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“It’s okay, Becca. You’re a good kid,” my mother strokes my hair, letting me be vulnerable. Your love is enough.
Her once comforting scent now pierces me. I’m afraid I’ll forget it if she’s not around, so out of fear, I inhale it deeply, clutching onto it.
I wish it was me dying in her place.
?? ?????? ??
“Tell me about Bebeto.”
“He’s quicker than me,” I smile just for her sake, and my mom starts laughing as I place the hospital bag in the back as she takes the passenger seat.
Bebeto is a charming old man from the nursing home who has been courting Tita, my mom’s childhood friend, and our neighbor.
“Can we stop by the supermarket again? I promised Tita I’d make her lasagna when I get back.”
“Mom, you’re tired, and it’s late. We can go tomorrow.”
“Please, my dumpling,” mom places her hand over mine resting on the gear shift.
As her fingers tenderly graze the tender cartilage from my last training session, I relent, and we turn back towards the shopping center where I can only park in the underground parking lot.
“Wait for me, okay? I’ll be back with the ingredients. You... just check your phone.”
“My phone’s dead,” Mom sighs, and I rummage in my pocket and hand her my phone. She always forgets to charge it.
“You know... something weird happened today,” I grab my wallet from my bag and stuff it into the coat pocket.
“Really?” Mom looks at me, and I return her gaze, unsure of how to begin.
“This strange old lady appeared next to my car, and... well, I’ll tell you later. I’ll be right back,” I lean over the steering wheel and kiss her forehead.
I walk briskly, recalling the odd old lady from earlier today. What was her problem? And what was with all those numbers? Was it a phone number? No, it would have been too short. I glance over my shoulder a few times while shopping, and when I return to the car, I hear noises coming from where I parked and people screaming and running, trying to escape.
Freaking out, I can barely make my way through the people rushing to get out of the parking lot and reach my car. Four masked guys had taken down a few people.
“Hey, you over there,” one of them with a Vendetta mask points his bat in my direction, and I signal to my mom to stay in the car, ditching the groceries and throwing my hands up in the air.
“Look,” I say, my voice trembling, while I’m slowly reaching into my pocket. As I do, the person raises their bat, ready to strike. “No! It’s just my wallet, see?” I manage to get it, feeling my breath quicken. “Take them all!” I throw it toward him, watching as he gives it a skeptical look. “Can we go now?” I take a step forward, but the guy pushes me in the back with the end of his bat.
“Not so fast,” his muffled voice from under the mask reveals their agitation.
“Rebecca!” my mom’s voice snaps me back, and it feels like the whole world is crashing down when I see her stepping out of the car.
“Stay there, Mom!” I keep my hands visible but spread my legs apart, and this other guy with the same freaky mask notices and starts coming closer, leaving the guy by our car lying in a bloody mess.
What the heck are they doing here? Randomly attacking people?
“Are you Rebecca?” he asks, and I shift my gaze from the guy on the ground to him, trying to swallow the excess saliva that pooled under my tongue.
I smell blood, and it churns my stomach in disgust.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this, man.
“No!” I snap and take a step to the side.
“Rebecca!” My mom’s voice rings out again, and I clench my fists, desperate to reach her, but the guy in army pants shoves her back, making her lose her balance and hit the ground.
“Hands off my mom!” I yell, and the guy in front of me pushes me in the chest with his bat again, but I grab it from the side and kick the nearest guy in the gut.
