Earth Man by Richard Paul Evans

his abilities were starting to feel commonplace. The initial joys of his experiences were fading and it worried him. He wondered if this wasn’t just another one of his half-assed interests that he’d eventually grow bored of. Over the years he’d taken up many new hobbies and challenges that he’d obsess over for a few weeks. Then he’d move onto something else, the hockey gear, half-finished novel and drum set in the garage was proof of how fickle he was with his interests. Those were just from the year before; there was evidence of his aborted ventures gathering dust throughout their house dating back two decades.
    Danny also began to feel guilty for not spending more time with the kids. Morgan and Ray had seen him every day but his attention had been focused on showing off his new powers. With no job, it was no big deal to spend time with them directly, doing what they wanted to do. Yet it seemed like he could never make it happen; either the kids wanted to do something he didn’t want to or he wanted to do something they had no interest in. With Ray, this was a little more acceptable because he was a teenager and reluctant to spend time with his father but Morgan was younger and needed more time with him. Morgan was nothing but a red-headed angel, she just wanted to be kind and be loved in return. Danny had even forgotten to follow up with Dr. Rue about Ray’s accident and that angered him. When he first heard the young boy shouting, he thought for sure it was one of his own children calling to him. Suddenly he realized it was really happening, at that very moment, out in the darkened forest there was a child crying out.
    “ Help! Help!”
    Danny borrowed th e night-vision of a local bobcat and scanned the area. He saw a young boy, no more than a year or two older than Morgan, running toward him waving a tiny little flashlight. The child had a very short, clean haircut and wore a red puffy vest that reminded Danny of Michael J. Fox in the time travel movies. The boy could barely catch his breath as Danny kneeled down to listen to him.
    “ There’s . . . a . . . bear. My Mom and. . . . Dad are stuck in . . . . the car.” The young boy grabbed Danny’s hand and pulled him forward.
    “ Okay kid, I’m coming.”
    The boy dragged him toward a cluster of trees. Danny could see the van amongst the trees but he saw no sign of a brown bear. Yet his instincts and new abilities told him there was one around, its scent was in the air. Danny had borrowed night-vision from the bobcat and he’d picked up a predator’s instinct as well. He knew there was a threat out there in the night; he could even smell the food that had attracted the bear in the first place.
    “ What’s your name?” Danny asked, hoping it would calm the kid down.
    “ Bradley, Bradley Thomas.” The boy wheezed, still out of breath.
    “ Stay right here, okay Bradley? Do not come closer, no matter what.”
    The young boy nodded in agreement.
    “Do you have a phone?” Danny asked.
    The young boy nodded again, trying to hold back tears.
    “ Call 9-11. Tell them you are just off the highway, near the border.”
    Danny ran around the trees an d into the camp site. The bear was circling the old gray van, driven to anger by the smell of food coming from inside. The boy’s parents sat in the front seat, too afraid to take any action. The man in the van looked identical to his son and he was even more scared than the boy had been. The father waved his arms wildly even though it was obvious Danny had seen them.
    Sniffing the air, the bear growled and smashed its front paws against the windows. Danny snuck around the opposite side, weaving in and out of the trees.
    The bear had already stripped off metal and white paint with its long jagged claws. It slammed itself down unto the van and the woman screamed. The bear then circled to the passenger side and Danny ducked around the front to the driver.
    “ My son,” the man said through the window, “Did