Rafe just sat there, in the moldy room, clinging to physical evidence that
such a man as his friend existed, for there was nothing but that….. Papers,
pictures….. and memories. There was a the light of the setting sun coming
in a near by window. He stared at it, the warmth consuming him. It was
there he broke down and cried. But through his coughing sobs he whispered
"Why. Oh God why!"
He placed his hands over his eyes and rocked himself back and forth.
"I should'a gone first. I was always ready to, I never thought that…" he stopped realizing how foolish he had been leaving Evelyn and Danny, for thinking he was invincible. He knew he was trying to be the hero, even when there was no need for one. Danny had always known that. Heroes do what has to be done, whether they want to do it or not. They do what is right, not thinking of themselves. Danny did that his entire life. Rafe decided at that moment Danny wasn't a hero… he was a legend.
As once quoted:
"Heroes get remembered, but legends never die."
Rafe rose up from his knees and went outside. Leaning against on of the pillars holding up the porch he looked out at the field, where across lay Rafe's house. He stared at his house….. it looked like heaven compared to where he was, and finally saw it from Danny's point of view, not only the landscape, but life, Danny always seemed to be looking toward heaven, something better.
"I'd better go" he thought, and turned around to look in the house one last time. The light coming in the house was smaller, but in it you could see the body of a man. Arms crossed and grinning at his friend. First, in shock Rafe's mouth fell open, then straitening up he just smiled back, tears rolling down his cheeks, the light slowly faded away.
Rafe, closing the door to the house….. Danny's house, bag in hand, glanced at the letter he had just written that was folded and set on the counter. It was addressed
To: Danny
From: Rafe
" Land of the Free, Home of the Brave."
Forever.
"Why. Oh God why!"
He placed his hands over his eyes and rocked himself back and forth.
"I should'a gone first. I was always ready to, I never thought that…" he stopped realizing how foolish he had been leaving Evelyn and Danny, for thinking he was invincible. He knew he was trying to be the hero, even when there was no need for one. Danny had always known that. Heroes do what has to be done, whether they want to do it or not. They do what is right, not thinking of themselves. Danny did that his entire life. Rafe decided at that moment Danny wasn't a hero… he was a legend.
As once quoted:
"Heroes get remembered, but legends never die."
Rafe rose up from his knees and went outside. Leaning against on of the pillars holding up the porch he looked out at the field, where across lay Rafe's house. He stared at his house….. it looked like heaven compared to where he was, and finally saw it from Danny's point of view, not only the landscape, but life, Danny always seemed to be looking toward heaven, something better.
"I'd better go" he thought, and turned around to look in the house one last time. The light coming in the house was smaller, but in it you could see the body of a man. Arms crossed and grinning at his friend. First, in shock Rafe's mouth fell open, then straitening up he just smiled back, tears rolling down his cheeks, the light slowly faded away.
Rafe, closing the door to the house….. Danny's house, bag in hand, glanced at the letter he had just written that was folded and set on the counter. It was addressed
To: Danny
From: Rafe
" Land of the Free, Home of the Brave."
Forever.
