Red Nova: Five Years Later
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 3:28 pm
"Sergeant Michael P. Sanderson."
A bell rang, its somber tone echoing through the gymnasium.
"Officer Gregory S. Savage."
Another chime of the bell. Despite the mass of people that had gathered to pay their respects, it was so quiet that one could hear each ring fade away into silence before the next name was read. She wasn't surprised at such a turnout; the NYPD had always been a close-knit family, and they grieved for their fallen together as a unit.
"Officer Kellyanne D. Sawyer."
Caitlin Ryan stood among the crowd, willing with every fiber of her being that the chaplain would stop reading there. It had been five years since that day, but the wounds it had left were just as fresh as if it had been yesterday. The extremis had healed her broken body, but it could not heal her broken heart. It was an entirely irrational hope; she'd watched him die. Still all she could do was mentally plead for his name not to be next, not to be on that list at all. 'Not him. Please not him'.
"Officer Travis L. Scott."
Her hand went to her mouth as she choked back a sob. Her head swam... someone to her left, a woman, reached out to comfort her, rubbing her shoulder gently. Tears stung her eyes and turned the crowd around her to a blur. She didn't even register Travis's chime.
'If only I'd had this then,' she thought, looking at her hand, flexing it. 'I could have done something. I would have done something. I'd have burnt every last one of those goddamn monsters to ash.' Her heart was ringing in her ears. 'I would have saved you, Travis. I swear to God I would have saved you.'
A large hand grasped her by the shoulder then, and her father's comforting voice pierced through her building rage.
"Deep breath, kiddo. Deep breath."
The tears were gone when she looked up, evaporated in an instant against the blistering heat of her skin. Sweat beaded down her father's face, and the woman beside her cradled her burned hand protectively. Caitlin took a deep breath and drew herself back, swallowed down the inferno within her that begged for release.
"Yeah, pop. Thanks. I'm good."
OOC: Perception Check: 1D20+5 = [11]+5 = 16
A bell rang, its somber tone echoing through the gymnasium.
"Officer Gregory S. Savage."
Another chime of the bell. Despite the mass of people that had gathered to pay their respects, it was so quiet that one could hear each ring fade away into silence before the next name was read. She wasn't surprised at such a turnout; the NYPD had always been a close-knit family, and they grieved for their fallen together as a unit.
"Officer Kellyanne D. Sawyer."
Caitlin Ryan stood among the crowd, willing with every fiber of her being that the chaplain would stop reading there. It had been five years since that day, but the wounds it had left were just as fresh as if it had been yesterday. The extremis had healed her broken body, but it could not heal her broken heart. It was an entirely irrational hope; she'd watched him die. Still all she could do was mentally plead for his name not to be next, not to be on that list at all. 'Not him. Please not him'.
"Officer Travis L. Scott."
Her hand went to her mouth as she choked back a sob. Her head swam... someone to her left, a woman, reached out to comfort her, rubbing her shoulder gently. Tears stung her eyes and turned the crowd around her to a blur. She didn't even register Travis's chime.
'If only I'd had this then,' she thought, looking at her hand, flexing it. 'I could have done something. I would have done something. I'd have burnt every last one of those goddamn monsters to ash.' Her heart was ringing in her ears. 'I would have saved you, Travis. I swear to God I would have saved you.'
A large hand grasped her by the shoulder then, and her father's comforting voice pierced through her building rage.
"Deep breath, kiddo. Deep breath."
The tears were gone when she looked up, evaporated in an instant against the blistering heat of her skin. Sweat beaded down her father's face, and the woman beside her cradled her burned hand protectively. Caitlin took a deep breath and drew herself back, swallowed down the inferno within her that begged for release.
"Yeah, pop. Thanks. I'm good."
OOC: Perception Check: 1D20+5 = [11]+5 = 16