Avengers Assemble

Miss America

These daisies look very pretty. Oh, their scent matches their looks. I take a final whiff before looking back at the parade.

The people in the cars have started to throw candy for the kids. The kids all rush out for them, wanting the best candy, not the toffee or caramels left behind. Chocolate was the kids' favorite.

One lonely piece of chocolate was left in the middle of the road. A boy left the sidewalk to get it, which would have been fine, if a fire truck wasn't about to run him over. The boy was about five or six, so he was too short for the drivers to see him.

I look up at Pop. He was waving at the drivers. Mom was looking for something in her purse. Probably Chapstick. It's up to me.

The first few steps were the hardest. By now, some of the other people in the crowds have noticed the boy, but they have noticed me. I can see the fingers pointing, hear the whispers. I was afraid that if I slipped up, my secret could be revealed. SHIELD could be revealed.

The boy looked up at the truck and I can see the fear in his eyes. Perhaps he is seeing his short life flashing by.

The boy's leg is one moment away from being run over. Not knowing anything else to do, I put my hand to the fire truck and push with all my strength. The boy sees me and looks up at my face. I smile and offer him my other hand. He reaches up to take it, but looks at it for a second and screams.

I look down at my hand and it is a very bright shade of red, ready to burn anything that touches it.

I take my hand away. I don't want to hurt him. He gets up and runs to his family. Two parents and an older brother. The drivers have gotten out of the fire truck and stare at me. Everyone is staring at me. An average girl holding back a fire truck. With one hand.

Without thinking, I look around for an escape. I see an alleyway that goes to another street. I sprint to it, hoping to hide from everyone's gaze. I pause and look back.

To the kid who looks back in fear. To Mom and Pop who hang their heads in embarrassment because a few of the people are staring at them. To Westten, who gives me a look of curiosity, which then I find interesting.

I glance at the truck, and see a handprint that I've melted into it.

I turn around and run and run and run, with a little bit of running on top. I return to SHIELD. All the running has tired me out and I go to my bedroom and flop onto my bed. The running has must have made me imagine that something was watching me in the woods around SHIELD.

I decide to take a quick nap, but the vision of the handprint is stuck in my head.

I wonder if the local news will run a story about me. What would they say about the freak who melted her handprint into a fire truck?

I can hear Mom and Pop return home and Pop knocks on my door. I don't answer him, afraid of what he was going to say.

At one point, I can hear fireworks being set off.

The stress from today keeps me up all night. Some birthday I had. I hear my alarm go off at five.

Time to face the world.