The night sky was aglow with bright city lights, and a faint breeze carried the scent of concrete, salt, and a mixture of fried and spices from food vendors. Keisha and her mamma, Beatrice Alighieri, walked the streets of Atlanta after leaving the movie theatre.

“And then they punched them straight into the sky!” Keisha imitated by thrusting her fist in the air. “Who-wah, ha! And hah!”

Bea laughed at her daughter’s reenactment. They passed by several people coming and going to the theatre.

“What was your favorite scene, ma?”

Bea hummed and tapped her chin. “I don’t know. It has to be when the Hero Society saved that school bus from the cliff or the training montage scene—you know I’m a sucker for a good training scene.”

Keisha took a fighting stance and punched the air in quick succession. Her thick afro curls bounced up and down on her reddish-brown skin, one that she shared with her mamma.

“I just want Scarlett Heroes’ weapon. Do you think we can get one on Amazon?”

“That staff-looking thing?”

Keisha spun on her heels and walked backward. “Yeah! The one that looks like a moon with a shiny crystal in it and has the power to control the universe. I have to have the costume too for Comic Con, mamma. Please!” Keisha jumped up and down, with her hands pressed together.

Bea’s eyes widen, brushing a springy curl away from her face. “Wow, with a power like that, how can I say no? We can see how much it costs when we get home.”

“You mean it?” Keisha squealed, hugging her waist.

Keisha continued to jump, skip, and spin as they walked the streets of Atlanta. They passed by a Sushi restaurant, and Keisha walked ahead of her mother, turning the next corner.

“Keisha, wait for me!” Her mamma called out for her.

Keisha’s back was turned as she called back to her mamma, ‘I’m right here—.’ She was interrupted when she barreled into a sturdy frame. The older man had layered gelled hair and a bushy beard, and his dark grey eyes looked down at her.

“S-sorry, sir!” Keisha raised her hands.

“Watch where you’re going, stupid kid.”

The tall man shoved Keisha to get by, making her stumble into the brick wall.

“Hey!”

Bea stormed around the corner and rushed to her daughter, checking on her first, before spinning around to the guy.

“Who do you think you are touching my little girl?” Bea yelled at the man.

The man crinkled his nose and grunted. “You the kid’s mother?”

“Obviously, and you’ve got some nerve manhandling a child.” Bea’s brow furrowed as she jutted her finger in the man’s direction. Keisha grabbed onto her mother’s hand, hoping to pull her away from the scene.

“Then, mama, teach your hooligan kid to watch where she’s going. You’d be pretty upset if she got hit.”

Bea scoffed. “Excuse me? Is that a threat?”

“Mamma, come on.”

The man smirked. “Go on with your kid. You don’t want to mess with me, lady.” He turned his back on them and walked away, out of sight.

Bea rolled her eyes. “The nerve of that guy. Come on, baby,” Bea said, wrapping her arm around her daughter’s shoulder to pull her close. “I’m sorry you had to see that, but please don’t run off like that again.”

Keisha frowned. She bobbed her head in the crook of her mamma’s arm. “Why was that man so heated for? I said I was sorry.”

“He woke up and chose violence, baby. Unfortunately, we can’t control the actions of others, but we can see to it we don’t become like that and be kind to others, even if we’re in an unpleasant situation ourselves.”

Keisha pursed her lips, thinking about what her mother said.

Making light conversation, they were about to turn a corner when a static noise resonated through the air. The two stopped walking when a golden portal appeared. The smell of ash and smoke filled the air. Bea pushed Keisha backward. “Stay back, Keisha.”

Keisha bobbed her head. Her mamma glared at the mysterious portal with power and determination in her amber eyes. A cloaked black figure came out of the rift. Keisha gripped onto her mamma’s arm.

“M-ma, what is that?” Keisha asked. She couldn’t make out the figure, except he wore black leather gloves.

“Keisha,” Bea said, not taking her eyes off the cloaked figure. “Whatever you do, run, don’t look back. Do you understand? The train station is up ahead to get security.”

Keisha frowned. She didn’t understand, but there was no time to ask questions when the cloaked figure rushed at them.

“Run, now!”

Bea pushed her daughter as the Cloaked Figure grabbed Bea and pulled her through the portal. Keisha stared in shock, but instead of listening, she reached for her mamma and tried to pull her out of the portal.

She hadn’t expected the Cloak Figure’s boot to slam into her face. Keisha fell hard and saw the last blurry image of her mamma being pulled through a black void.