, and shoved. The ball moved, and the boys and golf clubs inside fell over, causing it to move a little more. He put his shoulder into it and pushed, walking behind it. It gained momentum as it moved, and with a final grunt, he sent it rolling across the open floor of the barn toward the silo that already contained most of their friends.

“Hey!” Mick’s voice cut through the night. Walt turned to see him standing only a few feet away. His vision hadn’t covered this part. “I know you. You’re one of those theatre kids.” He swaggered toward Walt. “You should have stayed backstage, freak.”

Mick was only a little taller than Walt, but more broad in the shoulders. The others were nearby, but he couldn’t let them be seen, too. He stood his ground.

“Mick, the jig is up. You might as well turn yourself in.”

“Uh huh.” Mick raised his fists and pulled back the right one. Walt turned toward it, bringing his own hands up in defense, and the left shot forward and tagged him in the jaw. He stepped back, shaking his head. He kept his fists up.

“Mick, it’s over.”

“Not quite, but I’m going to enjoy ending you.” He advanced, punched again, this time landing a one-two combination.

Walt reeled backwards, sprawling across the hood of a truck. Mick was fast, strong, and clearly this wasn’t his first fight. But he doesn’t have super powers. Walt wasn’t using his strongest resource: his mind.

Mick grabbed the lapels of Walt’s trench coat and pulled him off the truck. “Don’t ding the paint job, freak.”

Walt looked Mick in the eyes and focused. “Batter up, Mick.” He pulled back his right arm and swung downward. The bat that formed in his fist connected with Mick’s leg. Mick let go of Walt with a cry and doubled over, grabbing for his knee. Walt swung the bat up, taking aim on Mick’s chin. Mick fell back in a heap on the ground. “You’re outta here!”

Joanna, Grant, and Vanessa showed up at the door of the barn.

“We got the rest of them,” said Grant. “I put the lid on the silo so they can’t get out.”

They tied Mick up and propped him against the grain silo, with a note about the stolen goods. An anonymous phone call had the police on scene. The four heroes had to be careful not to get seen by the police, as well, especially since Walt’s dad was on the scene himself. After the police left with the “baseball bandits,” Grant called Greta to come pick them up.

Next week, Walt called a secret meeting and recounted the events.

“So, I think we should come up with code names and use costumes to hide our identities. And when talking about ourselves, we need a name for the group, so no one knows what we’re up to. I propose The Secret Society of the Midsummer Night’s Cast. What do you think?”

“It’s too long,” offered Deborah. “How about just the Midsummer Night’s Society?”

“Or just Midsummer Knights,” said Kris. “Spelled with a K, you know? Like medieval knights.”

“I like that,” said TM. “Gives an image of mysterious defenders of the realm.”

“Where are we supposed to get costumes?” asked Matt.

“Where we always get costumes,” answered Walt. “The theatre’s costume shop.”

“If you pop the lock on the window over the door, someone skinny can slide in.” Steven shrugged. “I’ve done it before.”

“I can portal us in,” offered Joanna.

“I can just walk through the wall and open the door,” countered Grant.

“Guys! I’m the stage manager.” Walt pulled the ring of keys from his pocket. “I’ve got keys.” He unlocked the costume storage room and they all filed in. He closed the door behind them. As usual, it was organized chaos. Racks of costumes from various shows going back years of the theatre. Shelves of shoes and hats. As well as a healthy assortment of things out of place.

“Spread out, find something that speaks to you.”

“I’m good,” said TM, and promptly shifted his face into a colorful mask, his hair spiked out in a rainbow of hues.”

“Then choose a code name while the rest of us look for costumes.”

“Aye aye, Captain.” TM grinned an extra large smile. “Just call me the Showstopper.”

Walt laughed. The name fit TM, actually. “Showstopper it is.”

“Hey look, the hooded cloaks from the multicolored Oedipus last year!” Grant pulled a golden cloak around his shoulders and lowered the hood so his eyes were barely visible. “Call me the Golden Ghost,” he said in a deep voice and walked through the costume rack toward the cabinet of gloves.

Matt also pulled a cloak from the rack, a forest green one. It looked good with his dirty blond surfer hair. “What do you think of The Condor?”

“Have you figured out your power?”

“Animals listen to me. My dog used to just ignore me. Now, he does anything I say, even tricks he’s never been taught.”

“Nice,” Walt responded.

“Walt, do you know if there’s a belt that goes with this?”

Walt turned to see Deborah already wearing a glittery blue body suit with red shoulder pads. “You’re really going to sparkle in that, Deb. You sure that’s what you want?”

“Sparkle, huh?” She held up a hand and wriggled her fingers. Electricity crackled between them. “Sounds perfect.”

“Belts are hanging up on the back wall.”

“Thanks!” She smiled and bounced her way back between the racks.

