The Superhero in All of Us

Daryl finds the greatest superpower of all in his son, Jakey

Created on Midjourney

Daryl felt like an idiot traipsing through the neighborhood in a superhero costume. But Jakey had only had one wish for Christmas this year, and Daryl was going to fulfil it, no matter what.

Jakey wanted to be Captain America. He wanted to use his superpowers to help children in need have a good Christmas. He understood, even at six, that he already had the most important gift of all—he had been declared cancer free.

The last two years, since Jakey had been diagnosed with leukemia, had been tough on the family. They’d almost lost him twice. But now he stood next to his father, wearing his Captain America costume, ready to battle hunger.

As they entered the grocery store to pick up the turkeys and other items Daryl had asked Marcus to have ready, father and son stopped in the doorway, stunned by the gathered crowd. The applause was deafening.

And the banner! Daryl swallowed the lump rising in his throat and knelt down next to Jakey.

“What does it say, Daddy?” Jakey asked.

“It says,” Daryl started, swallowing again before he could go on, “It says, ‘Jakey Connors, Our Superhero.”

Every single person in the store was wearing a cape and a mask over their eyes. Balloons floated through the air, and a table was set up with a huge cake with a Captain America figurine on top and the same words that adorned the banner.

Jakey jumped up and down and ran around in circles, settling down only when handed the first piece of cake. When everyone had finished, and Marcus had refused to let Daryl pay for the groceries, insisting that the neighborhood had all kicked in to fulfil Jakey’s Christmas wish, everyone picked up a bag and headed out into the street together.

As the bags were delivered one by one, ensuring everyone would have a good Christmas dinner, Daryl reflected that his son really was a superhero. Jakey’s superpower was love.

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This story’s inspiration came about as the confluence of a vague idea in my head, which lead to an image prompt: the superhero in all of us. Of the images generated, I liked this one the best, and it dictated the direction in which this Christmas story would go.

I think love really is the best superpower there is because it can lead us to acts of heroism, great and small. If you could have one power, what would it be?