An Avenger's Tale

03|| Thanos' Appearance

Already into my second period and I felt like pitching myself off the Avengers Tower. Flash had recovered from yesterday's argument and came back more annoying than before. He wouldn't leave me alone. Luckily the bell rang ten minutes later, pulling me from my misery. I hugged my books to my chest and exited the classroom, taking purposefully long strides to get away from Flash and his abnormally large mouth.

I reached my locker and swapped my Biology books for Computer Science before slamming the door shut, the sound of metal-on-metal echoing through the empty corridor. Peeked at the quietness around me - the absence of teen-talk and banging lockers - my eyes roamed the corridor.

I hugged my books to my chest for comfort as I walked down the corridor, my senses at their full alert. I turned down a corner, only to find that corridor empty and void of students as well.

What was going on?

The lights began to simultaneously dim and I tilted my head up and watched as the light flickered thrice before it flickered no more, throwing me into its aftermath of darkness. I continued down the corridor when I heard muffled yelling coming from inside the janitor's closet. I broke into a jog and came to an abrupt stop in front of the grey door. I laid my textbooks aside and yanked at the doorknob but it wouldn't budge. I inhaled deeply and kicked the door to the floor.

A bewildered, junior boy stared up at me. I hoisted him up from the floor and dusted him off. "What were you doing inside there?"

"Flash locked me in there." The junior-boy breathed.

"Let's get you to safety."

We walked until we reached the front doors, but before we could exit, a hideous looking rock-giant appeared in front of us. I gripped onto the boy's shoulders and whispered to him, telling him to run and seek safety. He did so, and I was left facing the monster on my own.

"You're Thanos, aren't you?"

"I'm surprised you know me."

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"I'm here to get educated," he said sarcastically, "what does it look like I'm here for, mortal?"

Heat pulsated through my veins as I ran towards him and dug my burning hands into his rocky terrain. He howled in agony before throwing me off of him. I tumbled to the ground and rolled to the far end of the corridor. I hissed in pain but pushed myself up nonetheless.

He thudded towards me, excess rock rolling off of his body. I turned around and ran further into the school. I heard his loud thuds echoing behind me as I slid down another corridor. I used the rocks that tumbled down to my advantage and blasted them at his face, trying to slow him down.

As I continued down the same corridor, Thanos' thuds dying down, I heard Hulk's agonising roar in the distance. My father and the Avengers were here. Peter must've alerted them. I was about to exit through the fire-exit when Thanos appeared right in front of me, cracking the tiles down the middle. I nearly missed a massive fist he aimed at me as I took a sharp turn down the corridor leading towards the basement - the school's storage compartment.

I shut the doors behind me and leaned on them as I regained my breath. I could hear his heavy footsteps above me and chose to remain silent. My heart raced in my chest and my lungs were burning in a protest for air. I perked my ears and listened attentively. Police sirens sounded in the distance but what made me jerk my head up towards the ceiling, was the unmistakable sound of cracking concrete.

The concrete ceiling collapsed upon me mere seconds later. I gasped as the concrete blocks fell upon me, bringing me to the floor, caving me in. The last thing I remembered was calling out to anyone to save me before blacking out.