“So much for Hurricane Thor,” Letti snorted as they walked home from school the next day. “Look at the sky. It’s clear blue and full of promise.”

It was the day Hurricane Thor was expected and Cash was nervous.

Maybe it was just everyone else’s ominous words, but something about the atmosphere made him uneasy. Jay and his gang had been extra cruel towards Cash today. They took all his lunch money, mocking him loudly, and now, by the final bell, Cash’s stomach was growling angrily.

Letti seemed to think it was a beautiful day. ““I’m just like my hair, baby,” she laughed. “You can’t keep it, or me, down.”

“That’s the way of the future,” Cash joked.

“Speaking of the future, have you heard back from any of the art schools you’ve applied to?” Letti asked.

It was fast approaching the end of their matric year and Cash had a bunch of brochures stuffed in his drawer, untouched. In truth, he hadn’t even applied. But how could he tell Letti that he was a coward?

“Hmmm, so how’s the prep for the trials going?” Cash responded casually.

““Cash De Bruin, don’t you dare change the topic,” Letti said. “It’s impossible that you got rejected from every single one, since you’re so talented. The only alternative is that you haven’t applied.”

Letti knew Cash’s expressions too well and his face confirmed her suspicions.

“Did you even tell your dad yet?” she asked.

“Well …” Cash trailed off.

“When are you going to stand up for yourself?” Letti demanded. “What are you so afraid of?”

had suddenly glued his mouth shut. They walked on in silence, then parted ways into their separate houses.

*****

It was nine at night when Cash’s phone buzzed with a WhatsApp message from Letti.

‘Sory abt b4. I gt caried away.
U knw I can b a drama qween.
4give me?

Cash typed:

No u were ryt. I am a coward I knw.
I’m even scared to tel u I lv u.
N I do. So much. I’ve loved u since we
were kids n got fake married in my
backyard. I will always love u.

And then he cleared the whole screen and typed:

‘Duh. Of cors I 4give u. U r my bff.

‘Tnx! C u at skwl 2mro. Gnyt Cash 🙂

Cash had just pushed the send arrow on his goodnight message to Letti when a powerful gust of wind blew his window open. The curtains were flapping furiously and all Cash’s comics were flying everywhere.

“No!” he cried, while trying to catch all the drawings that had blown astray. A thunderous sound cracked in the sky, causing him to jump

Then, a stray bolt of lightning blazed in and struck the papers settling on the floor. For a moment, everything in the room was bathed in an eerie, white glow. Cash was worried that his drawings had been ruined, but instead – a figure emerged from them!

Cash rubbed his eyes, trying to decipher if he was crazy … or dreaming. Captain Kind – the superhero Cash had invented, and lovingly called ‘Cap K’ – was standing in front of him, scanning Cash’s room for any possible threats!

Their eyes met and Cap K began striding toward Cash. So Cash did what any rational person would do. He screamed.

***

Tell us: Why do you think Captain K has come to life?