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Henry had always planned to visit the statue again, but never got around to it. He had already seen it, was at the funeral, but he isn’t dead. And he has been trying to put Kid Danger behind him for the last five years. Everytime he was in Swellview everything was always too hectic for him to get out there. And having a sidekick hasn’t left him with any time to visit since moving to Newtown.
It was only when Jasper mentioned them visiting that he realized his hesitancy to go. Which frustrated him, because he was Kid Danger for six years. There was no reason not to see the stupid statue again. Yet his irritation spiked at the thought. After he agreed, he realized the trip was for Jacob. It makes the decision easier, knowing it was so a tourist could do a touristy thing.
Henry was still thinking about it the whole evening. Despite the laughs and the amount of people at the house, the trip the following day left him feeling jittery. Charlotte offered to drive him to the Man’s Nest, and he took her up on the offer, wanting the extra time with his best friend. Of course that’s when she hit him with common sense.
“Is it the statue you’ve been avoiding or the past?” She says it casually, though Henry debates the merits of jumping out of the car.
“I don’t want to talk about this.” He slumps into the seat, deciding that Charlotte would just pull over and get him if he did jump out.
“You haven’t wanted to talk about this ever. But it’s been five years.” Charlotte pauses and he knows she’s only getting started.
“I’m not avoiding it, it’s been a busy five years. There hasn’t been time.”
“Right, which is why you’ve been weird all evening.”
“I haven’t been weird.” Now Charlotte does look over and give him her patented look. Henry grumbles, “I haven’t been weird.” She still hasn’t turned back to look at the road, and Henry chuckles nervously. “Look, I’ve seen the statue, I haven’t seen the need to see it again. But we’re going tomorrow,” She looks back at the road, and he lets out a sigh of relief.
“So you’re not going to come up with a wild excuse on why you can’t join us tomorrow?” Charlotte knows him far too well.
“Not anymore I’m not,” He grumbles, sinking further into the seat, wanting to be done with this conversation. The rest of the drive is made in silence, and Henry does not complain. He’s grown far more used to a lack of conversation.
It’s only when they’re at the tube entrance that will take him to the Man’s Nest that Charlotte speaks again. “Don’t worry too much about tomorrow. I’ve been back, and I think you’ll like it.” Henry gives her a weird look, but she doesn't give him a chance to ask. “Goodnight Hen, I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight Char,” He gets out of the car, and she head’s back to her parents house.
The next morning has them loading into his mom’s car, Piper at the wheel, her boyfriend in the passenger seat, and him in the middle seat with Jasper and Charlotte on each side. They’re squished, but he feels more settled having his best friends at his side. The drive goes by fast especially once they start jamming out to Piper’s road trip playlist.
He feels a little silly as he unfolds himself from the car and takes in the familiar overview of Swellview. Piper and her boyfriend are taking in the sight, when he starts towards the path that leads to the statue. He’s already lost sight of Charlotte and Jasper. It’s only when he reaches the border of trees and bushes that hide the statue from view of the parking lot that he stops.
There, standing in front of the statue, are Jasper and Charlotte, but also Ray, Mika, Miles, Bose, and Chappa. He makes a face of confusion before he sees what sits at the base of the statue.
There are bouquets of fresh flowers and cards taking up the entire base of the statue. He crosses the space in a few steps, feeling confused and thrown off.
“Did you guys do this?” He clears his throat, feeling a lump.
Mika answers. “No, the people of Swellview always bring flowers or cards when they visit. We bring in the cards when the weather gets bad, but there’s always more the next time we return.”
Henry feels himself stumble forward kneeling down to reach for one of the cards. It’s made of red cardstock, with a heart and a drawing of Captain Man and Kid Danger. It doesn’t have any wear or tear meaning it’s new. He opens it, and falls back until he’s more sitting than kneeling.
Hello Kid Danger!
My name is Addie, and I’m ten. I know you’ll never get to read this, but we have to write a letter to our hero. You are my hero. You saved my life when I was four. It was a fire and you walked through the flames grabbing my hand and carried me out. You were so funny. The scars look cool, just like you said. I went to all the doctors appointments even though I was scared because I want to be just like you.
Thank you Kid Danger
A tear hits the card stock, and it’s only then that he realizes he’s crying. He picks up another card, this one store bought. It’s a woman who he and Captain Man rescued from Minyak. Another card from a teenager, who he helped late one night by sitting and talking. More letters from those he helped when the Jandy Bridge blew up, or from being mugged or in car accidents. There are dozens of cards, and Mika said there are even more, because they didn’t want them getting ruined.
He doesn’t remember most of the people in the letters, and it’s not because they weren’t big events, but he saved so many people day to day that he couldn’t remember all of their names. When Missy said people were traumatized at his death, he thought she was being dramatic. Many of the events mentioned, he never thought of as big deals or great saves. Yet, every letter he reads says different.
The entire world narrows to the letters in front of him, because he ran from Kid Danger for so long. Late in the night, he always questioned if giving up his life was worth it. Looking down at the letters, and the flowers he decides it was. All the pain, all the failed classes, all of the sacrifices Henry made meant these people get to tell him about how they are now able to live their lives.
His knees start to hurt as he reads card after card. A sense of closure he didn’t realize was missing comes over him. Kid Danger and Henry always felt so separate in his mind. Like one was better than the other, but as he reads these cards, sure they say Kid Danger, but that was Henry. Because despite wanting the recognition, and for others to see Henry Hart as a hero, it was never about that. It was always about helping people, and Henry helps people. Missy reminded him of that, and Kid Danger was a symbol of it.
When he’s read all of the cards, he stands his entire body feeling stiff. He doesn’t move away from the statue, but he feels Ray pull him into a side hug. He wants to crack a joke, but he can’t get the words out. Instead, he just stares at the statue feeling peaceful, and for the first time in a long time, whole.