“Of course!” Girl Power beams, an easy request considering what this night put her through.
“Claire!” Mom grabs my wrist. “You were kidnapped? Oh my god…my baby!” She forces my head into her chest, stroking my hair. Kissing Joy somehow erased the trauma of being a damsel in distress, but I know Mom’s probably reliving the terror of that day on the train when Blue Streak came to our rescue.
“I’m fine, Mom, I promise. See?” I show off my lack of open wounds. “Not broken, not bloody.”
She exhales deeply, wiping her face with her palms as Joy kneels down next to us. “Don’t worry, Ms. Rice. Warrior Nation will be keeping a close eye on Claire from now on. This won’t happen again.”
Mom takes both of Joy’s hands. “Thank you.”
A series of beeps pulses from Girl Power’s wrist; I recognize the Warrior Nation theme song, which I have had as a ringtone since the second I got a phone. Joy looks around for the source but finally finds a homing signal woven into the fabric of the suit.
“Guess that means I gotta go,” she says. “Sorry. Are you going to be okay?”
“Don’t worry about me.” I smile. “Go save the world, Girl Power.” She returns a knowing grin before jumping back into the SUV.
“Is that…her?” Demi asks once Joy has pulled away.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
But she’s not in the mood for games. “The new hero? Did she save your life?”
“Yeah, she did.”
Demi raises an eyebrow. “Well, well.” She stands up, giving me a quick hug. “Glad you’re alive and stuff. But I’m exhausted and have to start walking dogs in an hour, so…bye.”
Mom wraps me back up in her arms. “Are you sure you’re okay? The police have been here for hours.”
“I’m fine, I promise. I’ll tell you everything upstairs.”
Once inside, I start making Mom some calming tea, but she passes out before the water boils. I, on the other hand, will never be able to fall asleep after the night I’ve had, not with the memories of Joy’s mouth on mine still racing through me like a wildfire.
Marshall and Mindy in the Morning
Mindy: Today’s top story is packed with power—Girl Power, that is! Stepping in to replace beloved icon Blue Streak is a new young female Warrior who calls herself Girl Power. This blond bombshell just hit the scene and already has Warrior fans in a flurry.
Marshall: Well, it’s been a while since we’ve gotten a new woman in the lineup. And everyone knows Aqua Maiden has been vying for a trade to the Los Angeles chapter, wanting to stretch her fins and all that.
Mindy: You know she doesn’t have fins!
Marshall: Do I? Honestly I can barely remember her. Seems like she’s never around.
Mindy: You’d forget your own name if it wasn’t part of this show’s theme song.
Marshall: That’s true.
Mindy: Do you miss Blue Streak?
Marshall: You know what? I do. I know you’ll roll your eyes at this, Mindy, but he was a man’s man. Tough as nails, solid and strong, I always thought he’d be fun to get a beer with.
Mindy: As if that’s important.
Marshall: It’s important to me!
Mindy: Sheesh. I liked him too, but I’m excited for Girl Power. Any time a woman can stand up and smash the patriarchy, I’m here for it.
Marshall: Oh boy, here we go again!
WALKING INTO BECCA’S APARTMENT at six a.m. feels strangely anticlimactic. Her ratty couch, threadbare rug, and massive record collection stare back at me, annoying in their normalcy. How are they all still sitting here exactly as I left them? Didn’t they feel the seismic shift, the earth crashing down on its axis? How can everything look exactly the same when everything inside me feels different, my world turned upside down? Yet in the light of morning, I guess I’m the only one who experienced cataclysmic change last night.
We broke up. It’s over. Matt and I…are done.
I should sleep, but I still have the aftermath of adrenaline lingering in my veins, buzzing just enough to keep me alert to possible continuing danger. In all these years, I’ve never found a great way to come down after a Warrior endeavor, my fight-or-flight senses ready for battle hours after it’s ended. The only thing to do is channel that energy into something else, and I have made some pretty killer art pieces while being hyped up on post-action anxiety. My hands want to move, create, and even if I’m physically tired, my brain rarely stops, floating through colorful dreamscapes. I