CHAPTER 118: MISSING MOM.

Sunshine reached the ice star cage and touched it. Sounds of cracking filled the air.

Cain tried to speak, but his jaw was locked. He wanted to plead for his life and ask for a chance to work with her. Two powerful superhumans like them would be unstoppable if they joined hands. She would be the boss, and he would be her second in command.

His body convulsed, electricity sputtering like a dying flame. The blue veins in his skin had turned brown, like copper wired corroded by acid rain.

Sunshine shook her head. "Being superhuman does not make you all power or as super as you think. There are still many things in the universe that can end you in a heartbeat. If I leave you alive, many humans will suffer. Cain....whatever your other name is. Rest in peace."

She shattered the ice star cage and Cain fell to the ground, struggling for breath. Sunshine squatted down and placed her hand on his bare chest, right over his heart.

She froze it from the inside and shattered it.

Sunshine started to walk away, and she had second thoughts. She turned around, froze Cain’s whole body and shattered it as well.

"Just in case." She mumbled.

Outside, Major Elio placed down his binoculars, eyes wide in shock. What he had witnessed was beyond his imagination. No wonder she did not like his super sight abilities.

Her secrets were really deep.

"Tight lips save lives." Nimo bumped Elio’s shoulder and warned him.

Elio clenched his jaw. "Got it."

This secret would not escape his lips because it was not his to tell. Whenever Sunshine was ready, she would share it with others personally.

****

Night passed and another morning rose at Fortress four. It began in the same way as every other day, with the faint hiss of acid rain pattering against the protective bubble. At 6:00 a.m., the team responsible for applying gel and maintaining the bubble got to work.

Soldiers on night duty ended their watch as their replacements arrived. Everyone was wrapped tight in thick jackets, gloves and winter hats. The bubble shield did not stop the chill from creeping into the base.

Those that knew winter would be coming wondered how they would survive such harsh coldness if the cold brought on by the acid rain was this bothersome.

"Dude it’s excessively cold today, I have never been glad for my shift to be over." A soldier at one of the watch towers told his replacement.

"Good thing I have hot tea to keep me company." The other one tapped the flask cup.

"We have six watchers that are curious about the bubble and the Kingsley base tried to send a drone over for some reason in the night." The one whose duty was ending informed the one taking over from him.

"Isn’t Kingsley base Fortress five?" Another soldier slipped into the room and immediately joined the conversation.

The one whose duty was ending shivered and rubbed his hands. "Don’t know and right now...don’t care. Goodnight, everyone." He escaped quickly with plans to have some hot porridge and slip into bed.

Hades opened his eyes at 7:30 a.m. with sore shoulders and tight calves as a result of the training he had been doing. He turned instinctively towards the other side of the bed. Empty. Cold.

He looked at the ceiling and sighed. Two nights without his wife! He raised his body and winced because there was a dull ache in his back. He had fallen asleep in the children’s bed and fallen out somehow.

When was his wife coming home, he wondered.

Mornings were now boring and predictable. Sunshine used to do something ridiculous every morning to make the children laugh and start their day with a smile. The house would be loud and filled with music or power tools at work.

It was now too quiet--the world seemed to be still. Everything seemed to orbit around Sunshine. She had somehow become the center of their small universe, and with her gone, gravity had gone all wrong.

"We can do this for another five days, five more days until she comes home." He murmured.

He got out of bed and started preparing for his day. By the time he left the bedroom, Rori had prepared Ariel and Earl for school, but Castiel was throwing another tantrum.

"Not going to school." The refusal came sharp from the living room.

Hades sighed and dragged his feet to find his son that had suddenly grown a storms worth of stubbornness. He found him standing with his small arms folded, feet planted to the floor with the knees slightly bent as if he would never be moved by any force on earth.

His school bag lay on the floor besides him, and his cheeks were blotchy red, eyes wet.

"No mommy, no school!" Castiel’s voice cracked with force in it. "She always carries me there! She says see you later champ and most times she kisses my cheeks and says I am the best."

Hades crouched next to him. "Buddy I will carry you to school, I will say the words mommy says."

"You can’t." The boy’s lower lip trembled. "You are not mommy, you don’t sound like her. And you don’t hug like like her."

The words caught somewhere in Hades’ chest. He reached out but Castiel ducked away, darting under the small table like a fugitive. He wrapped his arms tight around his knees.

From the doorway, Earl felt the same way only that he couldn’t behave like Castiel. "Dad, Mom is better at mornings." He flatly said, leaning with his bag slung over one shoulder.

Hades turned his head slowly. "Better how?"

"She remembers I like bread toasted on one side. She sharpens my pencils without me asking. She sneaks snacks into my bag and ___" Earl’s face twisted. "She just..."

The cold in the room seemed to seep a little deeper. Hades did not take offense to his son’s words, however. "Come on guys please take it easy on me, you really think I do not care? I do those things too."

Granted, Sunshine made them fun, and she added mind blowing snacks and turned it into a game, but he did not think he was terrible at it.

As for his mother, she was more straight forward and with her, it was not fun at all.

Earl shrugged, looking away. "I know dad...we know. We just miss her., that is all."

Ariel sat on the small table eating one of the ration biscuits. He kept his back straight, hands neat and eyes down.

"Are you alright Ariel?" Hades asked

"I am fine dad."

"You sure?"

"I am sure that I am physically in good health." He answered. But his fingers kept breaking the biscuit into smaller and smaller pieces until it was more crumbs than food.

He clearly was missing Sunshine too even though he was putting up the tough boy attitude. Without another word he picked up his bag. "I am going to school now and I will drop Earl off. Good day, everyone."

"Oh boy." Rori let out a loud sigh. "You look tired yourself did you not sleep? I guess you miss her too" She asked her son.

He didn’t answer.

Hades rubbed his forehead. "I have to go and monitor things outside; Cass can skip school today and just stay with me."

"Go do your work." Rori said firmly, scooping Castiel up like as if he weighed nothing. "I will stay with the kids for now, clearly you need the help." She patted his shoulder.

Hades sighed and wondered if he was also allowed to throw a tantrum like the boys were doing. After all, he also missed his Sunshine.