The Silver Sneakers

The newest style of sneakers just came out in stores. The teens of America had been waiting for the new Golden Sneakers to come out. Teens flooded the shoe stores and malls. The Golden Sneakers were stocked on the shelves, then ten minutes later they were all gone.
Golden Sneakers were running shoes. Soft, comfortable, and gold in color. Everybody wanted a pair.
Andy Wilks stood outside the window of Al's Shoe Store, where the Golden Sneakers were elegantly modeled. Andy looked at the price. "Only $99.99!" the sign said. Andy wanted the sneakers, but he couldn't afford them.
He watched as people entered the store and came out with gold sneakers on their feet. Andy sighed and turned to go home.
His friend, Carter came up to him. He also was wearing the new fashion. "Check it out, Andy! Aren't they cool?!" He said to him.
"They're nice." Andy continued to walk.
"Nice? No, they're more than nice. They're perfect. How do they look on me?"
"They look good on you, Carter."
"You sound like you're upset about something. What is it?"
"Nothing. I just have things on my mind. That's all."
"Ok. Well, gotta run. I want to show these things off." Carter ran off.
Andy walked down the street. As he passed another shoe store he looked in the window, expecting to see the Golden Sneakers. But what he did see was a pair of silver looking sneakers. Andy went inside to get a closer look.
An employee walked in from the back room. "Can I help you?" He said, jolly like.
"Can you tell me what kind of sneakers these are?"
"They're called Silvers. They're new." Indeed they were silver. Silver colored sneakers all around from the sole to the laces. They were beautiful.
The window display caught Andy's eye. "It looks like Golden Sneakers took them out." He said.
"Silvers didn't get enough advertising out. They're more comfortable and better for your feet than Golden Sneakers."
"Better for your feet?"
"See these little holes here in the shoe?"
"Yes." Small pin sized holes all around the shoe.
"Golden Sneakers don't have them. They let air get to your feet."
"How much are they?"
"$29.99."
"Why so cheap?"
"Golden Sneakers are killing the Silvers. We had to lower the price. Would you like to try them on?"
"Yes. I'm a size 9."
"Ok." He walked into the back room. He came back out with a shoe box.
Andy tried on the Silvers. Perfect! They looked good on him. They felt heavy on his feet, but comfortable.
"How do they feel?"
"Great. I like them."
"Do you want me to ring them up for you?"
"Not yet. Can I try the window display on? I noticed that they're a size 9."
"Why? They're exactly the same as these are."
"I see a few differences. Like there’s a symbol on the back of the shoe on the window display, but not on these. Those catch my eye more than these."
Indeed there was a symbol of wings on the back of the display, but on the ones in the store there was no symbol.
"I guess if you want to it'll be alright." He got the Silvers from the window and handed them to Andy.
Andy sat down, put the silver sneakers on his feet, and tied the laces. As soon as he did that he felt a shock shoot upwards through his legs. Not worrying about it, Andy walked around. The Silvers felt good on his feet. Better than the other pair. "I'll take them."
"Ok. I'll get a box."
"No thanks, I'll just keep them on my feet."
"Ok." He rang them up for Andy.

