Ray of Light

❊ Chapter eight: First scene ❊

I lowered my arms and straightened up again.

"No, that's impossible!" Lizzie replied, her voice going a little higher. "I never had a daughter! I'd remember!"

"From what I can gather, HYDRA messed with your memory and made you forget about Lilian. Lilian was raised in HYDRA, exposed to the same infinity stone you were."

"Hence the powers," Lizzie sighed.

In a quieter voice, she turned to Paul, who was now stood on the ground, and told him, "If she's really my daughter, she likely has nowhere to go. The Avengers could use any help we can get."

"Are you suggesting we take her in?"

"What else can we do? Either she's gone crazy from HYDRA, or what you're both saying is true."

"Do you doubt my extensive knowledge?"

With an affectionate smile, Lizzie replied, "No, of course not."

He took Lizzie's hand and kissed it gently.

"Sorry what?" I asked, acting disgusted.

Lizzie showed no humour in her eyes as she looked back at me.

"Fine, Lilian," Lizzie sighed. "Looks like you're staying."

"Good because that's why I'm here," I replied, walking over.

"What?"

"I have... visions."

Paul tilted his head slightly.

"Not you," Elizabeth chuckled, before saying to me, "Go on."

"I saw this guy... Thanos. He wants the infinity stones."

"And...?" Lizzie's tone displayed worry.

"And I saw death."

"What do you mean by death?" Paul asked curiously.

"Half of the world. Gone. In an instant."

A look of dread spread over Lizzie's face.

"Gone?"

I nodded, holding my right hand up as if playing with magic between my fingers.

"He wants the infinity stones," I told her, looking her in the eyes. "Which means he wants that."

I gestured Paul's forehead where the mind stone would be. Paul and Elizabeth shared a look of worry, before Paul said, "We need to tell the rest of the Avengers."

I stood still a moment.

"Wait, you're telling me they're back together?" I asked. "I thought there was a whole divorce ceremony in Germany?"

Lizzie's eyes darkened as she glared at me.

"Some of us," she replied.

I nodded and followed them off camera.

"And cut!"

~~~✸~~~

Holy shit, that felt good.

"How did we do?" I asked excitedly.

Anthony smiled.

"Brilliant," he commented. "I must say though, I'm incredibly surprised at just how much emotion you can put into your acting."

I smiled nervously, avoiding his gaze.

"I guess I've always been good at emotions," I replied.

I wasn't wrong. I'd spent a long time hiding just how shit I really felt on a day to day basis, showing up to school or back home seeming somewhat 'happy'. Anthony disappeared to another set of actors who I didn't actually yet know.

"Hey Ray, do you want a cookie?" Lizzie asked, suddenly pulling out a box of cookies from what seemed like nowhere.

"Oh uhm, sure," I replied, taking one. "Thanks!"

They were chocolate chip - basic but tasty.

"I'm gonna go to my trailer for half an hour before I go home," I told Lizzie and Paul, glancing at the time on my phone.

"Alright, see you tomorrow!" Paul replied.

Lizzie smiled at me and I began to walk towards the costume room. I quickly changed out of my outfit and into my normal clothes.

It was 5:45pm and the sun was already setting. Just before I got to my trailer, I heard a voice behind me. Turning, I saw Scarlett standing a couple of meters away. I anxiously played with the corner of the pages of my script.

"Hey, can we talk?" Scarlett asked.

"I need to go home," I muttered.

I didn't want to turn her away, but I feared that she was angry with me. And if she was, it would be justified by the way I spoke to her. Regret began to fill my stomach again, washing away the sugary taste of the cookie I had just eaten.

"Lizzie said you were coming here for half an hour," Scarlett told me.

I met her green eyes and searched them for any sign of anger or irritation. I didn't think there was any. All I could see were the wide green stars they were.

"Alright," I replied reluctantly. "Half an hour."