Marvel Avengers Alternate Universe Stories

Wolf Creek - Steve

The drive back feels longer, it had been years since you had been here. You had left with your parents when you were thirteen, leaving behind your grandparents. And now you were back at twenty-nine, to live in their cabin. It would be perfect, especially for your art. You remembered the area near the cabin, there was a lake and huge trees, wildflowers and small animals. You couldn't wait to get started, but first, you had to go to the town to pick up the keys and some groceries. Wolf Creek was small, with only 1500 people. And most of them spent their whole lives here, never travelling or finding somewhere new.

Coming back would make you the talk of the town, a new person to talk about. It wouldn't be the first time, you had been popular but because your family chose to leave it made you weird for a while. And you were fine with that, conformity was not your idea of a life. You would take weird any day over some of the people here, who thought a good joke was mocking the weak and vulnerable.

You remembered that all too well. Brock and John were the school heathens, they lived to torture anyone smaller. And Steve had been their favourite target. He was small and thin, and he loved astrology. You pass the school as the memory sinks in.

Steve had been huddled on the floor, John had knocked him over while Brock laughed. And even though he was small, he still had a look of absolute defiance on his face. Like he could explode on them but chose not to. They hadn't liked that and Brock had grabbed Steve's telescope and smashed it. Steve had a look of pure horror on his sweet face. You had run over and shoved Brock as hard as you could. He had bounced off the lockers, swinging around with his fist raised ready to hit whoever had pushed him. When he realised it was a girl and a small girl at that, he laughed. He had tugged John away, making sure to step on the telescope as he passed.

"Are you okay?" you grabbed Steve's hand and helped him up.

"Yeah," he says sadly, scooping the now-bent telescope up.

"Can it be fixed?" you grab the cover and hand it to him.

"I don't know" your heart broke for him.

The telescope had been his pride and joy. When he talked about the stars his face lit up, he could name a lot of them and knew the stories behind the constellations. It reminded you of how you felt about art. A skill set that nobody appreciated or cared about in this town.

You pull yourself together and park your jeep in a small lot beside the realtor's building. Grabbing your bag with everything you need to get the keys, you head in. A blonde sits behind the desk, her smile feels forced but you smile back.

"Can I help you?" she asks.

"Yes. I'm Elara Swan. I'm here for the keys to Wolf Haven Cabin" You pull out a passport for identity.

"Oh my God. Elara Swan. It's me Sharon Carter or well Sharon Walker now, we went to school together" She stands up and tries to hug you.

You pat her back awkwardly and she sits back down. Her smile is shark-like now. You remembered Sharon, she was John's girlfriend and she was as mean as he was.

"Yes, I remember you. It's nice to see you again" She takes your passport and scans it.

"So not married yet? You're twenty nine you know" Sharon giggles and waves her hand around.

You sigh internally as you spot what she's trying to flaunt. Some huge rock on her hand, it looked big and tacky.

"No not yet" you say with a straight face.

Sharon waits for you to say something about her ring but you just sit quietly. She coughs when you don't bring it up, handing back your passport.

"I'll just get your keys" she mumbles and heads to an office in the back.