For long-time readers:
Hey guys! If you're still there that is... So. Here I am, back from a loooooooooooong time off. It's kind of hard to explain, you know. My computer broke down, and that was a real bummer.
Kay! So, good news is, my computer is fully functioning! Yay! Bad news is... All my documents were erased so YEAH. You can basically realize why I haven't been around for so long. I sort of lost my mojo with writing. If you do go ahead and read this story, you'll see what I'm talking about. Sorry about that. All I can say is I am as unhappy with this as you are, believe me, I'm trying to get it back.
For new readers:
Well, the story is really self explainatory, if you're currently aware of the first and second game's plot, that is.
So, hope you enjoy this! And please review!
Cheers!
Cacheli
The gravel road crunched under Shannon's black heels. As it was to be expected, everything was deadly silent except for her steps.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
Shannon felt the silence overwhelming to her senses. But it seemed normal enough that silence would make her feel uncofortable at times like this. Times when all she had in her head were loud crashes, loud explosions, loud screams, and even louder cries.
Times when normal felt abnormal.
Times when she let herself freely reminisce about things that would hunt her forever.
Because at times like this she needed to reminisce, just to stay sane. Just as she needed to forget every other day, today she needed to remember everything.
Remember hearing words of hope, remember seeing the faces of her dying friends, remember the feel of the bloodied baseball bat in her bloodied hands, remember the taste and smell of death in the air.
The same smell that surrounded her today.
She clutched the object in her hands even tighter, her mouth a thin line as she looked ahead.
Finally, Shannon reached the cemented floor. Her heels sounded way louder now.
Toc, toc, toc, toc.
Like a haunting clock, announcing the loss of precious time, precious youth, precious innocence.
She stopped for a second as she reached her destiny, looking blankly ahead. An inscription was clear and beautifully carved in the stone. She couldn't look at it much further though, her eyes filling up with tears.
Years had passed since that horrible first night at Leafmore High.
How many years had been? Ten? Fifteen probably?
And still everything was clear enough in her mind.
The gravel road crunched again under another set of footsteps.
Shannon kneeled slowly in the ground, caving in to the feelings of loss and defeat.
She wanted to keep it together still, but at the same time she was so damn tired of fighting.
Her hands reluctantly opened finger by finger to let the object they held, fall over the patch of soil in front of her.
And she let her tears fall too, as the footsteps hurried down to her.
Warm hands landed on her shoulders. Silence was interrupted by a ragged but soft breathing in her neckline.
Neither one of them said anything. There was nothing left to say.
Besides of their breaths, silence was still overwhelming.
"You came." Shannon cooed finally.
Still the silence following her words was so thick she doubted she had ever really said them outloud.
Then the uneven breath behind her queued for a second. His response followed after a small hesitation.
"I had to eventually." He murmured.
Shannon let her body fall back, leaning over his chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she closed her eyes, and fell over her shoulders. He kissed her hairline, and embraced her slowly.
"Thank you."
She was so tired of being the strong one, the sane one. She wanted to put her Supergirl cape away for a moment and just give her heart the real chance to mourn correctly.
It felt good to give the load to someone else even for just a moment.
"I'm sorry for not coming earlier."
She sighed. "It's O.K. Stan, I'm just relieved you're here now."
Stan leaned his head on Shannon's damp shoulder, his own tears streaming down now.
They sat for hours in the same cold cemented floor, in the same warm embrace, reminiscing.
Shannon looked at their friends gravestones through the tears in her eyes, and knew that if it wasn't for them, not even they would be alive.
There's no one in town I know,
You gave us some place to go.
I never said thank you for that,
I thought I might get one more chance.
She stood up slowly, Stan followed her lead.
He held her tight as they looked ahead, reading all the carved inscriptions.
Stan pulled a photo out of his coat's pocket, and he and Shannon looked at it. Twenty two years had passed exactly since Leafmore.
And they were still the same.
Shannon knew she hadn't aged a bit since that day. She was forever stuck in the appearance of a seventeen-year-old. Still her eyes, her expresions showed her maturity.
Stan, was different. He did age, but slowly. Unbelievably slowly. Everyday he woke up to the face of an eighteen-year-old, even since he was exactly thirty one now.
That's what Mortfilia left them. Hunting memories, and Eternity to remember them.
They had survived the Mortfilia nightmare, but at what cost? Their loved ones, and their humanity.
And still, they went on. Because they felt they had to. Because it wasn't just about surviving anymore. It was about living. Living, for all of them.
Stan leaned down and stuck the photo in the humid soil, next to Shannon's flowers. They both stood there and looked at them for what seemed forever.
All those smiles, all gone.
Even their own.
As the sun went down, the reflection of the photo made it impossible for them to look at the image anymore.
Stan took Shannon's hand in his. The warmth was recomforting amongst all the cold.
Shannon looked up at him, and a small smile tugged lightly at her lips, but didn't came out at last. Her eyes smiled for her as she looked at Stan. And Stan fondly returned that look at her.
Now what would you think of me now?
So lucky, so strong, so proud.
I never said thank you for that,
Now I'll never have a chance.
She leaned on his shoulder as they looked ahead at their friends. Their gravestones seemed more imponent than ever, and still, as they left the cementery hand in hand that day, they didn't feel lost, or pained, or overwhelmed anymore.
The grieving eased their restless souls, and now, after so many years, having each other for it eased their hearts.
"Thank you." Stan whispered looking back one more time before they parted.
Their eyes were drained from tears. Their hearts were drained from pain. Their souls were drained from hope, but still, they knew they could not give up. Not yet, not never. Not when they still had one reason to fight.
And both Shannon and Stan knew, that they would fight for eternity, together.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me, my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go,
May angels lead you in.
A song for a heart so big,
That god couldn't let it live.