Justice League: A New Chapter

Chapter 4: Forgotten Past

Jared had broken into what used to be a family owned store in search for some food, the group was a bit hungry. Tabby was demanding something chocolate, you know how girls are. It was run down and abandoned, like everything else in this world. The shelves had been ransacked long before, but the stock room might have something left in it. Having to cut through a small hallway in the back to reach it, he saw a closed door with four pairs of shoes in front of it. A flashback smacked him hard in the face back when he was with his old friends, scouring empty buildings for food, when he had went to open a door and Taylor had stopped him. "Don't go into rooms with shoes out front, unless you really want to see something sad." She had said, pulling him away from the door. Outside this door were three pairs of children shoes, and one pair of mens. Curiosity killed the cat, and he opened the door. The sight made him want to gag. Three kids, all under ten years old, and who appeared to be their father were hanging by their necks in nooses tied to the ceiling. The smell of decay was overwhelming and suffocating. He backed out of the room, slamming the door shut and gasping for breath. Even infected air was better than that room. Suicide always got to Jared, it made him way more sad than murder, or rape, or theft. Suicide was the worst thing. It meant despair, it meant an overwhelming sadness. And those kids, they couldn't have known what they were doing. Just did as they were told, and they died. For nothing. That was the worst way to die in Jareds opinion. Dying for nothing. He took a deep breath, and went back into the room. He stood on a chair, untying the ropes that held the children to the ceiling. He took them one by one, carefully cradling them in his arms as he lay them side by side next to each other. He covered them with his jacket, and said a blessing so they could be at peace. He left the father hanging there. He deserved it. And then he left the room, locking the door from the inside. Nobody would disturb them again, and they could be at peace. He went into the back room, took some chocolate bars for Tabby, and then left the store.

MEANWHILE

Taylor gripped the picture frame tightly, her breath catching in her throat as she remembered better times. Happiness, laughter, friendship. The picture was of all of her friends, Sierra, Logan, Sue, Jared, Hannah... Everyone was laughing and smiling, they were at the park when the picture was taken. The sun was shining, everything was great. She remembered that day clearly, it was just an ordinary day. Summertime, warm and comforting. Those memories were like ice now. Why couldn't it have stayed that way, forever? The happiness and care for one another, the sun shining on a beautiful day. Where had it all gone? And why? Tears pattered against the glass of the frame as her body shook with sobs. Logan and Sue were dead, she was the only one left. And she'd make sure they didn't die in vain.