Hero. A Halfassed Poem.... thing.

Hero

Look outside.

Fear.

Death.

Hate.

What can I do?

How can I help?

Put it on.

A Hat.

A Coat.

A Mask.

No Thanks Needed.

Stand for what's right.

Honor.

Charity.

Compassion.

Help the Helpless.

Defend the Defenseless.

Code of a Hero.

A Symbol of Hope.

Discovering Ashes (12)

The stairs themselves were rusty, metal grated stairs. Obviously not meant for public use. I mean, what architect in their right mind would make the general public go up and down creaky, creepy, metal grates for stairs? They didn't match the outside at all! Hell, even the inside – as much as it was falling apart – had that weird.... pseudo-Gothic architecture all over! Arches, mini statues and gargoyles. Was this place really the main way hundreds of thousands of people got to this city? 

 

No matter.

I pulled open the rusted gate that closed the stairs off. Its bolts and hinges screamed at me to stop, to let it rust in peace. Chills went up my spine at the sound along with the piercing of my ears. Still, I had a job to do. Which meant running into the depths of hell if I had to.

“Here goes nothing...” I mumbled as I took my first few steps onto the stairs.

The grates shook with each move I made. Shift my weight to the left? Whole stairway moved, and a new layer of rust and dirt hit the ground beneath me. This was going to be fun...

With each step, I could hear the grates below me bending and bowing with a weight they hadn't felt in decades. God, where was Dex and his constant joking when I needed him? Anything to get my mind off of the idea of falling through one of these things and getting stuck in the oldest, dankest, darkest “basement” I'd ever seen in my life. Or smelled in this case. I swear, my light didn't go any farther than maybe twenty feet before all of the dust and dirt in the air just stopped it!

My heartbeat quickened as my feet touched the ground at the end of the stairway. I felt like I was some kind of explorer in an ancient ruin in some forgotten area of the world. For a minute, I wondered if this was what those jackass urban explorers I'd seen on the news loved about places like this. But that didn't make any sense, because they talked about the thrill and excitement of it all. I just felt like I wasn't welcome. An overwhelming sense of dread and hate filled the air all around me.

Discovering Ashes (11)

Immediately, I moved into the station itself. Inside, it was dark. Of course, that's something I should've expected from a rundown, abandoned train station, even in the afternoon! But something about it was off. It was too dark inside. With the sun blazing down outside, it should've been dark, but I still should've been able to see for Christ's sake!

“'ey Jack, Imma head to the left, see what's down that way. Alright?”

Did Dex say something? I wasn't too sure. I kept hearing something in the distance. Echoing.

“You hear that?” I asked. “It's like a... kid. I swear, I hear a kid down here!”

“A kid? You're hearin' things, Jackie-boy!”

“Heh.. Yeah, you're probably right. Just the wind or somethin', right?”

Dex moved off to the left, mentioning that he'd be down that way if I needed him or something. That sound I kept hearing was still nagging at me. The way the building looked on the inside wasn't helping matters, either. The wind or whatever it was that kept making that noise was making me a bit uneasy. It sounded... human, but not. And the way the crumbling walls looked in the darkness around me? It just made the whole area look – what? Odd? Out of it? Alien? Yeah, Alien's a good way of putting it. It didn't look or sound or feel like anything any sane person would ever build!

Shaking my head, I tried to get rid of the uneasiness. Nothing doing.

“S'okay, Jack,” I assured myself. “Just your mind playing tricks on ya.”

I walked forward, trying to keep an eye out for anyone or anything suspicious. Maybe I'd find the murderer and get some kind of medal? Would be kinda hard to know who he was or anything, though, since I didn't get to look at the body. How would I know what weapon he used?

Dammit, Holmes! That's filed under 'Shit I Need To Know'!

I got really nervous as soon as that thought hit me. A few deep breathes should've calmed me down, but they didn't. I pulled my pistol and flashlight from their respective spots on my belt. My right thumb flipped the safety off while the other pushed in the button on the end of the flashlight. The light was pretty damn bright in the dark. It comforted me in a weird way. At least now I could see what was shadow and what was rubble!

