Finding love with the Captain #wattys2019

Prologue

Go to New York, they said! It will be fun, they said! The streets are paved with gold, they said!

There I was, minding my own business while I sat in the diner eating a quick lunch before I had to get back to my desk job in the Grand Central Station Terminal. Every day this week had been so busy that most days I would forgo lunch, but today at long last I had a chance to sit with my book and eat an ever so unhealthy meal of burger and fries with a thick chocolate milkshake.

Sitting there with my nose stuck in the latest Drake Leigh book I barely noticed the first tremor; although the car alarms outside blared with the force of the ground shaking. Looking up I could see the salt and pepper shakers dancing across the tables around me before quite literally all hell broke loose. 

The volume on the television was turned up so I could see the street beyond me on that small screen with the news reporter pointing at the sky behind him; in the middle of the pale blue sky, a dark hole had appeared with these "things" flying out of them. Some appeared to be darts, while giant caterpillar-like machines swayed through the New York skyline; their bodies undulating in a motion similar to that of an eel.

Getting up from my seat I peered out of the smudged glass where people are running and tripping on the streets; laser-like beams cut them down as they ran in a blind panic. The monsters, as that was the only way to describe them, were fanning down the street in a v motion; shooting some people and gathering others into little crowds away from the laser fire. Women and children being ripped from their fathers, husbands and grandfathers arms. Quite suddenly a face appeared in the window which looked directly back at me; it took all I could not to scream at the evil face which peered at me through the glass.

In slow motion, I saw a fist crash through the glass before a metal arm grabbed me by my uniform; pulling me back through the now broken window. I heard the screams behind me as everyone tried to run out the back door with the help of the waitress whose name tag said Beth; before another being grabbed her by the pink diner uniform and dragged her out into the street so she stood next to me. We looked at each other, fear deep in our eyes as we realized they were not going to shoot us but instead herded us back towards the one place I had escaped from for my lunch break, Grand Central Station.

Holding onto each other we were practically pushed into the huge atrium where a huge crowd of men, woman, and children were huddled together in fear on the floor where I could see dark grey ash covering it. Kneeling on the floor I picked up the dust between my fingers before I realized what this was. Back in my college days, I had worked in a mortuary for extra cash...not the most glamorous of roles but the money was good, we were kneeling in the ash of what was left behind when a body is cremated. Swallowing hard I looked at Beth who had picked up a pair of glasses from the floor before pointing at something next to my knee.

"Is that what I think it is?" She asked in a husky voice as I looked down to see an adult molar buried in the ash. Nodding I got up and moved her away,

"Try not to think about it," I said as I looked up at the balcony and saw two of these alien things standing there with strange looking guns in their hands. There were several children hidden behind the reception desk by the entrance and slowly I made my way to them whenever the creatures had their backs turned. 

It was slow going but eventually, I reached them. The oldest boy looked about 16 while the group around him ranged from 3 years old. I sat beside them, just slightly away from the back of the desk so the aliens did not know they were there, 

"Hi I'm Anna." I said reaching behind me to grasp hold of a cool hand, "Don't be scared." I could hear the boy sniffing as he tried to keep the youngest child quiet.

"Do you think we will get out of here?" He asked with a shaky voice; I nodded my head,

"I'm sure we will; I bet the National Guard is on their way right now," I whispered, praying that I was not wrong. "Stay here and stay low; do you see that door behind you?" I pointed to a door that is hidden in an alcove away from the sight of the creatures on the balcony before I gave the kid a key, "That will take you to the employees' lounge; get in there, lock the door behind you and hide until I come to get you." 

 A few people had seen the exchange with the kid so a load of burly men turned to walk away from the kids to get the attention of the aliens above us.

"Why are you doing this? Who are you?" They started to ask; soon other people were making noises or creating a distraction so the children could make their way quietly to the door. I could see about 15 kids in total as they headed towards the door. Holding my breath I watched as the kid I had given the key to unlocked the door and quietly ushered the other children in before him. He turned back to me to give me a thumbs up before closing the door quietly.Standing by the door Beth made her way to me and held tightly on to my arm,

"That was a brave thing you did?" She whispered as he clutched my arm even tighter.

"Well they are kids; they shouldn't see what is about to happen when those fuglies open up their weapons on us." I helped her to sit on a semi-clean spot on the floor and awaited my fate. 

Suddenly, the windows behind the creature broke and a man jumped in wearing a suit with stars and stripes on. He started throwing a shield around that had a silver star on a blue background with white and red rings surrounding it. As he turned to attack the aliens I looked at Beth, 

"Is that Captain America?" I asked her...but it couldn't be, I mean my grandfather had the vintage cards from world war two with a guy wearing the same suit on,

"Maybe he is like the Phantom?" Beth said, standing to watch the impressive display above us, "or Zorro when the old one trains a new one." Suddenly, a loud explosion went off and the creatures were blown up, while the mysterious man was thrown back through the window. 

Gasping I ran outside with Beth hot on my heels to see the man lying on a load of concrete; as he stood up he pulled off his mask and looked straight at us. My heart stopped then clawed up my neck to lodge in my throat. 

He was so unbelievably handsome. Even covered in dust and sweat you could see the piercing suburban blue eyes as they took in our haggard appearance. Nodding in our direction he turned and ran off chasing down another alien.

"That was unfucking believable," I said as I turned to Beth who was standing there as dumbfounded as me. Shaking myself I grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door, "Come on we need to check the kids are alright?" I said leading her away as the sound of fighting continued behind us.