Too young to fade. Too good to lose. By inches, by bits, by pieces, he, a man of morals and ethics, a man that leaves an everlasting impression of kindness, a man of love, is waning. Only sixty six and with a life-changing diagnosis. Two years, five months, and thirteen days in counting. The happenings obscure, the flow of things lost, and the images of loved memories vague. His life turned into a mess, his work was no less a nightmare. The growing discomfort and anxiety from his mind being blocked, like he was, and still is, running into a wall and the visuals of his past were hiding away from him. No matter how much he concentrated, no matter how much he tried to write and recall, no matter how much he lived, he could not remember. He wanted to remember. But what was there to remember if it no longer existed?
Grandpa.
In Downtown Detroit, sporting a large, male black sweatshirt and gray stretch leggings, Serenity Lavi rushed through RiverWalk like a tempest. As she darted past the many visitors, tourists and civilians alike, of this grand, 31-acre state park, all who wanted to take in the breathtaking view of the Detroit River and the city skyline, the relatively small woman kept to herself and avoided the non-stop course of thoughts that correlated with her morning, her week, and her life in general. With fair, olive skin and an avalanche of dark chocolate hair tousled up within a hair tie, she gave no one a chance to register her appearance for more than a second. The constant cycle of motion and the deliberate decision to not stray from one single thought.
Run.
Serenity wanted this moment to be brainless. She would watch the recording of the press conference later. Look through her family recipe book and pick what to make for her grandfather when she visited him next tonight. Don't even get her started with her actually planning her wedding. She'd get to it eventually. Her darling friend, Dottie, constantly reminded her of how she was too focused on everyone else, but herself.
You should hire a planner. That was money she did not want to spend. You should let me help you then! That could go terribly wrong, real fast. Oh, come on! You have enough going on with the mayor being dead and all. Thank you, Dottie.
There was a tightening knot in her throat as she fought through the park, running on the trail beside the river. There was a darkness in the world that marched toward each and everyone of us like an invading army, but with darkness came light. Hope. The line dividing peace and the turmoil, the transition from storm to calm, and the joining of sunshine and water droplets to create rainbows. It was these brief moments, where she had time to close her eyes, feel the warmth of the sun, hear the whistle in the wind, or even just, breath, that reminded her that she could find color in a seemingly colorless world. One's perspective truly mattered in times like these, especially someone in her position, who had a duty to protect and inspire.
Slowly bringing herself to a halt, to catch her breath, Serenity made her way to a wishing well where there were two little girls glancing down at the the clear water, where hundreds of pennies, some green with age, laid. Each penny represented a heartfelt wish or prayer. From selfish wants to desperate needs. This was how things were. People needed hope, even if it was in the form of a penny in a well. In a world of trouble and doubt, we seek a distant star that assures us, yes, there are more stars out there. With the title of being an Enhanced, Serenity was obligated to not be a little girl, who tossed a penny in a well to ease her mind, but to be the star that the penny wished and prayed for.
"My mom wants me to toss my collection." One of the little girls, with blonde curls and a jumper dress on, leaned against the rim of the well, sighing dramatically. It wasn't fair. She liked her collection. "She doesn't want me to be sad when our heroes let us down. When Barrage lets me down." Serenity's blue gaze went from the tiny blonde's face to the action figure in her hand. An action figure of her in full combat wear. The Wonder Woman of Detroit.
"Do you agree with her, Lissie?" The other girl tugged at her friend's sleeve. She had her black hair in a french braid and wore a jean jacket, a white tank, and a red plaid skirt. "Do you believe they'll fail?"
Lissie frowned at her friend's questions and held the figurine tightly in no longer one, but both of her hands. She was only ten. What should she believe? Up until recently, there was peace in Detroit and crime was kept moderately low. Thanks to the heroes of her home who were 'of the people, by the people, for the people', she could sleep without worrying about stranger danger. Up until recently, all her friends had no care in the world and could focus on being children, each relating to one of the members of the Coalition. She aspired to be strong and not be underestimated, just like Barrage, who fought along side other Enhanced but kept at the front lines with her fiancé taking on obstacles that varies in degree heads on. Up until recently, her parents didn't bicker about the Coalition and didn't try to change her opinion on her heroes. "I don't know what to believe, May... but I don't want to give up on them. Do you?"
"If they don't find the nutcase soon, yeah, I'm giving up on them. I don't want to know there's some psycho killer out there. There's always the chance that THEY are psychos too. Have you thought about that? The bad guy is just like them! What if he IS one of them. Who knows what they're fully capable of! I don't want to believe in people that can end my life so fast." May grumbled, spewing out words she heard from her own mother.
Before any of the girls could say much more, Serenity rolled a bronze coin on her knuckles and then tossed it in the well. Staying completely silent, she watched it sink and join the other coins. The two girls looked across the well at the baby-faced woman and said nothing more. Lissie locked her gaze with her eyes. They were like storm clouds right before lightning hit. A whirlpool of apprehension. The color of a clear blue sky through a broken prison wall. Gorgeous and expressive, even with such a stoic face.
There was familiarity with this older woman, but Lissie didn't want to assume. Lifting up her figurine, she compared the two before her lips went ajar at the realization that her assumption was reality. May was too annoyed about the fact that there was a stranger in her domain to really care to look at the woman's face. With a twinkle in her eyes, the blonde widely grinned at Serenity and nodded to herself, coming to terms with what she wanted to do, "I'll believe."
With that, the understated beauty, whose imperfections made her perfect, from the shyness to her to the deceiving frame and face that made her look more vulnerable than she actually was, gave a genuine, comforting smile, causing an unexpected warmth to rush through her devoted admirer's cheeks.
There was a reminiscent glow of happiness that Serenity had coursing through her. A glow that she would not kill. There was someone who still believed in her, she couldn't let her worries, doubts, and woes stop her. Serenity would keep vigilant and continue to fight the great fight because to someone, she was a bright star.
The two girls watched Barrage jog off.
"What do you think she wished for?" May annoyingly asked, crossing her arms and raising her eyebrows in curiosity.
"Nothing." Lissie quietly responded back.
