He lay on his back in a dark cell that had become his new home. This was not the first time he had an extended stay in prison, they’d like to make it his last. He could hear the grumbling and turning over of the man in the cell next to him, obviously a nightmare was disturbing his sleep. Anyone would have nightmares if they just found out they were set to die. Michael said in a hushed tone, “Hey hero….hero wake up.” He waited for a response that came from the other side of the cement wall. “I am no hero” the deep voice echoed through the corridor. Michael smiled and remembered seeing this man fly over his city, news reporting of the lives that he saved. He remembered once when his grandmother was trapped in a subway, she called him her Angel.
“My Grandmother would say otherwise” he kept quite not wanting to alert the guards. “Old women tell stories…..”
The next morning he walked the yard kicking the rocks at his feet thinking as people moved out of his way. How do you repay a man who doesn’t think he is owed? Where is the justice in killer a hero? He moved slowly around the yard until he sat in his usual spot. “What’s the news?” He asked have paying attention to his lacky as they reported the ins and outs of the prison. “….we owe Guard Jones….” There was always a price. Michael cut the mousey man off, “What do you know about the hero?” The mousey man straightened up at the mention of the bird man. “….ummm he refuses to appeal the judgment, he took down 30 or 40 men the first night here as they were attacked the dog boy. He is scheduled for execution tomorrow.
There was no time. No time to repay him no time to save him. Michael handed the mousey man a slip of paper that he had written on. “Make sure he gets this tonight before lights out.” He took the slip with a bit of hesitation. “Yes Boss!” and he scampered off to collect more information.
Later that night a slip of paper landed on the floor of Hawk’s cell. As he picked it up the paper off the ground, the mousey man spoke, “The Boss wishes you’d reconsider….” And he walked away. Hawk looked at the paper which was a folded photo that had been aged. An elderly black woman holding a baby in a rocking chair smiled at him from the photo. On the back was written.
Your still a hero to some!
-The Boss
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