The Tragedy of Beta

I've been called many things, but "hero" will never be one of them. I go by the name of Beta. My real identity is, and always will be, a secret. I guess you could call me the business end of an experiment gone wrong...



A friend of mine was a real wiz when it came to just about everything. He's always knew what he was doing until one night. That crazy b*****d was planning to create a new element with just about THE most volitile substances on this planet and some I've never even heard of. He told me the same thing every day; "I've got everything under control." Naturally, I had to believe him. "I can't do this alone." he later told me.

"What exactly are you proposing?" I replied

"An assistant of sorts..."

"Assistant? What am I assisting?"

"I just need someone to keep its chemical composition in check."

"And if I don't?"

"Let's not worry about that."

After twenty minutes of squabbling, I finally agreed.

"Fine, I'll do it."



The following night, I walked into Jake's lab and what also seemed like Frakenstein's humble abode.



"Well, I'm ready when you are." I echoed across the vast room

"As am I." he replied.

A glowing array of colors illuminated the chamber, in which it was contained.

"Damn, is that it?"

"Yep. It's the the stablest compound of extremities I've ever seen."

"So what do I do?"

"Just monitor its status from this monitor."

"In English please?"

He let out a sigh and continued, while pointing at the screen.

"This number indicates Acids, while this one indicates Bases. The fraction below them is the ratio of  Acids to Bases. If the difference between these numbers exceeds 10 units, notify me immediately."

"I'm about to begin synthesis." he said while gripping a switch.

I gave him the thumbs up and watched the screen as the ratio was "1520/1520".

With a triumphant and forceful tug of the lever, the matter before me began to spark, smoke, flash, glow, and sizzle.

"What? No! No!"

The numbers on the acid side soared to numbers far past billions in less than a second.

Jake tried to escape but a bolt of electricity produced from the compound tipped a heavy shelf on top of him.

I ran to assist him and took grip of his partially living hand. He gargled his new saliva of blood and rose his head to address me. His glazed eyes scanned the room before landing on me.

His lips parted.

"I was. . .so. . .close"

His head fell to the floor...

I lost a friend but I didn't want to lose myself.

I started for the door and was pushed violently by a shockwave, across the room.

All I remember is waking up wearing what seemed like a suit of armor.

I guess he isn't as crazy as i thought. He actually did it.

There's only one problem; its permanent. Jake's new element has binded itself to my body like a new skin.

As the fires roared, I saw a man in a black suit sneak past the many fire trucks.

"Hey, you!" I exclaimed, taking a running start at him.

He took off running, with me behind him.

"Stop! Get back here!"

He took grip of me, the ground, and his gun as he turned around.

I struggled as his bullet clicked into the chamber.

"You've seen far too much," he whispered.

He took aim and let loose the projectile.

As I closed my eyes, I felt a slight pinch.

The suit had absorbed the bullet.

"What? That's impossible!" the man exclaimed.

After realizing the uselessness of his firearm, he took off, into the night.

I held out my hands as if I was questioning if this, what I'm experiencing, is reality.

I gazed past my arms at the ground below and saw something of particular interest.

After wrapping my head around what had just occurred, I dragged myself home.

Sitting at my desk, there was nothing I could do but weep. I lost my only friend. I can't go outside. I'm hunted by some of the most powerful people this world has ever seen.

After my depression had passed, I acquired a sudden thirst. I thought to myself: "Usually I would, but the fridge is so far away."

Before I could even finish my thought, a chained projectile sprang from the suit and snatched me a can of soda, which landed right in my grip. I stared endlessly at the can within my fist.

The television caught my attention. It was the news.

"Breaking news: there was a very violent electrical fire that broke out last night on the sixth floor of the Triton apartment complex that was supposedly caused by faulty wiring. Firemen found a nineteen year old boy, crushed under heavy steel shelves and computer monitors in apartment 614. He is presumed dead."

I slammed the "mute" button and threw the t.v. remote wherever it felt like landing.

I examined the piece of plastic I found on the concrete thoroughly.

It was his ID. I couldn't help but snarl as I read the acronym: "CIA".

The government must have caught wind of Jake's experiment. It's wasn't even his fault everything went wrong. He was sabotaged.

As my anger rose, the suit literally ignited. It was on fire and I didn't feel it a all. It was a strange sensation, yet, somehow exhilarating.

I began to clench my fist and noticed spikes, no, needles jolt from within my hand and nest themselves between my knuckles.

That was one hell of a day.

Author's Note

1. I could use a bit of help with grammar and colon/semicolon usage please :

2. This is not the whole thing, This is just a preview. There may be more in the future.