To my immediate left was a set of stairs, leading down. It was a good thing I'd turned on my light when I did, because otherwise, I probably would've missed it!

Discovering Ashes (Part .... Whatever.)

Chuckling, Dex answered the call. Sam sounded pissed!.... Or possibly annoyed. With her, it was hard for me to tell sometimes!

“Hey there, Sam-Girl! Whatcha got for us?”

“Cut the crap, Dexter. We've got a two-forty-one on South Wenchester. All hands on deck for this one, boys!”

“ Two-forty-one?” I mouthed.

I could feel the blood rushing to my face. My heart skyrocketed. In some morbid way, I was excited, relieved to get away from the semi-boring life of handing out speeding tickets every day. A real, honest to God murder! God help me, I felt like I was about to jump out of my seat, giddy as a school girl! It meant that I was back to helping keep the streets clean, catching the real bad guys!

“Jesus Christ, Sam... Gimme an address, we'll be there as soon as we can.”

“2540. You'd better hurry.”

“2540?” I repeated. “That's the old Station, isn't it?”

Dex shrugged.

“We're already there, Sammy.”

***

I was a bit surprised to find that I was right when I asked if the address was the old train station. When we pulled up to it, I was mesmerized. I didn't really see the patrol cars or even the forensics van. My entire attention was drawn to the building itself. Dilapidated, rotting away. A shell of it's former self. But what was so impressive about it was the sculptures surrounding almost every arch and archway. Every window. Some were small, others were.... huge. But not.

It felt like I was sitting in the car for a lifetime, admiring the works. Drawn in by the building. But it can't have been long, because the sound of a door opening brought me back to real life. Back to what I could only assume would be perimeter duty.

I'll be damned if I get stuck keeping the press-jockeys out!

Dex and I walked in tandem towards the main group of cops and detectives. And who should be there to acquaint us with the scene but the Queen Bitch of Ineptitude herself; Dick Holmes.

“Oh Fuck meee....” I whispered to Dex.

“I know, right? Looks like a fuckin' cold one already.”

“I swear, I can feel the bitchiness, Dex. It's contaminating the air!”

I chuckled a bit when Dex let out a nice, loud laugh. I swear, the guy found anything funny. It was good to have him as a partner sometimes. He helped keep things lite. Of course, his laughter drew the attention of most of the force there. Including Holmes.

“Well, well, if it isn't Carnegie and his boyfriend! Good of you two to join us!” She chided.

“My my, Detective! You remembered my name! Did the Lieutenant tie a string 'round your finger this morning? Or did you have to study flashcards last night?!”

Holmes was quiet for a second. Dex flipped her the bird with a smile on his face. A few of the guys and gals around us laughed a bit. Given just what we were here for, I'm sure it was a welcome distraction.

“So what's the deal, Detective?” I asked after everything'd calmed down and she went back to barking out orders.

Holmes glared at me. I swore, she was trying to stare a hole right through me or something! I wonder if she wished she had laser vision or something like that?

“Since you seem to think that my job's so easy, Officer, then you get to go looking through the lower levels for any would-be murderers! Try not to touch anything... important, you got it? Mark and bag up evidence as you come across it.”

I thanked whatever God was listening that I wasn't stuck keeping random people behind the yellow tape. I'm sure Holmes thought she was being clever by 'forcing' me to go look for whoever might've done.... whatever had been done.

Adversity

In our lives we are pressed against the wall numerous times. We face adversity constantly, and those who would harm us show no signs of stopping. But the measurement of a truly good, truly strong person is not by how much they attain, but by how much strength they have through that adversity. Through our problems, we find a courage and determination not seen at any other time in our lives. It is at that moment, when you're ready to give up, that your true nature can shine through and when you can stand up and say, "I. Will. Not. Quit."