"Hey, let's go for a jog before supper!" Bret suggested.
"Okay," said Luke, putting on his running shoes.
"Don't be too long - supper's nearly ready!" Luke's mom shouted after them just before the door slammed behind them.
Luke and Bret jogged along slowly together. As usual, they didn't say a word about what had happened. Bret remembered very little anyway, just that a weird man had spoken to him one day and afterwards he'd been angry with the town and everyone in it. He felt he'd regained his senses only when Luke twisted his arm up behind his back.
When they'd returned home from that last fight, they'd found their costumes hanging in their wardrobes. Later they quietly buried both costumes in the field.
Six months later all was still well in their town and there seemed no reason why things shouldn't stay that way. Perhaps the aliens who'd wanted to take over Earth had changed their minds...
Luke's mom had taken a long time to get well, but she was finally her old self again and Luke was overjoyed. Sometimes both Bret and Luke wondered what it would be like to have their supernatural strength back again. Luke had recently almost wished he was a superhero again when he didn't make it into his class' athletics team, and Bret had almost wished the same thing when his Rugby team lost a key match.
It was better if they didn't dwell on their superhuman past. Besides, things are too easy with supernatural powers. It's not really fair.
Now the stepbrothers exercise to keep as fit and healthy as possible - and by the look of things, Luke will be as fit as Bret pretty soon.
"Dinner must be ready by now! I'll race you home!" Luke yelled, putting on a burst of speed.
"Here I come!" Bret yelled back, picking up the pace.
The End
For Part 1, click here
For Part 2, click here
For Part 3, click here
For Part 4, click here
For Part 5, click here
For Part 6, click here
For Part 7, click here
For Part 8, click here