SW10, HCC10: The Waitress From Beyond

[Scott Eiler]

Author's Note:  Yes, that "HCC" note is as correct as I can make it,
and is well behind the current challenge.  I'm catching up.

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WORLD JOURNAL   MONTHLY
June 8, 2010     See Our Other Issues!
THE WAITRESS FROM BEYOND
How Does Our Earth Look to an Immigrant?

Commentator: Nell Osborn with Joyce Darcy for the World Journal
Monthly.

I came to your Earth with Johnny Flamer, the Man-Torch. He has this
scientist friend who found the way there from our Earth. Your Earth's
orbit was intersecting our Earth's orbit or something. Most Earths
don't do that, but yours was special.

Johnny left our old Earth because the authorities were looking into
all the times he burned people. He never tried to get into fights, but
when he did, flame was all he had.

I stood up for Johnny at this diner where I worked. So I got fired. So
to speak. I got blacklisted too. The government was looking into who
supported anyone with powers like Johnny's. So I went with him.

A scientist friend of Johnny saw this other Earth in the sky somehow.
He must have had special instruments. Anyway, he sent us there.

This Earth had some other stuff going on. They were going through
climate change - but global cooling, not global warming. The weather
was bad enough that the superheroes weren't fighting each other.
Supervillains mostly weren't fighting people either. Wow, that's like
heaven for me.

There's still food, so I can still serve it. Johnny goes everywhere,
but I wound up in Worcester, Massachusetts. I work in a Greek
restaurant. We've got spinach pie for $8, and we can still manage some
$3 appetizers.

And I'm not getting in trouble just for knowing someone who turns into
flame. People are asking me and Johnny over for fireplace parties.

There's even a lady wrestling league starting up. There's been some
international scandal about lady wrestling leagues - so people want to
see that stuff if it's legit. I used to do it, and I'm still good at
it, even if I'm pushing forty. I got into a big tourney coming up in
Sudbury, Massachusetts. They say they might even give us superpowers
to make it interesting.

So yeah, this works for me.

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Author's Note:

Due to some personal soap-opera stuff, I've been out for a while.  But
I'm still paying attention to the challenges.  This is the story I
would have submitted for Challenge #10, the Immigrant Experience.
(Did I get the number right?)

It's probably good I waited to write this story, because some major
plot twists are coming in Superhuman World 2010.  I recall Challenge
#11, to which I respond: The Earth is a Deathtrap.