The Disappearance of Jessica Stark

33. I Promise

I stood still, watching as the orange portal disappeared in the wooden floor, taking Thor and and his adopted brother Loki with it. Seeing Loki was actually kind of cool in all honesty. He's like a ghost from that past. I wonder what he's been up to lately. Has he taken over any worlds since he's been away? Probably not. He doesn't seem very organized.

Hopefully they'll be able to find Odin and bring him back to Asgard.

Doctor Strange rubbed his hands together after the he finished the spell and sighed heavily in relief "Finally, they are gone" he looked to me, noticing the thick brown book that was in my grasp "That's a good one" he said, walking across the foyer towards me. I glanced down to the cover.

"I didn't mean to take it" I handed it to him "I was just reading it and-"

"No, you keep it" he pressed his fingers to the spine of the book and lightly pushed it back "I've read it a million times, practically memorized it"

"Oh, well thanks! I... have no interest in being a sorcerer but I'll gladly read it. I'm always looking for a good book. Now uh... is my mission complete? Can I go now?"

"Sure" Strange nodded, he created an orange portal in front of my feet so I could jump into it. I looked down the circle skeptically "and I want to say thank you" he added.

"It's no trouble" I swiped my hand in the air, giving him a shrug "finding Thor wasn't that hard, he's a very noticeable guy"

Strange smiled, then looked down to the floor for a moment before meeting my eyes again. Something about his expression was different, almost as if he was holding in a secret "I'm not thanking you for that. I mean, I am... but you did something for me awhile ago and I haven't had the chance to thank you for it until now"

"Huh?" I furrowed my eyebrows together in confusion "I did something for you? What was it?"

He took a deep breath "A little over a year ago, I was in a car accident that did significant damage to my body and my hands" he held his hands up. They looked fine to me, but nothing is ever as it seems in this world "You saved my life"

                                     ***
FLASHBACK

I was in the back seat of my friends car. Three more of my friends sat with me, we jammed loudly to the music that pounded through the speakers. It was dark outside the tinted windows, and New York City had faded to nothing but hills and trees. We had just drove over the Brooklyn bridge, and traffic was semi-okay. Our car merged onto the forested road, a large hill sinking down to the water below was to our left. It was a steep hill lined with a road railing to keep cars from going over. The sun was sinking below the horizon, and dark clouds were looming. Rain was threatening to come down. Within minutes, the sun had disappeared. I sat next to my friend June, we laughed at jokes and took a few selfies together. A single rain drop hit my window, followed by another. Then, a downpour erupted overhead. It pelted at the front windshield, my friend turned on the wipers.

"Go a little slower Mel" I leaned foward in my seat, telling my friend what to do "Turn on the brights as well. People can turn into wreck-less drivers in the rain so go slow, your least likely to get into an accident"

"Yes Mom" my friend Mel rolled her eyes, but followed all of my instructions. They usually listen to me when I tell them safety things like this. I'm the one who actually knows what's going on and what do to if something happens. Since I live with the freaking Avengers, I know a thing or two about safety tips. Mel slowed down and turned on her brights, she kept her hands tight on the wheel as the rain intensified. In the side view mirror, I could see a sports car with bright lights approaching at a quick speed from the left. Mel moved over in the lane to give them some more room. The sports car was flying way too fast in the foggy rain. I looked out the window, catching the outline of the man in the car. My friends and I were being careful while driving, but unfortunately the small car ahead didn't notice the oncoming car. The man in the sports car obviously was not paying attention because he rammed into the unsuspecting vehicle like a bull. His car then hydroplaned on the rainy road and ricocheted against the silver railing along the street. All my friends yelled in terror, Mel swiveled the wheel and came to a hard stop on the side of the lane. The sports car flipped over the railing and disappeared down the steep cliff that paralleled the road.