Bad News
Sara was just leaving the café when she heard the news, Cindy Chase’s voice coming loud and clear through the speakers of a patron’s computer. Normally, she wouldn’t have tried to listen in, but a small group had gathered and she was curious about the fuss.
Her blood ran cold when she heard the details–four, including a hero, a villain, a vigilante, and, perhaps most terrifying, a civilian. Her heart rate picked up, as she kept listening. She knew there’d always been some animosity towards people with powers, but this was- this was horrific.
She turned to leave, trying to control her breathing. But then she heard, “they left each corpse with a cat mask.” Her breath caught. She kept walking. She made it out of the café, down the block, around the corner, pace increasing as she went until suddenly she was sprinting. Her hands were white knuckled around the strap of her bag, and she could feel the tears prickling her eyes.
She didn’t make it past the door of her dormroom, slamming it behind her and sinking down, back against it, knees pulled in close, as the tears started to fall. Even though she was no longer running, her breath remained ragged and her shoulders started to shake as the crying turned to sobbing.
Seven Years Ago
“Mommy?” Sara sat up in her bed, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Her mother was rummaging through her drawers, and there was a suitcase open on the floor, although Sara couldn’t make out what was inside it in the darkness. The pink digital clock on her dresser read 3:04. “Mommy, what are you doing?”
Her mother paused, turned around and then rushed to sit on the edge of Sara’s bed. She ran a shaking hand through her daughter’s hair and then sighed. “I’m packing us for a- for a trip sweetheart. You should go back to sleep. I’ll get you up when we have to go.”
When her mother woke her up again, the clock read 3:42. She pressed Ella, the pale blue elephant that Sara slept with, into her arms and helped the eleven-year-old put her sneakers on in the dark. Before helping her put on her backpack and taking her by the hand and leading her down the stairs into a waiting taxi. Sara caught a brief glimpse of a pile of suitcases in the back, before Linda pulled her close and she was drifting off again.
She woke again when they got to the airport. The clock in the taxi read 4:38. She was mostly half-asleep as her mother guided her through check-in and security, though she’d managed to thank the lady in the line who’d complemented her on how cute her sheep pajamas were.
By the time they reached the gate though, she was fully awake. “Our flight doesn’t board for another thirty minutes, if you wanna go back to sleep sweetheart–” Linda was cut off by the sound of the news coming from one of the television suspended above them.
“Early this morning, the powered vigilante Veritas, now known to have been local librarian, Jeremy “Jim” Miller, was found dead. Veritas was known as a local hero and force for good The warrants for his arrest were even suspended on multiple occasions for him to aid the Seattle PD with certain cases. He is survived by a wife and daughter, and he will be missed...”
The television kept going, but Sara didn’t hear, instead she turned to her mother with wide eyes as what she’d heard fully solidified in her mind. Linda only shook her head, lips tight, as if to say “not here.” Before Sara could ask why, someone in one of the nearby rows of seats sneered, “Good riddance.” Linda’s gaze sharpened, and she pulled Sara a bit closer.
They sat in silence until the flight boarded, Sarah clutching Ella to her chest and trying not to cry. Just before it was their turn, the sound of the television, which had softened to the dull tones of infomercials increased to full volume again.
“This just in: an individual in some kind of white, cat mask–possibly a tiger–is reported to have been seen leaving the area of Veritas’ murder. If you or anyone you know has seen someone-”
“Welcome aboard, Mrs. Linda Miller and...” Sara’s attention was pulled back to the airport as the gate attendant leaned down to smile at her. “Miss Sara Miller. Where are you going so early? Someplace fun, I hope.”
“Just to visit family.” Linda responded, flashing a tight smile before pulling Sara gently toward the jet way.
That was the last time she was Sara Miller.
