“My Condolences...”

“He was a great hero.”

“We should be proud of him... he was a great-”

In a community where superpowers exist, sacrifices are looked up to by many and considered very noble. It was always mentioned in the movies, the books, and it had always inspired many people.

“Shut up.”

As a kid, he used to have the same view.

He had a different view. He came from a family which was considered a superheroes family. But, he is the only one who is an average human being, no abilities at all.

Dead heroes leave people happy, but leave their family being the saddest.

“Damn it. First our parent, now you.”

A boy in his fourteen was standing while tears were streaming on his cheeks. His eyes were red, his fists clenched tightly.

His eyes were focused on the tomb.

His sister, his twin, was crying as well. Her emotions seemed to be more controlled as she sobbed silently.

“James...” She patted James’s hands before forcing a smile and looking behind. “Look, there.”

James turned his head and looked. There seemed to be many people presented here. All of them are in black. They had mixed bright expressions, some let sad sighs and talked about how many people were saved, except for one woman whose eyes were red as well. She seemed to be the saddest.

James shot her a glare before looking behind.

A woman was facing the camera, talking something about how the hero died a heroic death while saving someone.

“His name would be mentioned as a great hero as always. Josh would be happy to hear that if he–“ said Lisa, sad, and raising her head.

“Lisa, you are only saying that because you have powers.” The fourteen years old boy, James, said, looking at his fist before looking at the tomb. “I have nothing. I can't do anything.”

He looked at the reporter again.

When the cameraman put his camera down, her face became bright all of the sudden. She whipped her ruined makeup and seemed to ask the cameraman something. All the latter did was raising his thumb and saying she looked perfect.

He then looked at the same woman from before, who happened to be the twin of his dead brother, his older sister, Angelica.

James and his dead older brother, Josh, were very close. Josh was a superhero whose power was great speed, same for Angelica, a redhead, his twin.

“Had she been focused more on supporting him instead of going somewhere else, he would have been eating dinner with us,” James said, looking at his left hand. “I know, time is irreversible.”

Two days ago, there was a terroristic work, led by a supervillain as well. As Angelica and Josh were responsible for territory, they had to step in.

As they did, Josh, somehow, along with others, had involved with a fight against the boss of the terrorists. Angelica had left to save hostages she found down. But as she was away, Josh was killed by a trap, a mechanical one which could be deactivated if someone else was by his side.

“Don’t say that... You know no one could know that was fated to happen” Lisa said, “I want to be a great hero as well, after finishing high school. I’ll arrest that person, I promise. Rest assured brother.”

James shot Lisa a glare and clenched his teeth. ‘Great, she wants to die as well.’

‘I hope you fail your Hero’s school.’

James looked down as the funeral continued.

‘But does it matter...You protect others but you leave your people.’

James continued to walk. He gave his sisters a look, then to his hand. ‘Would I have thought differently if I were like them?’

His eyes felt like they were burning more. But the tears had dried up.

As he continued walking, and after the priest said his preaches, the funeral was over and everyone went back to their homes. James naturally couldn’t stay here forever and was last to go back.

James entered the car with the rest of his left family. Looking around the window, James was only seeing his reflection while thinking about his time back with the lost member of his family.

‘Am I powerless...? Really?’

James kept thinking as he looked at the reflection. Lisa seemed to be sleeping in Angelica’s lap.

“James... Josh would rather if you get over this quickly.” Angelica looked at James and forced a smile. Even though she was the saddest one here, as the oldest one, she had a duty to help her family to get through this. “Let’s sleep early and tomorrow we’ll see what we’ll do.”

James was the only who looked to be the saddest. The only reason he was silence in the funeral was that he spend the night before it crying and breaking stuff nonstop. The two surely were very close.

James turned his head from the window and made eye contact with Angelica. She was a tall girl, pale, redheaded. Her shoulder-length hair was tied in a ponytail.

She looked at him with the same blue eyes they share.

James took a deep breath and replied without thinking.

“He would have been happier if you were there for him.” he said, “The people you saved are now having dinner, sleeping peacefully, and getting an allowance for both physical and psychological damage they got. We, just crying like little bitches.”

James then looked at Lisa, who was sleeping peacefully down. His heart ached for a second as he continued. “She said she wants to be great like him and you...”

“Do you hate me...?” Angelica didn’t say anything to James. Had it been the past, she may have brought the morals and the bigger picture to the table. But, she partially blamed herself.

“Would you retire from your job?” James asked back instead of answering. “Please?”

“NO!” Angelica said... very soon she shut her mouth as she understood what James was trying to say. He just expressed his worries about her facing death, but she just shouted back. “This isn’t a job, but a responsibility. Dad and mom used to say that.”

“Then I have no words.” James sighed. There is no way he would stay with people who are just sacrificing for others.

“I’ll take the assurance money and move to live on my own. Just don’t bother me after this.” He said. “You owe me that at least. Just sign the papers they give you.”

“Hey, we can talk this out.” She said, “You aren’t in a good situation to decide that. Please, I’m already facing enough self-guilt”

James just showed a bored expression before looking to the window. 'I'll do whatever comes to my mind.'