* * *

Andy walked out of the store with his new Silvers on. But still everywhere he looked he saw people with Golden Sneakers.
As he walked down the street feeling happy about his purchase, there was a loud scream coming from the road. He looked just in time to see a woman about to get run over by a red
pick-up truck. The driver, who ran a red light, was heading straight for her.
Andy ran towards the woman hoping that he could get her out of the way of the truck. But as he took his first running step there was a loud burst of sound, and he rushed to the woman faster than he could of imagined. He reached the woman and pushed her out of the way and rushed to the other side. With a smaller sounding blast Andy stopped and caught himself from falling froward. He quickly turned to the road, and saw the truck pass.
Andy walked over to the woman, who had fallen when Andy pushed her out of the way, and helped her up.
"Thank you!" She said with tears in her eyes. "But, how did you save me?"
Andy didn't know what to say, because he didn't know how he did it. Confused, he looked at all the people that gathered around, then he started to walk away.
"Thank you again!" She said.
Andy walked, and he thought over and over again about what happened. Thoughts flooded his head. Thoughts like, how did it happen? Why did it happen? Why me? I wonder if I can do it again." At that he picked up his pace, hoping that it would happen again. But as he walked, nothing happened. So he started to run, and as he took his first running step forward, there was a blast and he was running. Fast! Things around him seemed to slow down. He was going so fast that the normal speed of life was slow. He ran at "super speed" down the side walk. He saw people's faces slowly look surprised as he ran passed them. "I must look like a blur to them," Andy said to himself. "I'm going pretty fast."
He stopped running and the small blast sounded. He looked around. He was about four miles from where he started. "Four miles in 30 seconds! That's amazing!" Andy's house was only five miles back, so he began to run and went into super speed.

* * *

Getting home in 37 seconds from 5 miles away was strange to Andy. As he came out of super speed and walked up the walkway to his house he said, "I wonder how I do that."
He walked into the house and almost collided with his sister, Mary, who was walking out the door. Mary was tall, pretty, and always wore the new styles. She was one of the most popular girls at school. Because Andy was a year older, she looked up to him, always asking for advice.
"Hi, Andy." She said.
"Hi. Where are you going?"
"The shoe store. The new Golden Sneakers just came out."
"I know. I was just down town. The place is mobbed."
"Oh, I can't wait to get them. They'll be so cool."
"I guess."
"You guess?! Why do you say that? You couldn't wait to get them."
"Well I changed my mind. I think there’re stupid now."
"Whatever." Mary shrugged. She looked at his new sneakers. "What's with the silver things?"
"There’re called Silvers. They also happen to be better than Golden Sneakers."
"Whatever. I got to go get me a pair of Golden Sneakers before there’re all gone." She rushed out the door.
Andy rolled his eyes and went into his room. He sat down on his bed and took off his Silvers. He held them at eye level and admired them. He then put them down next to his bed, got up and put on an older pair of shoes. "I don't want to mess these things up now." He said. He walked outside. He went into the street and decided to take a run...in super speed. Andy started to run but nothing happened. He stopped and started again, but still nothing happened. "Why isn't it working now?" Andy walked back to the house and went inside. He sat down on his bed and thought. "What did I do wrong?" He laid his eyes upon the Silvers. They were glowing with a slight silver light. Andy's mind thought and pondered. He said to himself, "It's the Silvers?" He picked up one of the sneakers. A shock went up his arm as he held the sneaker. His eyes widened. The Silvers glowed brighter. "It is the Silvers!" The glow ceased.
He quickly put the Silvers on and ran out the door. As soon as he was out the door he went into super speed. He ran around the block, then ran to town. There he waited outside Al's for his sister to show up.
Sure enough she rode up on her bike 10 minuets later. Her friend, Tara was on her bike next to her. Tara had a major crush on Andy.
When Mary saw him she was shocked.
"What took you so long? I've been waiting here for 10 minuets!"
"What? How...how did you get here so fast? You don't have a bike, and mom wasn't home to drive you."
"Tara, can I talk to my sister alone please."
"Sure. Mary, I'll go inside and start looking." Tara walked inside Al's.
"Well?" Mary said after they were alone. "How did you get here so fast?"
"I ran."
She stared at him for a second then said, "I'm not buying it, Andy."
"I'm serious. I ran here. Listen, something weird is happening. These new sneakers I got, the Silvers, they have some kind of power. When I have them on I can run fast. So fast that everything around me seems to slow down. That's how I got here."
"I'm still not buying it." She started to walk towards the store.
Andy stopped her. "Mary. Watch, just watch." At that he went into super speed.
All Mary saw was Andy turned into a blur and zoom off. Her mouth dropped. She stood there for a minute or two waiting for him to come back. She was about to walk into the store when a blur came towards her. The blur came to a halt and Andy stood there with Mary's bike lock in his hand.
"I saw that you left this home. So I went to go get it. Do you believe me now?"
Mary looked at Andy's Silvers, then at him. She smiled. "Yes I do. Now get your fast butt out of here. I've got some shopping to do."
"Mary. Don't tell anyone! Got that?"
"Got it. Se ya later." She walked into the store.
Andy smiled, locked Mary's bike up, and ran off. He did it all in super speed.

