Watchmen: Aim at the Moon

Chapter 3 ~ News

It was ten til midnight, I was sweeping food in a dust pan. Everyone left except for me. I hated my job and life right now. What was the purpose, if I had a chance to jump back in the game I would. What was stopping me then? Was it fear? No, couldn't be. My dazed was interrupted. The door to the diner swung open.

"Closed!" I called out. I didn't bother looking up.

"Two minutes left." I recognized that grim voice.

I quickly turned around, "Rorschach?" I gasped.

"Miss Erin." Rorschach looked at me. I looked back, the inkblots on his mask moved and were never the same even if you looked twice. With his hands in the pockets, Rorschach just stared at me. I stared back, I didn't feel intimidated by his glare for some reason. He turned away and took a seat at a nearby booth. Shutting the blinds, I obliged to do so for the rest of the the windows.

"Yeah sure, just sit anywhere." I mumbled.

"News." His hoarse voice said. He just sat there like he was expecting this meeting to happen. I wasn't even expecting to see him after years of no communication, no sighting, and no news. The often dead gangster with likely dangerous psychopath reason, were the only updates.

"Is there anything I can get you first?" I asked.

"Beans." His one word answers were intimidating, worse than his silence.

"We have a few cans left." I said making my way to the kitchen, "Want them warmed up?"

"Hurm." Rorschach sighed grimly.

I took that as no. I poured the beans in a bowl along with a spoon. My eyes spotted the new bag of sugar cubes we recieved today, I grabbed a few cubes they had a hint of vanilla in them. I placed all the items down in front of the vigilante.

Rorschach's mask was half rolled up, revealing his scruff whiskers and freckles that were around his nose and cheeks.

There was dead silence for about a whole minute. I watched this man should I even call him that, slurped each bite of beans.

"Rorschach, why are you here?" I asked annoyed, "It's been years, I heard things about you on the news, but why now come and see me?"

"Came to warn." Rorschach said between slurps.

"Warn? Warn about what?" I stared at him with general concern.

"Eddie Blake, the Comedian. Dead. Most likely hunted down." Rorschach just stared emotionlessly straight ahead. Felt as if his glare was piercing my soul, looking for whatever evil sin I've done. The words still didn't sink in yet, "You could be next."

"Wait wait wait... The Comedian, dead? Hard to believe Rorschach." I curled my lip.

"Believe, someone is gunning down masked heroes." Rorschach placed the spoon in the empty bowl.

"Possibly." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Member or not, you did justice." Rorschach pointed out. I looked down, he was right I was never a crime buster, but did do justice for the city.

"I did what the police are too corrupt to do." I sneered in anger.

"Been watching, thought you could be suspect. Not likely, not enough motivation." Rorschach adjusted his mask over his face.

"Not enough motivation?! Rorschach, the man fucking killed my brother! He was a bastard of a hero! If anything, I'm pretty sure enemies had him at number one on their kill list." I was angry, "You also thought I might have killed Blake?! Rorschach, I barely talked to the man let alone see anyone from the crime busters."

"Watched you, always working, always here." Rorschach adjusted his scarf.

"Listen Rorschach, it was great seeing you. Really, if I had a chance to jump back in the game. I would." I explained.

"Problem, this is no game." Rorschach sneered at my remark. He was about to get up, I grabbed his arm and forced him to sit down.

"You're an asshat." I sneered back, "What about the others?"

"Hurm." Rorschach sighed.

"Rorschach, I want in on this. If your theory is true, then that means anyone could be next." I wanted back in, I wanted to do something.

"Suspect knew Blake, knew him on a personal level." Rorschach pointed out, "Talked to Dan, Miss Juspeczyk, Dr. Manhattan, Veidt.. all questioned. All no help."

"So no suspects than? I slammed my hand on the table. I placed my hand in a small fist, and lightly knocked it on the table, "What do you have now?"

"No compromise." Rorschach was firm.

I stared at Rorschach blankly, "You're kidding."

"Can't risk it." Rorschach started to make a fist.

"Damn you, maybe I want to help. I have no purpose after I retired. I wanted to get back in the saddle."

"Then why quit?" Rorschach looked liked he raised one of his eyebrows.

"I don't know." I looked down in embarrassment.

"Scared." Rorschach answered.

"My aim is off. I haven't been able to shoot correctly." I lied. He knew it.

"Lies." Damn his one word answers.

"I haven't been able to, I don't know why Rorschach. I wish I had an answer." I was pissed.

"Hurm." Rorschach sighed once again.

I got up and headed towards the back door.

"Door's already locked. I think I can trust you. You know what to do." I flickered off the light and like that the room went dark. The only thing that flickered was a neon smiley face lamp.

I exited out the back. I walked along the cold streets of New York. I reached the bus stop. It was the last bus tonight and I managed to reach it just in time. As I sat in the empty bus with the occasional random riders, I kept thinking over and over again. Eddie Blake, the Comedian, he was really dead. He made enemies. I took it upon myself to call about the funeral later. Someone had to know about it.

There was another question that didn't sit well with me. I neared my stop, and I gathered my items. The question that boggled my mind was, "Is it smart to leave a psychopath in a closed restaurant?" The answer was in my question.