The return... of the Wraith, at least

So the Wraith (in the guise of her mild-mannered alter-ego) sat back and just watched, relieved to be, for a while anyway, rid of the superhero persona for one evening. To just be one of the crowd, watching, listening, just being instead of trying to save the world in 2.5 seconds. The song stuck in her head seemed appropriate –“ I can’t stand to fly/I’m not naïve/I’m just out to find/the better part of me.”

She watched as Guy meandered around, laughing, singing, enjoying himself and thought for a moment how much she missed him while she was off saving the world... or at least her part of it. She realized, watching him, how much her nemesis… nemesi?… enemies almost broke her by getting into her head and using him as leverage, making her think strange and undesired thoughts, making her imagine things that weren’t there. She was so glad to just be back to herself and the simplicity of their relationship. Okay, so she’d admire him from afar and he’d always have a very special place in her heart but with Sucha Flert less of a threat and Zorta Friend quietly stowed away for the moment, she could just relax and enjoy their friendship.

It’s rare for a superhero to have a quiet evening so the Wraith hung on to it with both hands, not wanting the night to end. No distress calls, no warning signals lighting up the sky. Even her sixth sense – which had been working overtime on all the wrong things lately – seemed to be quiet and sedated tonight.

Logi-Gal sat across from her, also enjoying her evening free of sidekick-dom, although she and the Wraith did share a rockin’ duet. The Wraith appreciated her sidekick even more as she watched her laugh and clap and sing along, leaving the cares and woes of her own struggles with the infamous Crush Boy and the rest of the world behind just for this one evening.

For a brief moment, the Wraith wished her whole life could be this simple – friends, drinks, singing, laughing. Then she realized that, without the dangers in her life, without the risks and the chances that she takes every single day, she would not appreciate these simple joys as much. Having gone through such a dark patch recently with her enemies, barely surviving their mental torture and emotional torment, she appreciated being back in the light even more.

Again, the song played in her head – “I’m more than a bird/more than a plane/more than just a pretty face/beside the train.” I am so much more than that, she thought. More than my silly costume and the face that the public sees. “Even heroes have the right to bleed.”

She lingered longer than she should have, not wanting to leave this moment behind. There seemed to be so few of them lately. Finally, with a little regret, she wrapped Guy in a hug, bid him good night and headed out into the night, hoping that it stayed peaceful, that it let her hold on to this moment for just a little while longer – this plain, simple, easy moment – before the world encroached again and she’d have to don her boots and kick some ass.


©2006 Susan Lee/Life On Its Side