* * *

10 days later, Andy was finding new uses for his super speed. He did his chores, visited other towns, and helped people escape from danger in a matter of seconds. He learned to control the speed. He could go as fast as he wanted. Andy's life was getting a little bit better.
One day, Andy was walking around the yard. When he reached a spot where the dog always went to the bathroom, Andy jumped over it. But when he jumped he went higher and higher. He landed with a crash. "What the heck?" Andy said. He jumped in place. He went up at least 50 feet. "Wow!" He cried! "This is so cool!" The Silvers made him jump high. "Super speed and super jumps! I love these things!" Andy got used to his new power.

* * *

Andy, Mary, and Tara all walked out of the movie theater. Andy wanted to take his sister to the movies. Mary insisted that Tara came along.
"That was a good movie. Well, I'm going home. Coming, Andy?"
"Later. I'm just going to walk around town."
"Ok." Mary walked off.
"Mind if I tag along?" Tara asked.
"No." Andy said.
Tara smiled. "Thanks."
They walked and talked for a while. Tara yawned and said, "I'm think I'm going to go home now."
"Ok." Andy said. "Be careful."
Tara then grabbed Andy and pulled him towards her. She kissed him. She broke away and stepped back. Her face was red.
Andy was surprised. "What was that for?"
"Just for being you. Goodnight, Andy." She smiled and walked away.
"Goodnight." He called back to her.
"He looked at her walking away. As she went down the hill, Andy stood up on his tiptoes to see her. As he did a loud “Foosh” was made and he started to lift off the ground! Andy looked down and there were flames shooting from the bottom of the Silvers. But Andy didn't feel the heat. Higher and higher he went. He was screaming and waving his arms. When he did he when in different directions. He was not horizontal. He realized that he could control himself with his arms. If he put his left arm up, he went left. It he put his right arm up, he went right. If he put his arms to his sides, he went strait. Andy was flying!
After he learned how to control himself he said out loud, "How do I get down?!" He tried different things. Bending, thinking, thrusting, but none worked. Then Andy bent his right leg at the knee. When he did he started to drop. His body went vertical and lower he went, until his feet touched the ground. Immediately he took off his right shoe and looked at the bottom. And at the center of it there was a small circular booster. "Wow!" Andy said. "I can fly now!"

* * *

Hidden in the shadows, two teenage girls stood. They had seen Andy fly overhead.
"Could that be...?" The taller girl said.
"Yes," Said the shorter one. "Let's go tell the boss." With that the girls ran...in super speed.

* * *

"What?! You found them?!" A tall man with salt and pepper hair, and a grim face said. He was facing the girls.
"Yes. Some boy had them." said the short one.
"Good work, Carmen." He was addressing the tall one. Then he turned to the other girl. "You too, Ruby" He turned and spoke. "At last we have found our missing Silver Wings. The Wings must be retrieved." He turned back to Carmen and Ruby. "Find him, and bring him back to me. Unharmed."
"You got it boss." The girl's silver sneakers glowed as the booster flames came out. They flew up and out the open skylight.

* * *

"You can fly now?" Mary asked. She was getting her school books out of her locker.
Andy looked at her. "Yes."
"Cool! Now get your flying, fast butt to class."
"Who died and made you queen?" Andy walked off.

