The Unkillable Girl - [ONC 2024]

8. Getting in disguise

It was just a short ride on the bus to get away from downtown LA, and out to the neighbourhood where they lived. Then from the bus stop, they would just have to walk about three blocks to get back to their apartment block.

The bus ride was done mostly in silence. Darius seemed to be deep in thought about something, and Amelia didn't want to disturb him. In truth, she had plenty to think about herself, and she didn't need the extra distraction of whatever was worrying Darius. There were deep and important things she had to think about.

She had basically decided to make herself out to be some kind of superhero. Well, maybe that wasn't completely accurate. Saying it that way implied there was some kind of consideration or decision making involved, and obviously there was neither of those things involved. Amelia's life rarely contained any careful consideration or deliberate decision making.

The more accurate description would be to say that Amelia had haplessly blundered into being given this power that somehow stopped her from dying. But she still felt that she shouldn't squander this gift. It would be wrong to waste it like she had with the money she inherited from her parents. There were all sorts of responsible things she should have done with that money, instead of flying half way around the world and buying a crappy apartment in Los Angeles.

But no, this time was going to be different. She owed it to herself to do something worthwhile. She just had to somehow take the fact that she couldn't die and link it into something that would help people. But unfortunately, that was where she was drawing a blank.

Amelia sighed. She would just have to put a pin in that idea for now. She was fairly certain that she would have a great idea at some point, she just wasn't sure when that would be.

As the bus came to a halt to let some passengers off, Amelia looked out the window. There was a billboard behind the bus stop, which had a poster advertising the latest Marvel movie. As she gazed at the poster absentmindedly, a thought occurred to Amelia.

"Costume," she said.

"Eh?" said Darius.

"Costume," Amelia said, as she pointed out the window. "That's what I need."

"Oh. Do you?"

"Yes! Oh, and a mask," she said. "That would definitely be useful."

Darius just shrugged. "I guess so."

"I'm just not sure where I'd buy something like that. Do you think there would be like a special secret shop that sells like costumes for real life superheroes?"

Darius looked down at her with his eyebrows raised incredulously. "No, I don't."

"Oh," said Amelia, and she sighed dejectedly.

"Although, there's the Halloween store over on 12th," he said. "They might have like costumes and things you could use?"

"Ooohh, yes. Can we go there now? Pleeeeease."

Darius didn't even bother arguing, he had obviously learned from previous mistakes. "Yeah, fine."

They got off the bus one stop earlier than normal, then had to walk two blocks over to the strip mall. The Halloween store was in the middle of the row of shops. It was one of those odd stores. The kind of place that you walk past, but never go into. Unless it was the middle of October of course, and you needed a costume for Halloween.

But now it was the middle of March, so Amelia could not fathom why anyone would be going in there. She wasn't even sure why the place would be open all year round. But then perhaps she didn't need to understand. Or what if it was something illegal though? Or some kind of shady side hustle? Or some kind of international smuggling ring?

Maybe that was the kind of thing Amelia should be on the lookout for. She could be observant and uncover the clues that bring down the gang of criminal masterminds. She would just have to be ready to use her power, and...

"So anyway, what kind of costume are you after?" Darius asked.

"Eh? Oh, errrr, I don't know," said Amelia, trying to remember what she had just been thinking about.

She looked around the shop at the rows of costumes on display. Most of them seemed to be sexy costumes. All short skirts and plunging necklines to show off loads of cleavage, which Amelia didn't have. Perhaps that would be fun if she was going to a party, but they didn't seem appropriate for a superhero.

Amelia instead moved away from the costumes, and turned down the aisle for masks. There were all kinds of different styles and shapes of mask here, she would just have to decide the look she was going for.

Amelia walked slowly down the aisle, carefully looking at the masks while she walked. Something mysterious, she thought, that would be best. It would need to obscure her face too. But something dark and a little bit scary, that would be good. It would make her look mysterious, but also a little bit intimidating. That way, as soon as criminals saw her they would think...

"Ooohh, a cat mask," she said. "That's so cute."

Amelia grabbed the mask off the shelf to show Darius. The mask was shaped to look like a grey tabby cat, complete with ears and long whiskers.

Darius looked at it, then looked at Amelia with his eyebrows raised. "Really?"

"Yeah, it would look so cute," she said. "I would be like Catwoman or something."

"There's already a Catwoman, and she doesn't look like that."

"Oh, is there?"

"Yeah, Princess Mia played her in that Batman movie," said Darius. "Anyway, you wouldn't be old enough to be a Catwoman. You would be more like a Catgirl."

"I'm 21, that's old enough. It's not my fault I'm so short," Amelia said grumpily, as she tossed the cat mask back on the shelf.

"Anyway, if you had a cat mask, people would expect you to have powers like a cat," he said. "Whatever cat powers are?"

Amelia tried to think what powers a superhero cat would have. Like super pouncing maybe? Good at climbing trees? And what else...

"Oh, wait, that's it. Cats have nine lives," she said. "Maybe that's why I can't die. I have got cat super powers."

Darius shrugged. "I don't know, maybe."

Amelia thought about it carefully for a moment. "Ya know, I'm not so sure. Cos if I did go to heaven, it must mean I have a soul, right? And I'm not sure if cats have a soul. What do you think?"

"I..." Darius gave an exasperated sigh. "You're getting distracted. Just focus on the pretty masks."

"Oh right, yeah," said Amelia, as she turned back to the shelf.

As she looked, one of the masks on the display practically jumped out at her. It was a fancy looking mask that covered over your eyes and the top half of your face. The mask was lined with black velvet, and decorated with black lace around the edges.

"Oh, this one looks so pretty. And it's called a 'masquerade mask'. That makes it sound kind of fancy," she said.

"Try it on," Darius said.

Amelia pulled back the elastic strap, and slipped the mask down over her eyes.

"Babe, that looks so pretty," said Darius. "Kind of feminine and mysterious, and it really highlights your eyes. Gorgeous."

Amelia blushed slightly as she took the mask off again.

"Okay, I'll get it. Though can I borrow..." Amelia said, as she flipped the mask over looking for the price tag. "...Fifteen dollars?"

Darius rolled his eyes. "Yes, fine," he said.

And with that they both headed over to the cash register.