Actors in a costume shop never changed. Walt supposed it was the joy of becoming someone new. Something bigger than life. A room of wonder, where the biggest question was who do you want to be.

“Oh, Deborah, I love the body suit!” Vanessa’s voice came from the back of the room. “Where did you find it?” A moment later, she was near Walt and holding a black and orange bodysuit. He noticed her hair was almost pure white now.

“That’ll look good on you, Vanessa.”

She smiled, perhaps even blushed a little.

“What are you going to call yourself?”

Vanessa looked at the suit, then back at Walt. “Dark Watcher. That’s what I like to do anyway: watch from the darkness.”

“Now this is what I’m talking about!” Steven stood in front of one of the full length mirrors admiring the silver breastplate and bracers he was wearing. One dark lock of his hair fell across his eyes. “Feast your eyes on Liquid Steel.”

“Strong name. What’s your power?”

Steven put his fist in the air. It turned into cold hard steel. He opened the fist, and the steel fingers stretched out, flattening into sharp edges.

“Hey, we’re twins!” The good-natured Kris flipped over a costume rack and landed smartly beside Liquid Steel. He was wearing gold pauldrons on his shoulders and gold bracers over a loose fitting blue shirt.

“What are you going to be? Liquid Gold?” Steven didn’t sound like he was fond of having a twin.

“I was thinking something fun, like Kickflip.” He vaulted himself into the air, turned over, and landed in a low action pose, his feet wide, and fists ready.

“Whatever you want to be, Kris.” Walt smiled and got a hang ten sign in return.

Walt noticed someone had pulled open the mask drawer. Something in it caught his eye. He pulled out a wide red mask with a star stitched in the forehead.

“I like the cloaks, but I can’t decide,” said Joanna behind him. She’d found a tiara that she was wearing upside down and was holding three different color cloaks.

“Take the purple, like your hair.” Walt plucked the red one from her hands. It matched the star mask. “Have you picked a name?”

Joanna threw the cloak around her shoulders and held up her open hands. “Oh yeah.” The air around her hands vibrated. Her hair ran purple streaks and then turned full purple. “I’m Wyldcard.” It was an impressive sight. She lowered her hands and relaxed. Her hair returned to its usual blond. “What about you? First one in, last one out, right?”

“Always.” Walt grinned and looked down at the red cape and star mask. “I’ll be Captain Wonder.”

It was the spring of 1956, the closing night of Gold Bend High School’s production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. (That was the name of the town back then. It did not become Power City until some time later.) I played Hermia. I thought, at the time, that my best friend, Deborah, had played an electric rendition of Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and only later realized the irony in my review. Like my character, I had spent much of the production enjoying the attentions of two men, but neither of them were the ones I kissed on stage. Johnathon played a commanding Oberon, while Grant was a mere stagehand. Our stage manager, Walt, was his best friend and had talked him into being a backstage unseen member of the show. I don’t think he would have otherwise done it, and we would never have met. That show proved to hold many ironies for us.

The final show had closed around ten that night, and after half an hour of signing autographs for parents and underclassmen, and posing for photographs in costume and makeup with each other, we resigned ourselves to a night of celebration, as is the custom of theatre folk everywhere. By midnight, we were on the bleachers of the baseball field, and on top of the world.

Kris, our cheerful Lysander, perched at the top of the bleachers and called to the air, “How now, spirit! Whither wander you?”

Some called that this was not Lysander’s line, but TM, still in the wild, multi-colored Puck makeup, responded gamely, “The king doth keep his revels here tonight!”

Johnathon, still wearing Oberon’s fairy crown and wings, bowed stately and yelled “Hell yeah, I do!” and was met with cheers and laughter.

“Remember,” said Steven, “what happens at the cast party-“

“-Stays at the cast party!” responded several at once.

Walt watched from the top corner of the bleachers, next to Vanessa, our lighting tech. Rumor had it that they were sweet on each other, but no one could catch them at more than a clandestine glance. It seemed Vanessa was the one part of the theater where Johnathon wasn’t in confident control. Puck (It was hard to think of him as the TM we all knew in that makeup.) joined Joanna, still wearing Helena’s dress, on the ground dancing to no music. Steven, the set builder, and Matt, our charming red-haired Demetrius, thumped a beat for them on the old wooden bleachers.

Perhaps, if the baseball team had won their away game that night instead of suffering a crushing defeat, the night would have been merely the memory of another delightful show. It was just after midnight when the team rolled in, championship hopes dashed, egos wounded, and testosterone high, to find their territorial baseball field invaded by theatre kids. Or perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered, for the two groups rarely got along in the best of times.

“Well, look at the fairies on our field!” Mick, captain of the team swaggered up to TM and Joanna, who had stopped dancing. He traded his lurid look at Joanna for a disgusted look at TM. “What is wrong with your face?”

