The Anthem Force Chronicles

"It was supposed to be simple"

School on Monday went by as expected. Everything was in a frenzy over Anthem’s girl sudden resignation. It was weird how many people were suddenly my biggest fans. Everywhere I went people talked in hushed whispers about what the reasoning for my disappearance could be. The worst rumor had to be that I had gotten pregnant… and that it was Vigor’s baby. Ugh. I mean seriously, were did people come up with this stuff? Well, I guess it was fair. The reasoning behind me quitting had remained undisclosed so people had to make up their own stories.

The most heartbroken had to be Jenna. All day she moped around about the fact her favorite superhero couple had broken up.

I did my best trying to act interested in the story; nodding when I had to, gasping at the wild rumors, all part of my act. Deep down though, I was just wishing everyone would forget about it already.

I had been lucky enough to avoid Brian, I didn’t want to have to make awkward small talk with him.

When I got home even my mom seemed to be caught up in the madness. She kept trying to talk about different possibilities no matter how many times I tried to change the subject.

I was grateful when she had to leave for work and after an hour or two of homework I was ready to crash.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like that was going to happen.

I was sitting at my kitchen table, finishing up my algebra, when I heard a giant crash come from the next apartment over.

My first thought was to grab my Anthem Girl costume and go investigate. I had to stop myself midstride when I remembered that wasn’t something I did anymore.

Still, wasn’t it my neighboring duty to go check it out? Besides, the next apartment over were the Benson’s and they were supposed to be out of town for the week. If a mysterious noise from a ‘vacant’ apartment wasn’t suspicious then I don’t know what is.

Despite my better judgment I decided to go check it out.

Slinking over the fire escape, I crouched by the open window. I hadn’t bothered to change into my Anthem Girl costume, I was just plain old Dante Caslon.

I looked into the window to study the scene in front of me, making sure to stay out of sight.

There was definitely something suspicious going on. A figure was sneaking around the apartment grabbing things and putting them in a burlap sack.

The whole scene reminded me of something out of a cheesy burglar movie. I half expected to see the culprit dressed in a white and black striped shirt, beanie, and stereotypical burglar mask.

But when the figure turned around, I was in for a bigger surprise.

I had to put my hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp because snatching things up in the Benson’s apartment was none over then Nightshade.

I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I couldn’t exactly barge in uncostumed, say some witty banter, and expect him to give himself up.

Should I call the police?

That’s what a respectable citizen should do, right? But no, my curiosity, or maybe it was stupidity, once again got the better then me. One day I would learn to think things through more, but today was not that day. 

Nightshade grabbed a few more items and then dashed out an open window and swiftly maneuvered down the fire escape. He didn’t see me so I did what any normal person would do; I jumped over the railing of the fire escape to the level below, shimmied down, and landed safely on the concrete of the back alleyway.

Wasting no time I hurried off to follow Nightshade.

I thought I was nimble but Nightshade almost surpassed me. When I had followed him on top of the buildings the over day he must have been slowing down for me. Now, Nightshade prowled through the street, jumping in and out of the shadows and climbing up and down buildings like some sort of sly jungle cat.

I had lost him a few times but somehow always managed to find him again.

Finally he stopped in front of a run-down building. I realized it was an apartment building, in even worse shape then mine. It was the kind of place that came up on the news as the lair of mass murderers or meth labs. The bricks were faded and crumbling and bars lined every window.

Nightshade came up on the door and pulled off his mask while I hid behind a mailbox on the main street.

Nightshade walked inside and I crawled over to the side with the windows, the building was small so there were only a few.

I looked into every room until I found what I was looking for.

Nightshade was sitting at a kitchen table, pulling items out of the sack. A young boy, about twelve, was standing next to him, helping grab the items. He looked just like a younger Nightshade, the same dark hair and lanky features.

Nightshade pulled out a sweatshirt from the bag and the younger boy grabbed it thankfully.

A younger girl, around eight, ran into the room, she also looked like Nightshade but even from the distance I noticed she had blue eyes instead of Nightshade’s brown. She hugged Nightshade and he messed up her hair.

He pulled out a blanket from the sack and handed it to her, the girl ran put it on the couch. The last item I saw Nightshade take was a giant wad of cash. 

Another figure entered the room, a women who seemed to be in her mid-forties. Her features were pretty although her eyes were tired. It was easy to see she was very sick.

Nightshade pulled her into a gentle hug and suddenly everything clicked.

I used to think there was good and evil. Right and wrong. It was supposed to be simple, black and white. I was the good guy and Nightshade was the bad guy. Or at least that’s what I thought.

Apparently everything wasn’t as simple as it seemed. Nightshade may have been apart of the terror troop and commit crimes but I always thought it was because there was something inside him, something evil, that made him enjoy doing bad things. I should have known he was different. Everything he did, he did for his family.

I used to think it was simple, but I was wrong.