* * *

While sitting in Math class, Andy's mind wandered. There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." The teacher said. The door opened and two girls walked in. One tall the other short.
The tall one spoke, "Excuse us, Miss. We're here for him." They pointed at Andy. They walked over to him. One on each side. They grabbed his arms.
"Hey! What's this all about?!" Andy tried to free himself, but the girls started to lift him into the air. All the teens screamed as they flew off with Andy Wilks!

* * *

Andy had blacked out for reasons he did not know. When he came to he was sitting in a hard, wooden chair. The two girls were in front of him. "Where am I?" He demanded.
"Don't worry about it." Said the tall girl.
"What do you want with me?"
"We don't want anything, but he does."
Out from the shadows came a tall, gruff looking man. He was smiling. "Andy Wilks I presume."
"Who are you?"
"I am George Linstine."
"What do you want?"
"Your sneakers."
"What?!"
"Let me start at the beginning. About a year ago I started an experiment. My idea was to make a running sneaker into a super sneaker. I wanted to give the wearer the ability to run super speeds, jump at incredible heights, fly, and super leg strength."
"Leg strength?" Andy asked.
"Try kicking something with those things on. Anyway, It worked. I make the shoes. I made them silver. I called them Silver Wings. The government found out about them and shut down my project. I only made four. I have one pair, and the girls here have one pair each."
"Where's the forth pair?"
"You have them, Andy. I accidentally lost the fourth pair. But now I've found them. So please give me the Silver Wings."
"No! You have no right to take them. I found out about the powers, and I'm keeping them."
George's face went stern. "Andy, if you don't hand over the sneakers things might get rough."
"I'm not giving them up."
"This is your last chance. Give me the Wings or I'll take them by force. I don't care what it takes."
Andy stood up. "If you want them, come and get them." With that, Andy went into super speed and ran off.
Gorge turned to the girls. "Ruby, get him."
Ruby went into super speed and went after Andy.
"Carmen, go and get his sister and bring her to me."
Carmen sped off into super speed and went in the other direction.

* * *

Andy stopped, he was cornered. He had no where to go. The blur that was chasing him stopped in front of him. It was the short girl.
"What are you going to do now, Wilks? You’re trapped."
Andy looked at her and said, "You know...I never thought I would do this."
"Do what?"
"Kick a girl." Andy did a karate kick and kicked her in the chest. She went flying backwards with a yell. She landed about 1,000 feet away.
"Wow! They do give you super leg strength." He went into super speed and passed the girl, who was now on her feet. She pursued him.
Around corners and turn Andy went. He stopped once again. Only to look around.
Then the blur came. Before Andy could do anything, he felt hands grab his arms. Something hard hit him in the head. The last thing Andy saw before he lost consciousness was halls pass by as he was pulled along in super speed.

* * *

An hour later, Andy was standing in front of Gorge for the second time. He felt a big bump on his head.
George was now angry. "You did a very foolish thing, Andy. So I did what I had to do. Carmen! Bring her out."
Carmen pulled a girl out from the shadows.
"Mary!" Andy cried, "What have you done, George?!"
"Nothing...yet." Mary looked ok. She was just tied up.
"Now, Andy." George went into his pocket and pulled out a small hand gun. "Give me the Silver Wings or your beloved sister will die." He pointed the gun at her. Horror filled Mary's face.
Andy was silent. Silent out of fear for his sister.
George lost his patience. "Give them to me."
"Andy! Don't do it! Don't let him get away with this! Don't do it." Mary screamed.
"Alright!" Andy said. I'll give them to you, on one condition, that you bring my sister home. Unharmed. Only then will I give you the Silvers."
George lowered the gun. "I knew that you would come to your senses. Carmen, escort Miss Wilks back home."
"Andy, No! Don't leave me!" Carmen grabbed her and flew upwards and out an open window. The window closed behind her.
George looked at Andy. "Now give me the Silver Wings."
"Not until your friend, Carmen comes back." Andy sat down on a chair.

