Void
In the midst of absolute darkness, the white lights were extinguished. Only one remained.
«"What is this...? I'm dead...?" - The fire flickered with every word. - "Where am I...? I can't see anything...? Where is the sound...?".
The fire began to twist and fly around. Suddenly, a black gloved hand grabbed him.
«"Hey! What the fuck?!" - the flame started trying to break free.
«The live one was found... - the flame illuminated the face of a young and attractive girl. She had pale skin, grey hair and eyes with white irises and black whites.
She tossed the flame into the hole in space that appeared.
***
The flame flew through the space tunnel.
«"My mummy!" - screamed the soul with constant blinking. - "Japona mate! Japona mum! Japona maaaaaaaaaat!".
Abruptly everything went out.
POV
You know what I expected to see when I opened my eyes? Well, at most, the face of someone or something. But, fate has fiendishly ordered me to see the most unexpected thing - a face in a medical mask, as I realised a doctor of obstetrics. You know what's most upsetting? The fact that because I kept quiet, looking into his eyepieces, he kicked me in the arse with all his might, the bastard. That's not the best part. But that's beside the point. The most important thing is that I was a newborn baby and to get my lungs inflated I started screaming like a cutter, gasping for breath. I wanted to strangle him right there, but I couldn't.
«Congratulations, you have a boy, the doctor said.
I turned my head as far as I could and saw a girl of about twenty or twenty-five. She had unkempt brown hair, green eyes and normal coloured skin. She had a tired look and bags under her eyes. I was placed in her arms.
«My baby... My son. Arthur. Arthur Evans. - she said with a smile.
Shit... I want to cry. I don't know what that feeling is, but it feels insanely good.
«Well, can I congratulate you on the birth of the new Evans? - a man came in.
I turned round and saw him... It was him. That square beard. That patch over his left eye. That bald spot at the end of the day... Nick Fury himself! I've seen him in films and cartoons! What am I, in the Marvel universe? It's a dream come true. So, what's the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. doing here with a normal woman in labour?
«Are you gonna laugh, one-eyed? - my mother asked. Nick Fury himself is called one-eyed...?
«"Well, if you're snapping at me, it's all right," said Fury. - You'll be ready to work and defend yourself again in a couple of months, won't you?
She looked at me after that. My mum stroked my head, lightly and gently.
«No... Sorry one-eyed... But the spider lady is taking her maternity leave - she replied, smiling slightly.
«Hmmm... I knew it - Nick smiled.
«So, I'm a loving and kind mum who will kill the one-eyed falcon if he doesn't leave me alone," said the brown-haired girl.
«Are you strong enough, Aria?
«I'll take you down with one left," she said.
Yes, interesting conversation, though. Threats, reprisals, thank goodness there's no swearing. And they gave me the name Arthur. Yeah, that's a lot of knights of the round table and Excalibur. Right. And Evans. I don't know why I remember that name. Yeah, my memories of my past life are only partial. I know Director Fury from films and cartoons... А... Who else is there? Think back to my hole-in-the-wall head. Oh, right, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and the other Avengers. Well, I'll remember the rest later, but for now, I'm gonna enjoy life. I fell asleep right away in my mother's arms.
end POV. 6 years later. New York
A boy with spiky brown hair, blue eyes, and fair skin was running around the yard of a detached two-story large house. He was wearing a white t-shirt, black shorts, and sneakers. The boy was running, kicking a football forwards. Suddenly he kicked the ball and hit an empty can on a wooden pole.
«Bingo!" smiled the brown-haired boy, jumping up.
«Arthur! Dinner's ready! - came from inside the house.
He turned round patting his eyes.
«All right, Mum! I'll be right there! - Shouted the boy.
Chestnut picked up the ball again and set the can down. Then Arthur sprung the ball up and kicked it over himself. He collapsed to the ground, the ball flew to the right, catching the can slightly, but it spun without falling. Popadan crouched down, turning round.
«Eh... - Suddenly Evans felt something trickle from the side near his left eye.
The brown-haired man swiped and looked to see what it was. And it was blood.
«How did I do that? - Blood was coming from a horizontal cut on his left eyebrow on the left side. - I'm going to go to my mum's to get a band-aid.
He got up, picked up the ball and headed for the house.
***
The exit to the courtyard was straight through the kitchen. In the kitchen, Aria was cooking with a kind smile.
«Mum! Where's the band-aid? - Arthur came in with a ball under his armpit.
«What do you need it for? - The brown-haired girl turned round and shuddered when she saw the cut. - Arthur! Where did the wound come from?!" she ran over and began to examine the wound. - My little one, does it hurt? - Mum was getting visibly nervous.
«It's fine, I didn't even feel or notice until the blood started flowing - he replied, pressing his finger on the wound.
«Ah! Could be an infection, wait!" she ran over to the lockers and opened them, throwing things out until she found the first aid kit.Aria pulled out peroxide, cotton wool, and bandages. She dampened the cotton wool and began to dab at the small cut. Arthur tsked, clenching his teeth.
«'Okay, now for the bandage,' the brown-haired girl opened the bandage.
«Mum, you're overdoing it... - he said, then rummaged through the medicine cabinet and pulled out a band-aid.
Chestnut stuck it on the wound and wiped the remaining blood with a tissue.
«Are you sure, I'm worried about you - his mum kept fidgeting.
«Mum, I'm six years old - Arthur showed six fingers. - And I'm not a little boy to be worried about.
The brown-haired girl just smiled.
«My God, you're so grown-up! - she began to squeeze him and kiss his cheek.
«AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! - he started trying to get away.
«Oh, right, time to eat - Aria let him go and went to the cooker.
Arthur meanwhile sat down at the table, taking a knife and fork. His mum turned round with a giant frying pan in her hands, which she held in her mittens.
«'We're having paella for lunch today,' she smiled, showing a full pan of seafood rice.
«Yay! - Chestnut smiled widely, crossing his knife and fork over his head.
Mum put the food down and they started eating with both cheeks.
«More! - Arthur shouted, showing his empty plate.
«Of course," the brown-haired woman gave him more rice.
Her son had had enough.
«Is it good? - Aria asked.
«Very good! - he shouted, smiling broadly.
«Good boy - she stroked his head. - Okay, go to sleep, you have school tomorrow.
«Okay! - Arthur ran upstairs.
The brown-haired girl only smiled. After that she started washing the dishes.
Arthur's room
Arthur went into the room and closed the door. The room was decorated with superhero posters. Also in the room was a buffet, a bed, a work table and a drafting table. Chestnut sat down at the drawing table and started drawing. He drew a humanoid shaped robot. It had a large round camera on its head, repulsor like mini lasers on its fingertips on its arms. Behind his back were crossed ninjatos without tsubs, and two rows of three thin cylinders protruded from his back. At the bases of the palms at the top was a protrusion each with cannons. This was also how each individual robot part was depicted. Cannon pouches were attached to the shins. After writing the drawing, Arthur began to pull himself up on the Swedish Wall. Then he grabbed the bar with his feet and started pumping his abs. After that, the fallen man stood on his hands and started swinging. Arthur collapsed on his back, having finished his exercises. He was out of breath. From behind the ajar door, Aria watched. She closed the door quietly, smiling. Arthur, on the other hand, collapsed onto the bed with no energy.
«"Sleep..." - he thought, exhaling.
To be continued...