Time and Mischief (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 1- Premonitions

“Excuse me, m’am, may I use that?” A plump older woman in an orange coat tapped me, arousing me from my sleep. She stared down at me, her eyes magnified unusually large behind her spectacles.

I jerked my head up, gasping a bit. I had fallen asleep. At the public library, at my spot at the computers. Again.

There were only four computers in the place, and the three others were being used by teenagers of the local area, probably all a couple years younger than me. They all stared as I groaned and shuffled myself to my feet, their eyes holding laughter and amazement.

She’s crazy, they were probably all thinking. I hope I’m not like that once I go to college.

I shoved my books and journals into my pack, slinging it over my shoulder and pulling on my worn brown coat. “I’m very sorry,” I murmured to the lady. She smiled nicely, then took my place at the desk.

I groggily forced myself to make my way down the hall, turning into the one-person bathroom and flipping on the light switch.

The parents of dorm mate, Rebecca, were the owners of the library, and every time I had happened to fall asleep while writing they didn’t even nudge me. They supported my attempt at growing up, unlike their daughter they had decided didn’t even want them in their life, proven with her constant hating on them and partying rather than calling. I, however, without being intrusive- I always tried to make sure with Becca (her response always, “Take them. I don’t want them.”), had gratefully accepted the stand-in parents, as I had none of my own.

My parents, Laura and Maxwell Lewis, died the summer I was going into my sophomore year of high school, leaving my sister older Darcy and I alone and empty. They had been on their way back from New York, excited to tell their daughters about their adventures in the city, when their plane was hit by multiple angry strikes of lightning and failed to function. Four years since, I was an aspiring writer, mostly focussing on plays or science fiction (or science fiction plays) at the University of Wisconsin, near my birthplace, my life full of overly descriptive yet somehow meaningless words. Darcy was a few years older than me, taking a job as an intern for a young scientist named Jane Foster all the way in New Mexico. I had met her many times, and I liked her quite a lot. We’d gotten along well, our curious shy personalities much more alike than compared to my own sisters humorous outgoing manner.

The rusty faucet seemed to groan in protest as I turned it, splashing the cold water onto my face. When I lifted up, I slowly took in my reflection, a little sheepish.

I was average height and slender, but I chose to wear sweatpants and women’s Henley shirts, not at all complementing any part of my regular body and my regular face. Especially not this morning.

Dark shadows surrounded my big eyes, the golden brown irises appearing wild like a hungry wolf. The light brown freckles that dusted my nose stuck out on my pale skin, and my tumbling dark brown hair was tangled and knotted. I tried running my fingers through it but, when discovering the attempt was in vain, dropped my hands.

Suddenly, my gaze snapped back up to my eyes again, and I was gone.

I was lying in a shallow area, something wet trickling down my head. Fear pounded through me, and I wanted to let loose the loudest, most piercing bloodcurdling scream, but the only noise that could escape my throat was a whimper.

Something exploded, and a blinding white light shone all around, uncomfortably bright. He emerged from the doorframe, cloaked in green and armed in gold. Beauty and darkness shed off of him like the most lovely night sky, or the most blood colored rose. His posture was proud, his eyes glowing. He stared down at me in amusement, annoyance, admiration, and an ounce of pity.

It was him.

He bent down next to me, a mischievous grin slowly spreading over his features.

Mischief seemed to fit him well.

My T-mobile ring tone interrupted the vision, cutting through my thoughts and sending me back into reality. I was in the bathroom again, heaving against the cold wall. My hands pressed to the iciness, relishing the feeling of solidity.

I quickly dug my hand into my coat pocket and took out my cell phone.

DARCY.

I let it pass, allowing myself a few moments to take it in and regain my breath.

This was one of my shorter visions, but it brought no less amount of fear. It was the second one of him, of that man. Ever since… Ever since that day I got them every so often, every week or so. Every one of them came true, whether it was an image of me tripping over my shoelaces or an entire premonition of the Ancient Writing’s test and what I’d get, they all came true within the course of a few hours to a couple of days.

I inhaled a shallow gulp of air and picked my phone back up, dialing Darcy.

She picked up immediately, her voice in my ear. She sounded tense, frustrated, and horrified, obviously on the verge of tears. “Gray, oh Gray oh God. It- it’s Jane- she’s been taken. I went to her trailer yesterday, and she wasn’t there and I’ve called, but she won’t answer-”

“Slow down, Darcy,” I said gently, trying to calm her, but a fair amount of panic was also creeping into my heart. “Maybe she just went on holiday or something?”

“God, who do you think I am? A freaking idiot? I wouldn’t be upset if I didn’t know something was wrong-” her voice rose. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m freaking out so much and I- I don’t know what to do.”

“Darcy,” I said again. “Maybe I can help if you told me-”

“No!”

She sharply cut me off, making me fall silent to any of the thoughts that had been racing through my mind. I had been prodding her to tell me for years. There were things- things I knew must be too dark or sound crazy- that she had witnessed with her friends in New Mexico, things she couldn’t tell anyone- not even her own sister.

And ever since the past few months, I knew the feeling. But maybe it was time I told her, and maybe she would finally tell me.

She was rambling about why Jane’s “stupid boyfriend couldn’t take a break and help”, almost screaming, when I interrupted her.

“Please tell me everything- I want to help, and I know these two incidents probably relate. I have something I have to tell you too-”

“Oh my God, Gray, I can't and will never tell you, so quit being so annoying about it. I- I just- nevermind. It will all be fine. Jane’s fine. Forget I even called.” And before I knew it, the line was dead.

I prayed Jane was okay, and I hoped with all my heart that my vision wasn’t going to happen anytime soon- or anytime at all.

I sighed and brought my hands to my face, sinking to the floor.