“It’s makeup. What’s wrong with yours?”

Mick put his finger on TM’s chest. “You’d better watch your mouth and remember who runs this school.”

“Leave him alone. We’re students here, too, and we’ve got just as much right to be here.“ Joanna stepped up and pushed Mick’s hand away from TM. “Why don’t you go chase some balls.”

Mick shoved her back into the bleachers. “Don’t touch me, you drama freak!”

Quick as a dance step, Matt and Steven jumped down the bleachers, but Kris was closer. The unexpected punch took Mick in the mouth and turned him sideways, but his feet didn’t move. Kris brought his balled fists up, ready to fight, as Matt and Steven dropped into place on either side of him.

Walt was on his feet at the top of the bleachers. “Everybody settle down! If we get expelled, there won’t be theatre or baseball.”

It was a valiant effort to diffuse the situation, but Mick was long past listening. “Oh, the little actors want to play hardball, do they?” He reached back and snatched a bat from the closest of his friends. “Batting practice, boys!” The gloves and ball bags hit the ground as bats swung into view.

Kris and the others were brave, not foolish, and took several steps back. The other theatre kids moved down from the bleachers as the baseball boys stepped up, bats over their shoulders.

Mick swung at Kris’s face, who ducked back. The jock was toying with him. “I’m king of this school.” One of the other players snatched Oberon’s crown and tossed it to Mick. “Off with their heads, boys!” The team laughed and advanced on them.

“Run!” cried Walt, and like any good cast, they did exactly what their stage manager told them. With the team between them and the school, they sprinted across the field toward the dark woods that bordered the outfield. The baseball boys loped behind them, wolves playing with their prey.

They scrambled over the fence at the edge of the shadowy field, and drove into the dark woods. The baseball team stopped at the fence and gave each other high fives, throwing jeers and taunts into the wooded darkness that hid us.

From behind a tree, a voice projected “What’s wrong, losers? Scared of the dark?”

“Joanna!” hissed Walt, “shut up!”

“Everyone follow me!” Kris lead the way between a pair of old trees, and the group followed. “I used to explore these woods. There’s a cave not far away.”

The sound of chain link fence rattling urged them on through the darkness. They stumbled, and helped each other up. They found the cave in the darkness, a narrow crack in a half-buried boulder with a huge oak spreading out over top of it. The thick roots ran down along the stone, helping to conceal the entrance. They filed in a shoulder at a time.

“Hang on, I have a flashlight.” He dug his flashlight out of his backpack and switched it on, playing it around the cave, and counting faces. “Is everyone here?”

“That light is going to make the crack shine like a lighthouse,” advised Vanessa.

“She’s right, but there’s more cave. This way.” Kris led the group through another opening in the stone walls. Three rooms in they stopped to catch their breath.

“Everyone relax, have a seat. We’ll hide out here for a while until they’ve gone. I doubt they’ll search long, if we keep quiet.” He threw Joanna a reproachful look.

She shrugged. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, but maybe next time, don’t pick a fight with the entire baseball team while they’re carrying their gear.” His light flickered, and plunged them into darkness. Two squeals and a chorus of groans echoed in the rock chamber. “Everyone stay still.” The sound of Walt slapping his flashlight a few times resounded around the cave with no result.

A yellow swirl of light from their midst illuminated the room. It emanated from a large crystal in the center of the room. As it brightened, it showed Vanessa sitting on the ground leaning against the crystal. The luminance deepened into an amber light and swirled around the crystal and into her back. Vanessa herself began to glow as the crystal faded into a more normal milky translucence. In Vanessa’s amber glow, two other crystals lit up. One beside Grant turned black and flowed into his hand, which was resting on the top of the crystal. The other, against Deborah’s leg, crackled to life in orange jagged streaks. As the streaks shot into her leg, sparks flitted between her fingers.

The crystal against Vanessa turned as black as Grant’s, but whirled, instead of flowed into her back, spinning around the crystal like a dark silent tornado as it touched down and was absorbed into her back. Grant’s crystal gave off a deep red pulse, seeming to emanate from Grant’s hand, still touching it. After three pulses, a bright red swirl of light filled the crystal and vanished into his hand.

The crystals ceased glowing, but the cave was lit by Vanessa’s amber light, showing the shocked faces of the entire cast and crew.

“What was that?” asked Walt. “Are you three okay?”

Grant finally tore his hand away from the crystal and stepped back from it. He tripped and fell into the wall behind him. His legs remained visible but the rest of his body was now inside the wall. “I’m okay,” he called form inside the wall. “I think.” He slowly sat up, bringing his back up into the cave with the rest of them, though his hips were still hidden inside the rock.

Deborah silently stared at her hands, moving her fingers back and forth creating sparks between them.

