Paint Master (Avengers)

Falling Star

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, probably smearing paint all over my face but I didn't care. My overalls were covered in every every color of the rainbow, but in my opinion it made them better. I took a step back, tightening my blue tipped blonde hair in it's pony tail, just barely long enough to pull it back.

I smiled at my now painted wall, a beautiful sunflower field peered back at me, once it dried all that was left was to add in the small details. It was late, almost one in the morning, but I wasn't the only one awake.

I walked out of my room and just across the hall, opening the door I see Mable with a pair of small tweezers in her phone's hard drive, sparks flying everywhere.

"That's the 3rd one in the past 2 months. Break that one and you'll have to pay for the next one." I smiled.

She looked up, taking her goggles away from her eyes, "I'm close to a breakthrough I just know it! If Tony Stark can make a super suit, who says I can't make a levitating platform that's self sustainable?"

"He might have already beat you to it." I comment.

"Knowing him probably, he's got enough money to do so." She rolled her eyes, brushing her strawberry blonde bangs from her eyes and putting her goggles back in place, "Meanwhile, we may be living well but, we're far from rich."

I sighed, shaking my head, "Don't stay up too late OK?"

"Same to you!" She calls as I leave, going back to her work.

I showered, brushed my teeth and hair, then got my pajamas on. It was 1:47 AM by the time I climbed into bed. I smiled, looking at the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, my eyes began to droop. Then the peaceful arms of sleep wrapped around me.

................

BAM

I fell out of my bed, the very ground shaking. Earthquake perhaps?

Vibrations ran through my feet as I tried to stand up, using my bed as support. Outside my window I see a bright red glow just beyond the the barrier of trees that surrounded our house, and of course this happens when mom and dad aren't home.

Once everything settled down, I rushed as fast as I could to Mable's room.

"Mable! Something crashed out by the lake!" I yelled.

She stumbled as she stood up, clearly woken by the quake as well.

"Grab your shoes! Let's go!" I rushed her.

I slipped on some tennis shoes and pulled my hair back, green eyes sparking with anticipation. I ran out to the living room, with Mable close on my heels, I grabbed a flashlight then headed for the door.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Mable asks.

"Just imagine the headlines!" I exclaimed, opening the door and rushing out, "Sisters Esmeralda and Mable Colwell, 15 and 19 years old, discover a foreign object that crashed onto their property!"

"What if it isn't foreign?" She asked, "What if it's like, a satellite or something?"

"Either way we'd be sure to get noticed! You might have something to experiment on, scientists would want to buy it, and you'd get a chance to experiment more with your projects."

"NOT IF IT'S GOVERNMENT PROPERTY."

We ran through the forest, drawing closer and closer to the chilling red glow. When we arrived to the crash site, there was a  big crater where the 'star' had landed. I walked to the edge of the deep whole, "It's... Not a satellite." I say.

"What is it?" Mable peered over the edge with me.

"You tell me, you're the techno genius."

"In engineering only, not in alien technology."

I slid down the steep slope to the center of the crash.

"Esme! What if it's radioactive?"

"Then, tell the undertaker I want my coffin in white, with paint splatters."

It was strange looking, a circular ball of metal smooth as a river stone. It suddenly opened, making me jump back out of instinct, a low hissing sound resonated.

"Be careful!" Mable called down.

"Get down here and look at this!" I say.

I peered closer, the red glow around the orb dimming, was that? I squinted my eyes. Was that, a ring?

"Mable, you might want to see this."

"What is it?" She asks.

"A ring."

"A ring?" She sounded utterly confused, understandably.

I reached for it, taking it up in my hand. It was warm, and pulsing, as though alive. It looked as though to be a ruby, held onto a silver band of intricate designs.

"How did a ring fall from the sky?" Mable asks, finally deciding to slide down.

I looked to her, "I don't know."

Then it suddenly felt like a bug shot across my hand, I was quick to jerk my hand away but whatever it was had grasped onto my ring finger on my right hand. My eyes widened as I saw the ruby ring's glow pulse like a heartbeat, snug on my finger.

"It's alive." I muttered, panic setting in, "It's... It's alive!" I yelled.

"What?" Mable asks.

I pulled at it, trying to get it off, but it wouldn't budge, like if I kept pulling my finger would come off.

"It won't come off!" I cry, "It's stuck! It's- it's grabbing on! It's alive! It won't come off!"

"What do you mean It won't come off?!" Mable exclaimed, grabbing my hand, pulling at the ring.

"OW. YOU'RE GONNA SEVER MY FINGER."

"Let's get back tot he house. Maybe I have something to get it off."

~~~~~~

They snuck through the woods, the night as a perfect cloak for them.

"This is agent Colson reporting, we're at the site. But either it was an empty shell or whatever was in it is gone now." The man spoke.

"Retreat back to HQ, we'll start doing a scan of the area for anything suspicious." A voice replied back through an earpiece.

"On my way."