* * *

Carmen returned a half an hour later. "It's done, boss."
"Good! Now, Andy, The Sneakers."
Andy stood up and faced him. "I'm not going to give them to you!"
"George raised the gun to him and yelled, "You give them to me! NOW!"
"NEVER!"
George shot the gun.
Andy went into super speed. The bullet moved slowly towards him. When it reached him he bent backwards and let the bullet pass over him. After it did, he straightened up and ran over to where George was standing, gun in hand. Andy gave me a hard push, then ran in the other direction.
In normal speed, George got up and looked furiously at Carmen and Ruby. "Get him." He said.
The girls hesitated. "GET HIM!" He screamed!
The girls sped off in super speed.

* * *

Once again, Andy ran through the twisted hallways until he came to another dead end. He looked all around for a way out, but found none.
Carmen and Ruby came out of super speed and walked towards Andy.
Andy backed up against a wall. Fear was in his eyes.
Carmen spoke. "We're not going to hurt you we want to help you.
"What?!" Andy raised his left eyebrow.
"Look, we don't want to work with George any more. We want out. Please help us. Take us with you! We can help you escape." High promise and sincerity were in the girl's eyes.
"Ok. I'll help you if you help me. Is there a roof to this place?"
"Yes." Ruby said. "About 20 stories up."
"Good. Let's go." All three went into super speed.

* * *

They stopped on the roof. "I know this place." Andy said. "It's Edward's Mansion."
Edward's Mansion was a historical site. It was huge and no one ever used it. "Come on let's get out of here."
"We can't just leave." Ruby said. "If we do, George will come after us, and you. We have to get rid of him somehow. If we don't return to him, he'll start looking for us. We should stay here."
"Ok." Andy said. "Let's think of a plan."

* * *

George opened the door to the roof and saw Andy standing there. "Trying smart moves on me? Your lucky I dropped my gun." George went into super speed and rushed towards Andy. But Andy also went into super speed, moved out of the way, went behind him, and grabbed him.
He went out of super speed and, turned George around and punched him in the face.
George went down. But before Andy could do anything else George got up and punched him back.
Blows were thrown, and punches were landed as the brawl continued.
George hit Andy right in the nose. Andy went down. George grabbed him, walked over to the edge of the roof, and was about to throw him over. "Good bye, Andy Wilks!" He laughed and then where was a loud punch sound. George fell to the ground and went out like a light.
Andy dropped and got up to see Carmen holding her fist.
"Oww!" She screamed. "That really hurt! But it felt good."
Andy smiled and bent down at George's feet. He took the Silvers off.
George woke up, and Andy seized him and said, "Here come the Cop's for you, George."
Indeed there were police sirens in the distance. The girls and Andy walked over to the edge. Andy then turned. "Oh, by the way. Thanks for the Silvers. My sister will love them." Andy held them up, then they flew off.

* * *

The three landed by the drug store. It was now near midnight.
"Thanks for helping me." Andy smiled.
"No, thank you." Ruby smiled back. "If it wasn't for you, we'd never get away from him."
"And if it wasn't for you two, I'd be dead. I guess I'll see you around." Andy blasted off.
"Bye!" He said, and flew home. He landed on the walkway.
Mary rushed out of the house. "Andy!" She gave him a big hug. "I was so scared. I thought that guy was going to kill you."
"He tried, but I'm safe now. He's half way to jail right now. Hey! I've got something for you!" He held up the sneakers. "A pair of Silvers. I noticed that they were your size."
Mary took them and smiled. "Thanks, Andy."
"Try them on."
She put the Silvers on and tied them. "Wow! They are comfortable! So, how do you work these things?"
"You just run like the wind!"
"Ok." Mary started to run, and with a blast she went into super speed.
Andy smiled and joined her in super speed. He was happy. Happy to be safe and that he had a pair of silver sneakers.