"I'm not a monster!"
"Your parents were!"
A young girl is on the run from SHIELD and the Avengers-they know about her, her parents-her story. With unimaginable powers and a secret past full of mysteries, the girl has to find help amidst betrayal. B...
I was glad to be back. Dinner was excellent of course-Aunt Emma was a great cook. But for some reason tonight something seemed kind of off-I should have taken that as an omen, but I thought nothing of it.
The kids were running around crazily after our late dinner, having just enjoyed the peanut butter crunch ice cream I had brought home from my work for them. Unce Max was working late tonight and Aunt Emma was on an important phone call with the tax accountant.
It was going to be a late bedtime tonight.
"Jamie, hold still!" I scolded the little boy as he wiggled and giggled in my grip. I tried to slip his pj shirt over his head but he was unable to keep still. Sliding from my grandpa he ran away, laughing.
"James Maria Cleaver, you come back here right this minute!" I shouted exasperatedly.
Grabbing the shirt from where he and tossed it to the ground, I stood up and quickly took chase after the escapee.
"I'm gonna get you," I spoke in a sing-song voice. There was muffled giggling form nearby.
Slowly taking big steps into the kitchen. I glanced around the room. "Where's Jamie? Oh no! I lost him!"
More laughter was heard-this time I pin-pointed the source was coming from the pantry. I crept up towards the full pantry when suddenly I heard someone shout "Gimme that!"
There was loud sobbing.
Turning I forgot Jamie as I followed the sounds of sobs.
Nate stood in front of Lucia. The older one was hugging his prized transformer to his chest while the younger was crying her heart out.
"Nate, what did you do?" Picking up the sorrowful victim, I looked at the boy sternly. "Why is Lucia crying?"
The boy scrunched his face up in a glare at his sister. "She stole Optimus from my desk! She wouldn't give it back and I-"
Ding-dong-ding-dong!
"Ria, could you get that?" Aunt Emma asked as she leaned around the corner, her cell phone held up to her ear. "I think it's Lori. She was supposed to be dropping something off for me."
"Sure," I nodded. Readjusting Lucia on my side, I made my way to the front of the house, being careful to not trip on any of the small minuscule toys littered about.
"Ria!" the fugitive from before shouted, wondering why I had not discovered him yet.
"Hold on Jamie!" I shouted back. "I'll be there in a second!"
Out of a long drilled habit, I glanced through the door's peephole. It was definitely not Aunt Emma's friend, Lori. Instead it was a woman with auburn-dark red hair dressed in a sharp black pantsuit standing on the doorstep.
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Pulling Lucia up higher as she had slipped, I opened the door. "Hello?"
"Hi!" the glamorous woman smiled brightly, white teeth showing. "I am Mariann Rogers and I have been going around the neighborhood polls for the vote in the town's upcoming election. Are you registered with a party?"
In the background I heard Jaimie calling my name along with the loud crashes that I knew were coming from whatever mischief Nate had gotten into.
Tiredly I shook my head at the woman. I felt Lucia becoming restless in my arms-her sniffs still sounding in my ear. "No, but I am not. But my Aunt and Uncle are."
"Great!" the woman held out a folder to me. "Well if you would have them fill out this form, voting on which candidate they would be likely to choose I would really appreciate it."
"Alright," I took the paper impatiently. "Thanks for stopping by." I went to shut the door but the annoying woman put her foot out.
"Oh, one more thing," she said gravely.
"Yes?" I tried not to sigh aloud.
The woman handed me a card. "Be sure to call the number on this card with any questions."
"Yup, I will," I nodded. "Thank you," Again I went to shut the door but the woman interrupted.
"Who is this sweet little girl?" she smiled, patting Lucia on the head.
"This is Lucia," I responded shortly, my patience worn thin.
"What a pretty name," the woman exclaimed. "Is she yours?"
At this I almost gasped aloud. Me, having kids? I was only sixteen! "No," Chuckling, I shook my head. "Of course not. She's my niece."
"Aw..." the woman looked over at my niece. "She is just the cutest thing! Her hair is such a beautiful shade of auburn!"
Biting my lip, I tried very hard to not roll my eyes. I smiled at the woman, "Thank you-now if you don't mind, I need to put her to bed. It's really very late."
"Ooh!" the woman's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry," she smiled. "Well thank you for your time-please pass the paper onto your parents." She had barely turned when I shut the door and bolted it.
Aunt Emma came down the hall, pointing to her phone. "Thanks for answering the door for me," Taking Lucia into her arms she kissed the child who looked like a mini version of herself. "Was it Lori?"
"No," I shook my head,""It was just a campaigner." Spotting Jamie peering around the corner, I shook my finger at him. "Come here Jamie-you need to get dressed for bed!"
The curly head disappeared as the child in question ran off, completely ignoring me.
"That's odd," Aunt Emma frowned. "Isn't it a little early for campaigning to start?"
"Beats me, Uncle Mark is into positions, not me," I picked Jamie's red pj shirt off the ground from where it had fallen. With a sigh, I shook my head. I could really use a good long walk right now. But first thing was first-a certain escaped convict needed his pajama shirt on.
