SuperEmpathy

Hey, it looks like I’m on a roll now! This short story is an adaptation of a Plotagon animation video I made a few years ago. Let me tell you, the video is much funnier and is part of a series called “Mr. Time and Super Empathy,” when an ‘angel of time’ turns the clock back to stop young people from making bad decisions.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I needed a vacation from being a superhero. While being the Guardian of  Time might seem impressive, just like any job, there comes a time when you need a break. I was about to send a light-mail request for time off to the Watcher-Guardian Headquarters when another red alert broadcasted across every computer in my control room.

“There’s been an infraction under the Language Misuse category,” my assistant Micro said calmly.  “Section 148.7 of the Revised Speech Manual.”

I froze, finger hovering over the ‘send’ button of my light-mail. “No. Not now. No way.”  

“The correct reply is ‘Mr. Time is on the case’.” Micro didn’t bat an eye. 

“Why couldn’t this wait?” I groaned, massaging my forehead.

Micro frowned.

I took a deep breath, pulling together the vestiges of my professionalism. As Guardian of Time, I had a duty to wrap up all cases before going on break. Still, it took all my self-control to mutter, “I’m on the case.”

Micro nodded approvingly. She clicked a button, and the instant replay of the infraction played across the monitors. 

“You’re late!” the voice of a male adolescent crackled out of the speakers.

I scanned the boy’s file. Jericho Davis. Age 13. Known as insensitive, rude and self-centred. 

Classic.

“I’m sorry! It’s just . . . I don’t feel up to working on the project . . . I had to put down my cat today,” a girl mumbled. 

“Well, get another one. I know a good place to get new cats – or old ones. It’s called an animal shelter.  See, problem solved. Let’s get to work,”  Jericho snapped. 

I sighed deeply. What a human!

Micro tapped another button, making the screen crackle to a different scene.

“Not stale cornflakes again!” Jericho whined. 

“I’m sorry, I dropped the eggs and I can’t do another grocery run until after work.” His dad’s gravelly voice said.

“Klutz,” Jericho muttered.

I’d seen enough. I waved at Micro to stop the broadcast. 

“Evidently, this human doesn’t recognize the impact of his words,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Most don’t.” I sighed. It was depressing to watch how the earth-dwellers constantly slaughtered each other with their speech. Hence the need for a vacation. “Well, I’ll do the intervention now. Get it over with.”

“Godspeed,” Micro said, a trace of a smile brushing her face.

Ordinarily, this was the fun part, but today I was too frustrated to care. I stepped into my portal and materialized in my charge’s room.

The blood drained out of Jericho’s face as if he’d just seen a ghost. 

“Greetings, Jericho.”

“What?” he breathed, scrambling backwards. 

“Let’s cut to the chase. I’m Mr. Time, here to help you learn a lesson. Now–” Normally, I would carry the offender back in time to show them their mistake. But . . . “I’ll do something different. I’ll let you re-live today with the brand-new superpower I invented. Give it a trial run.”

“I don’t understand!” His eyes were wide, terrified orbs.

“You will. Soon.” I stepped backwards, vanishing. 

“Your method was . . . unconventional,” Micro frowned.

I shrugged, advancing the time dial to tune into Jericho’s day. Being outside of time, I could speed  through the ages whenever I chose. 

“–cereal for breakfast,” Jericho’s dad was saying.

Jericho started scowling. “Not stale —”

What? Is the superpower malfunctioning?

 I restarted the superpower’s program.

A barely visible plasma converged around Jericho.  “No worries, Dad. You look beat . . . is there anything I can do to help?” 

“That’s more like it.” I nodded, advancing the time dial. 

“. . . I had to put down my cat today.”

After a moment of resistance, Jericho said, “I’m sorry to hear that. Forget about the project for today. Take it easy . . .”

I smiled, heading for my portal. Maybe I’d stumbled upon a new method of changing human behaviours. 

“You again!” Jericho yelled the moment I appeared. “What did you do? I’ve been glitching all day!”

“I let you relive your day with  a superpower to alter your speech.”

“Make this stop! Superpowers are supposed to be fun! This was wack!” He scowled. 
“Learnt anything?” I tapped my chin thoughtfully. 

“What do you mean? I learnt that I hate glitching.”

“Not what I was going for. Don’t  you see how you can hurt or heal others with your words?”

He looked two parts bewildered, one part resentful. 

I sighed. “You’ll have to repeat the lesson.”

Great! There’s nothing like being bullied by a ‘superhero’,” He spat. 

I translated back to the control room, shaking my head.  Will he ever get it? Will any of them?

8 thoughts on “SuperEmpathy”

Leave a Comment

SuperEmpathy

Guide magazine only prints true stories. However, we do publish some imaginative stories on the Guide website. If you want to share your story with our online readers, click below.

Claim Your Thumbuddy

See if you can add another Thumbuddy to your collection.

Enter your claim code*