Originally Posted June 20, 2010
((This was a weird bit to write. For whatever reasons, the leader of The Guardians decided to retire the entire group. Only 2 days passed from the announcement to the shuttering of the website. It generated a lot of angst in the group, but also sparked a desire to keep working with what so many had been pouring their effort into. Wanting to continue the individual and group stories, the group reformed as The Ultimate Guardians and established a shared history regarding what happened.
It was agreed that The Guardians had suffered from an attack, destroying their tower HQ, killing members who no longer participated, and sending other to that weird comic book limbo where they might return at any moment. A forum thread was started to give new members of The Ultimate Guardians a chance to respond and add their take on the tragedy.
All this happened the same week as the death of my long time friend, Dave Sciaky. I didn't want to write anything for a few days and whatever creativity I had seemed to flee my mind. Eventually eking out this very short bit about the permanence of loss.))
"I didn't even stop to pull on my tights. I flashed my credentials. They gave me a vest and I went to work." Chance pulled out his phone to check the time then tossed it casually on the countertop. Its battery had failed sometime over the last few days. He tilted his head, looking for a clock on the wall. "That was about 36 hours ago." The young man drained his glass and gestured to Nicole, signaling for another.
"I think they like it when you show up out of costume, sometimes. It's easier to work with them when they see you're just another guy, getting through the day, working the scene, finding the bodies." Chance took another pull of the dark porter and rubbed the stubble at his chin.
"Those dogs are just amazing. They'd sent on something and we'd just start digging. It was all by hand, Eddie. We couldn't bring any heavy equipment in. I've never worked a site like that. One minute there was a tower, and then..." The bottom of the glass held new interest for Chance.
"I hadn't even met most of them. They were just names and pictures on the wall, stories in the database. But it felt..." He drank. "It felt good. It felt like they were more interested in doing good than their own personal bullshit. It felt like I was among heroes." Chance lifted a hand to order another. Nicole glanced to Eddie. The police lieutenant waved her off.
"Let's get going, Chance," Eddie instructed the younger man. "You look like you need some sleep and smell like you need a shower."
"You trying to handle me, Eddie?"
"No. But I will if you need me to," Eddie replied with a stern smile. Chance rose, unsteady on his feet. He threw too much money on the counter with a smile towards the well pierced barkeeper. Eddie steadied him as they began a slow and careful walk to the door. "It just sucks, Eddie. It just sucks. I don't care about the comics. Death is forever."
The bald Latino nodded his head. "Es verdad, asere. But life goes on."
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