Chapter One: The Funeral
It was the evening of April 23, 1957, when Edna got the call. A designing genius, Edna was hardly ever fazed by anything. As she held the telephone to her ear, her face went white and her self-confident grin slid off of her face. Edna was in shock, barely able to comprehend anything. "Al-alright," she faltered. "April 30, 10:00 am. I'll be there."
That night, Edna couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, unable to shake the horrible feeling of guilt that had lodged itself in the pit of her stomach. Finally, she slept, though restlessly. When she woke the next morning, she felt unrested, worse than before. Edna moved through the following week on autopilot, barely eating, barely sleeping, continuously muttering to herself, "My fault. It's all my fault."
On the morning of April 30, Edna found herself sitting alone in the back pew of a tiny country church. She wore a floor-length black silk dress, and a long black veil hid her eyes, which were red and puffy from weeping. The church was filled with the sounds of crying. Friends, family, and Supers couldn't keep their eyes dry. Finally, at 10:00 am exactly, the church bells rang as a man stepped into the pulpit.
"Friends and family," he began, "we are gathered here in memory of Natasha Steering, also known by her Superhero alias Stratogale. Natasha was an amazing, passionate, kind, and loving young woman. She took on every challenge with which she was faced with cheerfulness and integrity. She loved helping people, and never hesitated to put other's needs above her own. These are the qualities which made her such a beloved Super."
Pausing, he wiped his eyes. "Natasha hid her powers and Superhero alias of Stratogale for 3 years. She made her first appearance in May of 1954, at age 14, when she saved the passengers and crew of a small aircraft after it experienced engine failure mid-flight. She quickly grew in popularity and continued to save many, while also continuing her life as Natasha Steering. However, on April 23 of this year, less than a month away from 3 full years of crime-fighting and only 2 weeks away from her 17th birthday, Natasha was the victim of a horrible accident. While flying alongside an airplane after confirming that a malfunction warning was a false alarm, her cape was caught in the turbine, pulling her in and killing her instantly." The man's voice cracked, and he broke down sobbing, along with many others.
"Edna could no longer contain herself. She started weeping uncontrollably. "No capes," she whispered to herself, "No capes, no capes, ever! No capes!" The guilt was so overwhelming. Wave after wave of the horrible guilt followed by more and more tears crashed over her. Vaguely, Edna wondered if she would always feel like this. She thought back to the last time she saw Natasha. It was at Robert and Helen's wedding, about 2 months ago. It was a small ceremony- the couple, the officiant, their fellow Supers, and Edna herself. Robert was extremely late, she remembered, but no one seemed to mind that much. She remembered watching Helen and Natasha talk on and on. Helen viewed Natasha as a little sister, as she was only a few years older, and Natasha greatly admired and looked up to Helen. Helen had taken the younger girl under her wing and had always looked out for her.
Suddenly, Edna was snapped out of her memories. She glanced up and saw that the man had exited the pulpit. As she watched, all the Super in attendance stood up in unison. Together, they pressed their right fist against their heart and then lifted it above their head at an angle- the final salute of the Supers towards their fallen brethren. Slowly, people filed out of the church. Edna was the last person left. After a long while, she too got up and left the small building.