[ WP ] The story of a man gaining superpowers and realizing he must use them for good ... at the age of 50 .

Tom was excited as he felt the wind blowing through his hair at top speed. This is what he was looking for all this time. The satisfaction he felt missing from his life while he blew out his candles last week. Fifty years old does n't mean anything. It certainly does n't mean that he ca n't enjoy life anymore, and he's definitely enjoying life with a brand new red convertible. 
 
 Tom had always lived so safely. He never even joined the football team in fear of a few scratches. Chess and glee had been much safer. No more, though, Tom had decided. His life was almost over, and there was still so much to explore, to experience. Tom was n't going to let another 50 years roll by without some excitement. 
 
 With such a dull life, however, Tom had never driven such a fast car at such fast speeds. He ignored this fact as he drove fast around corners in the open hillside. Tom ignored the sign cautioning a modest 40 miles per hour around the next bend. He began feeling the control of the car losing him as he compensated by slowly moving into the next lane. His heart beating fast, but a smile on his face. What Tom did n't see was the other car making its way in the opposite direction. 
 
 Tom did n't know what happened next. He never even saw the other car coming. Tom only remembered waking up several yards from his car. His car along with another, totaled. Without thinking, Tom gets up and rushes over. In the other car lay a battered and bruised kid. Someone in their 20s. The kid was motionless and bloody. Tom just knew the worst must have happened. 
 
 Weeks had gone by. Tom still remembers what happened, how he got out without a scratch while some innocent kid had his life taken from him. Tom even went to the funeral, although he did n't tell anyone how he knew the deceased. No charges were pressed, but he almost wished they had been. He did n't deserve to be the one to walk away after being so reckless. 
 
 Shortly after the funeral, while his wife was asleep, Tom snuck into his basement. An old gun in his hand, a revolver. It was passed down by his grandfather. A single bullet in his hand. Tom sat down, took a good look at the gun, and loaded the bullet in. He was n't sure if he wanted to die. He even began doubting if he deserved to die, as he had been feel the last few weeks. An uneasy tear rolled down his cheek as he spun the barrel of the gun. The clicking of the gun came to a slow crawl before stopping. Every single click echoing in the poorly lit basement. 
 
 Tom's hand shaking, he slowly held the gun to his temple. Questioning if he really wanted to do this, he began remembering there was just one bullet. Just one chance. Perhaps he'll pull the trigger, nothing will happen, and he'll walk away. Forget anything ever happened, and that fate chose for him to stay alive. Tom's shaking began to worsen before he decided to just pull the trigger. 
 
 Tom woke up to screams from his wife. She was holding onto him, asking him if everything was alright. She had heard the gunshot, and came downstairs to find Tom laying on the floor beside a gun. Tom was still in a haze as he touched the side of his head where the gun had been. He felt some burned hair around the area, but no hole. Looking at his hand afterward, there was no blood, either. Tom hugged his wife, appreciating his life much more than he had ever before. He told his wife that he had set off the gun by accident without realizing there was a bullet inside. 
 
 Tom had realized something amazing that night. The question that had been bothering him for so long. Why had he lived, and someone else died? Tom performed a few more experiments, just to be sure. He had become certain, though, that he could not be hurt. Nothing scratched him, hurt him, or even broke his bones. He had survived, because all along, he was special. 
 
 Tom decided that he owed the young child something in return for his mistake. The child's death, after all, was caused by Tom trying to find reason and excitement in his life. In Tom's misguided journey to fulfill some sense of purpose, he had taken a life. It was time that he made up for this, and did good with his newfound abilities. Late at night, when his wife was asleep, he would sneak off and become an avenger for the people. Stopping criminals taking advantage of the good. This is how Tom made amends.
