Man of Steel

After a monthlong battle with the elements, it should have been set in stone that the small rural town wedged between sky-scraping mountains would not have to face any more hazardous weather conditions. Everyone from the close-knit community - the young, the elderly, the hardworking adults - could not imagine another day of heavy snow and blustering winds - the kind that could eat someone alive. The town was already tucked in by a white blanket of thick, packed snow. With each howling gust of the wind, a new drift of snow would avalanche off the surrounding mountains. While the town would lay silent and dead in trough the harsh winter, one creature would not let the weather take away his strength and dignity.

During each night of snow and wind, one family would be awakened by shuttering windows. The first time it occurred, the family jumped up to the sound and immediately drifted back to sleep, presuming it was simply the wind. By the second and third time, however, the family knew there was more than just mother nature startling them from their otherwise peaceful sleep. For days, the "knockknockknock" never seemed to stop, occurring at precisely the same time every night. As soon as news of this family's mysterious steel-like knocking reached the town, others started to report hearing a similar sound from inside their bedrooms as well.

According to an ancient legend, reports of hearing such sounds were not too uncommon for the small town of three generation families. Unlike the families who remained indoors through the treacherous winter, the futuristic man of made of steel was known to brave the winter weather outdoors, leaving town without a single scratch or complaint. As the end of winter neared, this silvery, heaven-like creature with the face of a man came to signal the town's families of the changing weather. His job was not to scare the townspeople. Rather, his job was to be the town hero.

To the town's relief, the snow began to melt, and the winds subsided, only gently blowing through the streets once in a while. The town regained its color, and the people started to flood out of their houses one by one to welcome the uplifting weather of the new season.