Barry adjusted his tie in the mirror, watching his reflection carefully. The suit fit well, tailored to accommodate his massive frame, but it wasn’t the clothing that concerned him. His face, now covered in expertly applied makeup, looked almost normal—human. The wig Sarah had picked out for him matched his old hairstyle perfectly, and the painted-on eyebrows and slight color variation mimicked natural skin. The only thing he couldn’t hide were his eyes—blank, metallic orbs with no pupils, giving him an unsettling, statue-like stare.

  That was why he wore sunglasses at all times.

  It had been six months since the accident, six months since he had woken up as a man of living metal. At first, he had been an unstoppable force, crushing everything he touched, breaking furniture, even collapsing his own floor. But with Mary’s help—and plenty of patience—he had learned to control himself. He no longer crushed glasses when drinking, no longer broke doorknobs when turning them. He had adapted.

  And now, he was ready to re-enter the world.

  Mary peeked her head into his room and whistled. “Damn, Barry. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were just a really big guy.”

  Barry smirked. “That’s the idea.”

  She walked in, smoothing out the sleeve of his jacket. “Are you sure about this? I mean, the Zoom calls and phone meetings were working fine. No one at the firm expects you to show up in person.”

  Barry sighed, adjusting his cuffs. “I know. But I can’t stay hidden forever. Sooner or later, I need to prove I can still do my job. People need to see me—not just hear my voice on a screen.”

  Mary folded her arms. “And what if they freak out? What if someone touches you and realizes you feel like cold metal instead of skin?”

  Barry gave her a reassuring smile. “That’s why I’m keeping my distance. No handshakes, no pats on the back. Just business.”

  Mary wasn’t convinced, but she nodded anyway. “Alright, big guy. Just be careful.”

  Stepping Back Into the World

  Barry stepped out onto the sidewalk, feeling the city’s energy around him. For months, he had been confined to his house and backyard, but now, he was part of the crowd again. He walked with measured steps, careful not to put too much force into each movement. He was lighter now—500 pounds instead of a ton, thanks to his discovery that he could change his metal composition. Aluminum made him significantly easier to manage.

  Taxis still weren’t an option, though.

  Instead, Barry made his way to the subway. The turnstile groaned slightly as he passed through, but it held. The train car shifted when he stepped on, but it didn’t break. He grabbed a pole for support, making sure not to squeeze too hard.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  No one gave him a second glance.

  To them, he was just another big guy in a suit and sunglasses.

  That was a good sign.

  Face to Face

  Barry arrived at the law firm’s office building and took the stairs instead of the elevator. He had no interest in testing whether the lift could handle his weight. As he reached the top floor, he straightened his tie and took a deep breath—an old habit, even if he no longer needed oxygen.

  Then, he stepped inside.

  The receptionist, Claire, looked up from her desk and gasped. “Barry?”

  He gave a small smile. “Hey, Claire.”

  Her eyes widened as she stood. “You’re here! I mean, in person! I—oh my God, I can’t believe it! We thought you were still recovering!”

  “I was recovering,” Barry said smoothly. “But I’m ready to get back to work.”

  Claire hesitated for a moment before returning his smile. “It’s really good to see you.”

  The reaction was promising.

  One by one, Barry’s colleagues filtered in, each with similar expressions of shock and relief. He exchanged greetings, nods, and a few polite waves—carefully avoiding any physical contact.

  His boss, Mr. Hendricks, approached with a skeptical look. “Barry. You look… different.”

  Barry chuckled. “Lost some weight.”

  Hendricks raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. “You’ve been handling your cases well remotely. You sure you’re ready for in-person meetings?”

  “Absolutely,” Barry said with confidence. “Clients trust people they can see. I need them to know I’m still the same guy they hired.”

  Hendricks studied him for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. We’ve got a big client coming in later today. You’ll be sitting in on the meeting.”

  Barry grinned. “Looking forward to it.”

  A New Challenge

  The meeting room was well-lit, with a long glass table in the center. Barry carefully lowered himself into a reinforced chair, one he had discreetly checked beforehand to ensure it wouldn’t collapse under his weight.

  The client, an older businessman named Mr. Reynolds, entered and shook hands with Hendricks before turning to Barry.

  “And you must be Barry,” Reynolds said, extending his hand.

  Barry nodded, keeping his hands folded on the table. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reynolds.”

  Reynolds hesitated, lowering his hand. “Not a handshake guy?”

  “Germs,” Barry said smoothly, flashing a small smile.

  Reynolds chuckled. “Smart man.”

  The meeting went well. Barry contributed as usual, handling the legal details with his usual precision. If Reynolds noticed anything odd about Barry, he didn’t say a word.

  As the client left, Hendricks patted Barry on the shoulder—then immediately pulled back with a startled expression.

  Barry froze.

  “That’s… a very firm shoulder,” Hendricks said slowly.

  Barry chuckled. “Been working out.”

  Hendricks gave him a long look before shaking his head. “Whatever you say, Barry. Whatever you say.”

  Reflections

  That night, Barry sat in his backyard, a steel tumbler of beer in his hand. Mary sat across from him, watching as he removed the last of the makeup with mineral oil.

  “Well?” she asked.

  Barry exhaled. “No one ran screaming. I call that a win.”

  Mary smirked. “And Hendricks?”

  Barry chuckled. “Let’s just say he knows something’s different. But he’s smart enough not to ask.”

  Mary clinked her bottle against his tumbler. “Welcome back to the real world, Barry.”

  He smiled, staring up at the stars.

  He wasn’t normal anymore. He never would be.

  But for the first time since waking up as a man of metal, he felt like himself again.