“Cool!” Joanna rushed toward the crystals, her hands out. “I’m next!” TM was right behind her.

Walt stepped between them and held out his hands. “Slow down. We don’t know what these things are. They could be dangerous.”

“They’re fine.”

“They got super powers!”

Walt looked back over his shoulder. “Grant? Vanessa? Deborah? How do you feel?”

Grant grinned at Walt. “Actually, I feel pretty great.”

“Me too, Walt. The sparkles kind of tickle.”

Vanessa looked at her glowing hand and the amber light shifted into a red, then blue. “I’m fine, too.”

Walt considered a moment before dropping his hands. “Alright, if you two want to try it, but I’m doing it with you. There are three crystals. One for each of us.” Walt turned to the one Grant had been touching. He offered Grant a hand up.

TM reached for Deborah’s sparkly crystal, leaving Vanessa’s for Joanna. Vanessa tried to move away, but ended up a foot in the air instead.

Joanna squealed. “Score!” She gripped the crystal with both hands. Walt and TM both touched their own crystals, a mix of excitement, curiosity, and nervousness on all their faces. Orange and purple lights flowed into Walt’s hand. Blue light swirled against Joanna’s fingers. TM’s crystal turned a brilliant white and swirled into his hand.

Walt’s eyes widened, the pupils vanishing. TM’s stage makeup stretched and warped along his face, as his ears grew pointed, the colors on his cheeks stretched up into his temples. He had looked wild as Puck, he was supernatural now. Joanna let go of her quiescent crystal and leaped into the air, arms outstretched. Kris caught her before she fell face first into the rock floor.

“Hey, no fair! Why can’t I fly?”

“I don’t think it gives the same powers every time,” said Kris. “I don’t see sparks or glow from you or TM. Walt, what’s going on?”

“I’m fine.” His eyes returned to their normal brown, and he shook his head. “Kris is right. The powers are different each time. Kris, Matt, and Steven are next. I saw it. Don’t be afraid.”

Kris glanced to Matt and Steven, who shrugged.

“I guess that’s our cue,” joked Matt. They took their places, and after flashes and pulses of red, green, and white lights, they step back.

Kris nodded at Grant. “I see what you mean. I feel incredible!” He leaped in the air on the spot, and flipped off the nearby wall, landing on his feet. “Sweet. I couldn’t even do that on a trampoline.”

Steven held out one hand and focused on it. The skin turned gray, then blue-silver, as if he were wearing a steel glove. He flexed his fingers. “Let those baseball losers fight us now.”

Johnathon took my hand. “Last ones to the party. Let’s go.”

I pulled away. “I don’t think I want to.” The lights and changes frightened me.

“Go ahead, Greta, it’s fun!” called Deborah, throwing little sparks into the air.

“It doesn’t hurt. They said so. And look at all the cool things they can do.” Johnathon squeezed my hand before stepping toward the nearest crystal. “I’ll show you.” He reached out and touched it. The crystal flashed a blinding rainbow of colors all at once accompanied by a loud sizzling sound. There was a glimpse of Johnathon in the air before the crystals plunged the cave back into darkness. The event had been so startling that even Vanessa and Deborah’s lights had gone out.

Walt was the first to speak. “Vanessa, some light, please? Quickly. Johnathon? Where are you?”

Vanessa glowed softly, lighting the cave. Johnathon was nowhere near the crystals. He did not answer Walt’s call. She increased her glow, filling the dark corners of the cave.

Johnathon was lying crumpled in a far corner. His head was bleeding where he’d struck the wall, and his right hand was badly burned in jagged lines from his contact with the crystal. He was unconscious.

“Damn it.” Most of the crew rushed toward him. I confess that I rather lost it. Deborah’s arms were around me before I even knew she was beside me, soothing me, wiping away my tears and quieting my sobs.

“Walt, you said it was safe!”

“I didn’t see this far.”

“Those burns are bad,” said Vanessa. Every good lighting tech was familiar with burns.

“Head injuries are no joke, either,” answered Matt. “He needs a doctor.”

Kris stepped up. “I can carry him.” Like lifting a sleeping child, he slid his arms gently under Johnathon and stood. Vanessa narrowed her light to illuminate the way out.

“There’s an emergency phone in the dugouts. I’ll call for an ambulance.” Grant turned and ran not toward the labyrinthine cave tunnels, but directly through the closest wall.

The rest of us followed them out of the cave and through the woods. The lights of the ambulance were already visible turning into the parking lot by the time we reached the fence, which Kris easily leaped without disturbing Johnathon.

“We could do a lot more than beat up the baseball team,” said Joanna as they walked across the outfield. “We could be heroes.”

“Our parents would never let us,” responded TM.

“They wouldn’t have to know,” said Steven. “What happens at a cast party-“

“-stays at the cast party.”

Click here to read more of the League of Heroes.

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