The Rising Shadow

Chapter 2

A change for the better

6/21/10

At the age of 13 Dave approached me and said “James I think you’re ready”. I look at him funny “ready? Ready for what”? He laughed and said “you’ll see” he takes me down the hallway he stops and removes a picture off the wall, he then removes a cover of wood and presses a button. the house makes a small vibration, and the stops, a door then opens up on the opposite side of the hallway. Dave gestures me to follow him in, a million questions come to mind but, I couldn’t pick one to ask so I stayed silent. The door closes and we start moving down, after a few seconds the door opens up to reveal a secret lair (which resembled more of a bomb shelter then the batcave). We both walked in and then approach a table, Dave goes to the other side of the table and faces me. Dave then says “James I think it is about time I pass onto you something I’m too old to carry out, it’s something I’ve been planning for a while now and its really something I’ve wanted to do, but your more right for this then I am”. Mixed emotions start going by shocked, honored, excitement, joy and pride. Dave then says “this is only really a sketch but I’ve labeled it,

PROJECT SHADOW

I’ve run out of ideas on this project, so I’m hoping that you can shed some new ideas on this”. At last I thought this must be my destiny. I nodded my head out of excitement and thrill I Cleared my throat and said “ok let’s get to work”.

5/6/12

After a few years had passed we finally came up with a costume but there was only one issue neither of us could come up with a symbol, so we stopped working and decided to get some fresh air and take a walk. Hopefully we would have an idea on our way back so we did, on our way back the inevitable happened a drunken driver was driving at a high rate of speed and was heading towards me. Dave immediately  snapped into action, he pushed me out of the way and takes the impact of the car, suddenly two cop cars come out of nowhere one chases after the driver the other pulls up beside us and calls for ems, the officer also gets out of his vehicle and even preforms first aid till the ambulance arrived. This event shook me more than anything else my fear of losing everything was instantly back full force. Finally the ambulance arrives and two paramedics hop out perform their duties and put him in the back of the ambulance and drive off without me, I suddenly turn to the officer who was about to leave and join the pursuit, I went to him and begged to take me to the hospital I wanted to be with him the officer complied and drove me there. We arrive at the hospital just as Dave was being taken into the hospital I ran towards him and held his hand and said I’m here for you Dave was immediately admitted to the ER the nurse said to sit down and they would fill me in on the details. Hours passed with no word a doctor walked up to me and says son we have your friend in intensive care and there are no rooms available to stay with him in he offered to get someone to drive me back home and they would give a call when they could. It was 8 pm and dark I was taken home and I walk into the house a turn on the TV just for reference. At 9:30 the news came on the anchor let out some bad news, all of America is sadden by the loss of navy seal captain Dave, the soldier died of chest trauma in a heroic deed to save a child in danger after a drunk driver came at the child full speed, Dave reacted and pushed the child out of the way there were two responding officers that drove up on the scene in progress, one chased after the offender and the other waited till paramedics arrived, the child’s name has not been released to the press yet but we will tell you more on this unfolding story news at 11. I turned off the TV after that the phone rang but I already knew who it was I picked it up full of tears and said, if you’re going to tell me hes dead your already late I heard it on the news then I hung up. In that moment of sorrow the grandfather clock went off. I saw the clock before it had roman numbers on it but I still looked at it the clock struck 10 o’clock a moment of inspiration struck me. The roman number for 10 was x but this x had me in its grasp then the answer became clear I found the symbol for the suit. When I finished the design I said to myself Dave I wish you were here to see this.