Two weeks after waking up as a man of living metal, Barry Cartwright finally left the hospital.

  He wasn’t sure what was weirder—the fact that he had transformed into a walking steel monolith or that the doctors, scientists, and every other so-called expert had no idea how or why it had happened. But they’d run their tests, taken their samples (as much as they could without breaking their instruments), and in the end, they had nothing.

  So now, here he was, stepping out of the hospital doors in one of his signature black suits, tailored for his new, massive frame. The fabric stretched tightly across his metal limbs, but at least he looked like himself again—well, aside from the fact that he was built like a human tank. A matching black fedora and sunglasses completed the look, shielding his unnatural, reflective features from the stares of passersby.

  Mary walked beside him, dressed in a sharp navy blazer and pencil skirt, her heels clicking against the pavement.

  “I still can’t believe you’re walking around like this,” she muttered, adjusting the strap of her purse. “You should be in some government lab or something.”

  Barry smirked, though the expression barely registered on his metallic face. “I’d like to see them try to keep me there.”

  Mary sighed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  They reached the curb, and Barry raised his thick metal hand to hail a taxi. A yellow cab pulled up almost immediately, the driver barely sparing them a glance as he unlocked the doors.

  Barry opened the back door and climbed inside.

  The moment he settled into the seat—BANG!

  Both rear tires popped with a violent burst, the taxi lurching as it sank to one side.

  “What the hell?!” the driver shouted, spinning around. His face went pale as he took in Barry’s massive form.

  Barry sighed, rubbing his temples. “Right. Forgot about that.”

  Mary groaned, covering her face with her hands. “You weigh a literal ton, Barry. What did you think was gonna happen?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The driver threw his hands up. “You just wrecked my cab, man!”

  Barry pulled a thick roll of cash from his suit pocket and tossed it into the front seat. “That should cover it.”

  The driver hesitated, eyes darting between Barry’s towering metal frame and the stack of bills. After a moment, he muttered, “Yeah… yeah, that’ll do,” before hurriedly getting out to inspect the damage.

  Mary shook her head and crossed her arms. “Guess we’re walking.”

  Barry shrugged. “Good exercise.”

  Mary glanced down at her heels. “Yeah, great. Love it.”

  A Heavy Stride

  They walked through the city, Barry’s every step sending faint tremors through the pavement. People stared as they passed, some whispering, others outright gawking. A few snapped pictures.

  “You’re gonna be an internet sensation by tomorrow,” Mary muttered.

  Barry smirked. “I was already famous in certain circles.”

  Mary rolled her eyes. “Yeah, for running cons and bending the law, not for being an actual walking pile of metal.”

  They reached the subway entrance, descending the stairs carefully. Barry had to duck under the low ceiling, his head barely clearing the lights.

  As they reached the platform, a train rumbled in. Barry eyed the metal tracks and then himself.

  “Think I should be worried about magnetism?” he mused.

  Mary blinked. “You haven’t tested that yet?”

  Barry shrugged. “Been busy.”

  Mary took a step away from him. “Well, if you go flying into the tracks, I’ll make sure your house doesn’t get looted.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  The train arrived, and Barry hesitated before stepping on. The floor creaked beneath his weight, but it held. Mary exhaled in relief.

  “I really thought you were gonna crash through that.”

  Barry chuckled. “Me too.”

  They rode the subway in relative silence, aside from the occasional nervous glance from other passengers. When they finally arrived at Barry’s neighborhood, they emerged onto the quiet streets lined with townhouses and brownstones.

  Homecoming Disaster

  Barry’s house was a newly built, two-story brick home—sleek, modern, and expensive. He’d bought it last year as part of his “legitimate business” front.

  As they approached, Barry sighed in relief. “Finally. Back to normal.”

  Mary gave him a look. “Normal? You’re built like a damn tank, Barry.”

  “Details.”

  Barry stepped onto the porch, pulled out his keys, and unlocked the door. He stepped inside, his polished dress shoes clicking against the pristine hardwood floor.

  And then—

  CRACK!

  The floorboards splintered beneath his feet, and before he could react—

  BOOM!

  Barry crashed straight through, plummeting into the basement below.

  Dust and wood debris filled the air as Mary screamed in shock.

  Silence.

  Then—

  Laughter.

  Mary’s uncontrollable, cackling laughter echoed through the house as she peered down into the hole.

  “Oh my God, Barry!” she wheezed. “You—You went straight through! I can’t—” She doubled over, gasping between fits of laughter. “You broke your own damn house!”

  Barry groaned from the basement, lying flat on his back. He wasn’t hurt—he doubted he could be hurt anymore—but his pride? That was another story.

  “Glad you’re enjoying yourself,” he muttered.

  Mary wiped tears from her eyes. “Oh, this is beautiful.”

  Barry sat up, brushing splinters off his suit. “Well, this is a problem.”

  Mary grinned. “You think?”

  Barry sighed, looking up at the gaping hole in his ceiling—the floor he’d just fallen through.

  “This is gonna cost me a fortune.”

  Mary smirked. “Yeah, well, maybe don’t weigh two thousand pounds next time.”

  Barry leaned his head back against the concrete basement floor, exhaling heavily. “I need a drink.”

  Mary chuckled, pulling out her phone. “I’ll order pizza while you figure out how to get upstairs without bringing the rest of the house down.”

  Barry closed his eyes.

  Welcome home.