Summary

Gus, known as Furnace Guy, foils a bank robbery by a trio of costumed criminals, including his fellow editor Bradan, who is seeking what they believe Medium owes them for their hard work, and a soap dish from a safety deposit box.

Abstract

In a whimsical and action-packed turn of events, Gus, the protagonist also known as Furnace Guy, finds himself in the middle of a bank heist while running errands. The robbers, dressed in quirky animal costumes, are unexpectedly thwarted by Gus's quick thinking and his trusty pipe wrench, Brunhilde. The story is a blend of humor, fantasy, and superhero tropes, with Gus embodying an everyday hero persona. The robbery, motivated by a perceived injustice towards the writers' contributions to Medium, takes a dramatic turn when Gus's rage, likened to a malfunctioning furnace, boils over, leading to a chaotic confrontation. The tale is not only an origin story of a new crime-fighter but also a nod to the camaraderie and playful rivalry among the Medium community of writers and editors.

Opinions

The author seems to hold a lighthearted and humorous view of the superhero genre, as evidenced by the playful characterizations and the mundane motivation behind the robbery.
There is an underlying appreciation for the Medium community, with a dedication to fellow editors and a shout-out to their creative contributions.
The story conveys a sense of justice and heroism in the form of Gus, who prioritizes his clients and the greater good over personal gain.
The use of a magical wrench named Brunhilde suggests a fantastical element to the narrative, emphasizing the mashup of genres within the story.
The author appears to enjoy referencing and integrating elements from popular culture, such as the "I'm with stupid" sign and the "MCU" (Marvel Cinematic Universe), to engage with the audience.

Fiction | Fantasy | Funny | Mashup Response

Furnace Guy Thwarts Bank Job!

The origin story you won’t find in the MCU!

Image created by Author using Nightcafé AI

For context, you might want to read up on my Furnace Guy stories here and the sequel here.

Gus checked the time on his old Motorola flip phone. Yup, he was going to be late. Why were lines at the bank always so long and so slow?

He leaned to the side to check the progress the queue had made. Debbie, the usual teller, was a veteran at the branch and would not normally be so slow. Was she deliberately stalling?

Like a furnace that first begins to sputter, Gus knew he was looking at a warning sign!

But a warning sign for what?

It was then that he noticed the three men dressed up in colorful animal costumes skulking about the area by the safe — a frog, a reindeer, and mink?

The mink attached what looked like an “I’m with stupid” arrow to its face pointing towards the frog. “Hands up, this is a robbery!” he yelled, brandishing an AR-15 rifle with a pair of fuzzy pink dice dangling from the grip.

This guy obviously meant business.

Gus just couldn’t contain his rage anymore. He had to go to work on a furnace, and hated making his clients wait!

Frog and Reindeer were already making their way out of the safe with sacks of money when Gus’ rage simmered over and he drew his pipe wrench Brunhilde out from his tool belt and threw it towards Mink. “Not so fast, cowards!” Gus yelled over Brunhilde’s piercing battlecry.

As the magical wrench collided squarely in Mink’s face, Brunhilde cried out with “Take that, you filthy land-pigeon!” in her typical Brooklyn accent.

With a whistle and a loud pop, the bank’s water heater exploded, shooting up out of the basement and through the floor of the bank, toppling the escaping Frog and Reindeer.

Gus grabbed Mink and ripped off the mask (and the “I’m with stupid” sign) revealing none other than Bradan! “Why did you do this dastardly deed?” he asked, his anger already tightening his fist around the grip of another wrench from his tool belt.

“We just wanted what Medium owes us for our hard work,” he said. “And my soap dish.” He reached for the contents of his safety deposit box before he collapsed from Brunhilde’s mighty blow.

Gus smiled. Sure, he was making his client wait for him, but he was beginning to like this whole crime-fighting thing!

My Score: 14/14
Prompt #2: 2 points
Sacks of money: +1 point
Water heater explodes: +1 point
Item stolen is mundane (A soap dish): +1 point
"I'm with stupid" sign used as a mask: +1 point
"Hands up, this is a robbery!": +2 points
Gus picks up on the 'warning sign': +5 points
Tally: +1 point

Inspired and dedicated to my fellow editors at the Kraken Lore: Bradan Writes Stories and Jay C Wells. Rayne Sanning has been picked on enough and so gets a pass this time!

Wonder what was in that mysterious soap dish? Watch this video by Geronimo Deadly here to find out! (They were past rivals for a film competition and deserve your love and attention)