The Impath: A Superhero Novella: 1

Some kids find their power. Julius Eberhart had his forced out of him. He's a quiet, lanky teenager from the South Side of Chicago. But when the COVID lockdown presses the city down like a thumb, Julius starts noticing things he can't unfeel. Someone suffers nearby, and something ignites in his chest. Heat. Then it spreads - through his arms, his legs, every nerve - and suddenly he's something else entirely. Stronger. Faster. Wired. Then it crashes. Hard. His mother counsels broken families at a Christian nonprofit while their own block quietly unravels. Julius can't fix any of that. But he can feel it. And feeling it changes him. Empathy as a weapon. Impact as a purpose. Fans of Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas will recognize the streets - but the stakes here are superhuman. The question isn't whether Julius can handle the power. It's whether he can survive what triggers it.