“I’m home!” Nikki, blonde curls limp around her shoulders, stepped into the dim apartment. Her mom was there, in the armchair where she’d left her, still in a bathrobe.

Nikki slipped off her shoes and dropped her backpack on the kitchen table.

The light switch flipped and the gloom was banished by the light.

“Turn it off.” Her mom murmured, eyes not moving from a spot on the wall. The air deflated out of Nikki. She obeyed, then grabbed her homework and shut herself into her room.

* * *

At school the next day Nikki made her way through the milling students in the hallways. A short, soft-eyed girl bounced up beside her.

“Hey, Raina.” Nikki greeted her but didn’t stop walking.

“What’d you do this weekend?” Raina asked.

“I was researching for the assignment Mr. Jennings gave us.”

“Oh. I watched Youtube. Wow, you’re fast!” Raina was practically trotting to keep up as they wove through a group of cheerleaders. “Have you heard about that guy fighting all the crime? There’s tons of videos of him. He’s so hot!”

Nikki halted and spun around, making the girl almost run into her. “He should leave that to the police,” she said, voice going hard.

Raina’s brows rose, “Maybe, but –”

Just then the buzzer warned students to get moving. The two hurried into their class and took their seats.

* * *

There was nothing left to eat, unless olives and a couple dried bread ends counted. Nikki’s stomach groaned as she stood in front of the open fridge that evening.

“Mom, what are we going to eat?” There was no response from the curtained living room. Nikki’s eyes stung and she blinked rapidly. “Mom?”

Nikki straightened and slammed the fridge closed. She clenched her hands till her fingers ached.

“We can’t keep living like this!” She yelled. The apartment gobbled up her outburst, leaving Nikki feeling utterly alone in the silence.

Nikki swallowed the lump in her throat. She couldn’t let herself break down like her mom, she had to be the strong one. She forced her panic into a box and buried it deep, then reached for the jar of olives.

* * *

Time seemed to move slower when she was hungry. Classes dragged by and all she could think about was her aching stomach and how many hours were left till lunch.

“– did good jobs on your research papers.” She only half heard Mr. Jennings. “Now each of you will present your findings to the class in the coming days.”

The students groaned. Nikki lifted her chin out of her hand and sat up. Finally, something she was good at; for the first time, she was thinking of something other than food.

* * *

After school, Nikki was full and felt as though she could take on anything. Even if that thing was applying for a part-time job at Jack’s Flap Cakes.

She’d changed into her best dress, doing her best to conceal the growing tear in the hem. A small purse swung at her side, blue dyed leather and silver clutch. It’d been a gift from her dad’s travels. It was empty, but she liked to wear it anyway; it made her feel braver.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

She paused outside the breakfast joint’s door, resisting the sweet smells of syrup that drew customers in.

If she got a job here, would her fate be sealed forever? What if her dreams got drowned under pancake syrup?

Then she thought of her mom’s vacant eyes, and the empty fridge, and all the over-due bills that piled on the table.

Nikki took a step forward. Before she could open the door, however, there was a sharp tug on her shoulder. She looked down and her purse was gone!

She turned just in time to see a grey-haired woman in a ratty overcoat limp across the street, clutching her purse. “Stop!” Nikki tore after her.

The woman wasn’t in good health, and Nikki was fast; in no time she overtook the woman.

She tackled the lady, sending them both sprawling on the ground just inside a narrow alleyway. The purse flew out of the woman’s grasp. Nikki fumbled after it.

They grabbed it at the same time. The woman tugged; Nikki tugged harder.

All at once, Nikki found she couldn’t move. Threads wrapped around her from nowhere, sticky and thin, but stronger than wire.

The homeless lady limped off down the alley, clutching her prize close. Nikki watched helplessly.

“You know, it’s not nice to steal old ladies’ purses.” A masked figure landed in front of her. He wore a tight red and blue suit, the ridiculous skin-tight getup that vigil-antis thought made them look cool. The eyes of the mask unnerved Nikki, huge and focusing and unfocusing like lenses.

“You idiot! That was my purse!”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” The guy’s bravado melted away. “It’s just you tackled her, you were tugging – she looked pretty innocent to me.” The masked person helped her out of the webbing. “My bad.”

Nikki could hardly see straight, trembling between tears and rage. “Yeah, you assumed. That’s why you leave things to the law!”

“Listen, I’ll buy you a new purse, ok? Just tell me how much cash you had in it. I’ll make it up to you, I swear!”

Nikki grew still. She glared at the masked man. “My dad gave me that purse.” She turned on her heels and stalked out of the alley.

* * *

More bills were in the mailbox. Nikki walked the flight of steps to her apartment and dropped the envelopes on the table with the rest of the unopened mail.

She went and stood in front of her mom. Her cheeks were sunken, her skin seemed like it might crumble.

“Your job called, said you’d be welcomed back whenever you’re ready,” Nikki said.

Her mom’s empty expression didn’t change.

“I know you’re sad, Mom. I know that you don’t want to go on – but I’m sad too and… I really need you right now… please.” Her mom blinked, but wouldn’t meet her eyes.

Nikki took a shaky breath. She turned away.

“I’ve got homework to do.” As Nikki walked to her room, she hesitated, hoping – aching that her mom would stand up, say that everything was going to be fine, come over and give her a hug. But that was only wishful thinking. Nikki shut her door.

* * *

In Mr. Jennings’ class the next day, Nikki stood tall as she gave her presentation. Inside, she wished lunch hour could’ve come before social sciences, but outwardly she was the picture of confidence.

“That’s why, even though the concords were a step in the right direction, I believe the governments need to take more drastic actions to ensure the safety of their citizens and keep these so called ‘heroes’ from using their powers at all.”

“Thank you, Nikki.” Mr. Jennings nodded when she finished. “It’s refreshing to hear an opinion from the other side of this topic. Does anyone have any questions for her?”

A scrawny boy in a blue cardigan raised his hand.

“Um… if the superheroes get these amazing powers, wouldn’t it be wrong to not use them to help others? I mean, if you won the lottery, the best way to use all that money would be to give it away.”

Several students murmured agreement. Nikki pressed her fingertips into her forehead for a moment, then leveled the boy with a superior glare.

“Your point sounds noble on the surface, but you can’t simplify such an intricate social justice issue like that. These ‘superheroes’ are only people – which means you can’t guarantee that they will always do what’s right. That’s why we have the law in place, an unwavering beckon of justice for those who live under it, and appropriate punishment for those who won’t.”

She probably would’ve kept going. But to the class’s relief, the bell interpreted her.

* * *

It was hard to see in the dim alley, but Nikki was used to such lighting.

She hunted under boxes, inside trash cans, in darkened corners. Logically, the woman should’ve tossed the purse once she found it empty. But so far, Nikki hadn’t any luck.

She was about to give up when something stuck on the wall caught her eye. An object was attached high up with the same sticky cords that vigil-anti had used yesterday.

Finding an empty garbage, Nikki tipped it over and climbed the wobbling can to investigate.

The threads were strong, but also springy. After a quick search around, she found a glass bottle with a broken end. She slashed at the cords. There didn’t seem to be any progress until suddenly the cords snapped and the object fell down on top of her.

Nikki wasn’t expecting that. She tumbled backward, landing hard on the ground.

She fumbled at the zippers, fingers trembling. She expected to find guns, or drugs, but what she found inside was even more startling. The mask of the vigil-anti stared up at her, the huge eyes lifeless. The back of her neck prickled.

Nikki looked about her, nobody else was in the alleyway. Before she had time to think, she scooped up the bag and ran home.