“Play with me,” said Garrett.

Kade rolled his eyes at his little brother.  Garrett still wore his superhero jammies, but now had his red blanket tied around his neck like a cape.  Garrett’s blanket was just the shade of his bright red hair.  The added red really made his freckles stand out.

Kade felt lazy.  “I’m too tired to play with you.”

“You never play with me anymore,” said Garrett.  “Please Kade, let’s play superheroes.  I’ll be Super-Duper Ultra Man and I’ll fly around the house and save anyone who needs help.”

“Okay,” said Kade.  “Go fly around the house.  I’ll time you.”

“Great!” said Garrett.  “What superhero will you be?”

Kade sighed.  He couldn’t say no to Garrett’s playful enthusiasm.  “All right, I’ll be Nothing Man.”

“What does Nothing Man do?” asked Garrett.

“Nothing,” said Kade.

“Not even breathe?” asked Garrett.

Kade held his breath and held his breath AND held his breath until he couldn’t hold it any longer and it came out in a “PLBBBTTT!” with spit flying everywhere.  Garrett giggled.

“You got me,” said Kade.  “I’m now Breath-O-Man.”

“What powers do you have?”  asked Garrett.

“I breathe and that’s all,” said Kade.

“You can’t even talk?” asked Garrett.

“No!” snapped Kade.

Garrett smiled, “But you just talked!”

“Oh, all right!” yelled Kade.  “I’m Super BTM.  That stands for Breathe and Talk Man.”

“Cool,” said Garrett.  “What can you do?”

“I breathe and talk and THAT’S IT!”

“You can’t even walk or move your arms or blink?” asked Garrett.

“No,” said Kade.

Kade sat still trying hard not to blink or move.  Suddenly, his nose started to itch and his eyes began to water.  A tear trickled down Kade’s freckled nose.  Next, his foot started to twitch.  Finally, he couldn’t stand it any longer and with a loud “AHHHH!” Kade fell to the floor.  He rolled around the floor scratching his feet and arms and blinking his eyes.  He wiggled and squirmed until all the itches and tickles were gone.

Kade laughed.  “Fine!  I’m Ultra Super Breathe-O Talk-O Moving Man.”

“What do you do?” asked Garrett.

“I chase little brothers who bug their big brothers and tickle them until they squeal!”

“Uh-Oh!” yelled Garrett.  “It’s a good thing that I can fly faster than a bullet!”

Garrett raised his hands in the air and began to run around the room.  Kade stepped onto the couch and with a big SWOOSH! he jumped and landed right in front of Garrett.  Garrett turned to run away but Kade grabbed him by the cape and began to tickle him.

“EEEEEK!” Garrett giggled,  “I squealed!  Now you have to stop tickling me!”

Just then, the boys heard a loud, “Buzz!”   Kade stopped tickling Garrett and looked towards the kitchen.

“What was that?” asked Garrett.

“My super sense of smelling tells me that there are some cookies in the kitchen that need to be rescued,” said Kade.

“Let’s go!” said Garrett.  The two brothers flew side by side into the kitchen and landed at the table where their mom had just set a plate of hot cookies.

“Kade,” said Garrett.

“Yeah?”

“Even if you don’t really have any superpowers, you’re still a super brother!”