Chronicles of Jonathan Tibbs 1: The Never Hero by T. Ellery Hodges Page A

received reports that police have engaged with the creature, but that it hasn’t been subdued with gunfire. This is purely speculation at this point, but a SWAT team will likely be called in to engage. If this proves ineffective, a military response may be approved. If you’re already in Seattle, please don’t panic, and stay in your homes . Local radio stations have been advised to air emergency announcements to instruct citizens driving into Downtown Seattle not to enter the city until the creature has been subdued to help reduce fatalities. Please, if you know anyone who might be headed to Seattle and unaware of what is taking place, call them and let them know not to enter the city.”
    “It’s looking for a challenger,” Jonathan said.
    The group looked at him, unsure how he had come to this conclusion. “It was just grunting and growling from what I heard. Seems more like a scared animal trying to establish a territory,” said Paige.
    “No, it clearly said challenger twice in that video clip . I mean it was like a bear growling it in another language, but I could hear it, ” Jonathan said.
    From the look on their faces it was clear they had only seen a creature roaring. He let out a long breath.
    “What in the hell could this have done to me to make me understand what that thing was saying?” Jonathan said pointing at the glowing lights beneath his chest.
    Hayden was looking at him. He looked more worried for him than he’d been a moment earlier, more worried than Jonathan had ever seen him. Collin and Paige, a few moments behind him, took on the same expression, as though their own personal puzzle pieces had fallen into place. Whatever they now saw, they didn’t like it.
    “Jonathan,” Hayden said, “I think... I think you know what is happening here.”
    Jonathan was shaking his head.
    “That man, whatever he did to you, he was fitting you to fight that thing.”
    Jonathan paused for a moment, hesitated, then shook his head. It was too absurd.
    “That doesn’t make any sense. That’s comic book nonsense.”
    Paige looked at first like she wanted to agree with him, but couldn’t. “Jonathan, I think Collin is…” she trailed off, feeling the gravity of what she’d been about to say.
    “What do we know?” Hayden asked. “A man, whom you don’t believe was human, broke into our house and embedded something into you. A few weeks go by and nothing seems to happen, then twenty minutes ago you lit up. Suddenly you’re impossibly strong. Suddenly you sense there’s something southwest of here. Roughly at the same time, a creature of unknown origin appears in the middle of downtown Seattle, southwest of here, and starts yelling for a challenger, but only you are able to understand what its saying.”
    He finished, looking at Jonathan like the conclusion was obvious. It made perfect sense to the comic-book-blockbuster-movie obsessed mind. It made none to Jonathan.
    “Why? Why would anyone go to so much trouble just to see a man fight that thing? And why now? Why hasn’t it ever happened before? Why would there suddenly be a species on earth that man had never seen? How would it just show up?” Jonathan said, watching the replay of the creature on the news. His roommates didn’t appear convinced by his outpouring of questions.
    The newscaster came back on. Her alarmed expression had changed; she now looked like she might be ill.
    “ We’re now receiving new footage from a live helicopter camera circling the situation downtown. If you choose to watch the footage, please be aware that it’s far more graphic than the original video. The police seem unable to bring this creature under control with their available arsenal. Its exterior skin appears to be unnaturally resilient. SWAT is now engaging the creature.”
    When the video came on, Jonathan dropped to his knees in front of the television. He understood now why the reporter looked sick.
    It still stood underneath the viaduct, but had