psinex@yahoo.com Bucket by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: They're Marvel's. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. SPOILER WARNING: This is immediately after X-Men 113 ... if you haven't read that, then don't read this if you don't want to know what happens to ... well ... -------------------------------------------------------- He was left on the ground. I really would've thought they would at least have had the decency, after all the times they fought, to take his corpse somewhere. The ground. Not IN it, not properly, but on it. Like a discarded bucket. Even I, whom have at times wanted to do vile things to the man, would have at least picked up his body and taken it somewhere. That is a son's duty, is it not ? At the very least, to make sure that his father's body is buried properly ? I have run, and run, and run, my entire life. Him, I will never be able to outrun. Some would say that after my mindwipe - temporary as it was, mind you - I should have been the first to desire the death of my father. Magneto, after all, had little if any regard for the feelings or rights of his children. He was willing to kill me, on Avalon. His lackey came close to killing my daughter, simply because of her lack of an x-factor. He caused untold amounts of suffering. He also endured untold amounts of suffering. Violence begets violence, some say. All I can speak to is the gaping emptiness in my chest. What is this void ? Is it grief ? Is it guilt ? I am afraid, I think, to admit that I cannot name what I feel. At least I can see Luna, talk to Crystal, share memories with Wanda. I cannot fill this hole - this bucket - in my chest. Not yet. -------------------------------------------------------- Oh, spirits ... What DO I believe in ? A god ? The same god that the people who chased Pietro and I all those years ago ? Certainly not the figurehead, sprawled in a bloody heap in Magda Square. "Magda Square." Part of me is so ANGRY at him, for daring to slander my mother's name by using it to label that awful place in that awful country. I wanted to make a difference, before, when I went there as an observer. It didn't really matter. I wonder if I've failed as much as Father did - my children are dead, my husband dating a teammate, my boyfriend leaving me with a choice to come away with him and give up my life. The emptiness ... Oh, spirits. Agatha, I tried to believe in your deities ! I KNOW there are demons, they stole my babies, and I know there are demagogues, one died today. Demagogue. Am I too cruel ? They flow, my tears ... Drops. Drops, to fill a bucket I'm so scared I can never fill, because I never made the effort, not truly, in life. Father. Magneto. Overlord. Founder of the Brotherhood. Grandfather to my niece. Teacher of the New Mutants. White King of Hellfire. Ruler of Genosha. Deity of the Acolytes. So MANY names. One bucket. Two children, one empty space. Two lost, lonely siblings, surrounded by loved ones, yet we can't reach out. Not yet. Except to each other. And we try to fill this bucket. -------------------------------------------------------- end -------------------------------------------------------- __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/ ============================================================ FREE AIRLINE TICKETS TO HAWAII...WIN A BMW Z3 ROADSTER... FREE VACATION PLANNER! Click NOW for these great offers - then get ready to hit the road or the beach - FREE! http://click.topica.com/caaabUnaVxiJRaVz48Jf/Aptimus ============================================================ ***** Are you frustrated dealing with your computer problems? Have you ever called tech support, only to hang-up after being on hold for hours? ASK DR. TECH! With ASK DR. TECH, get 24/7/365 toll-free tech support! The professionals at ASK DR. TECH are knowledgeable, and no problem is too small or too difficult for them to solve! Why pay $35/call, when you can get unlimited usage for less than $7/month? Order ASK DR. TECH today! http://quinst.com/c.jsp?area=zhuanoutanxieshou ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiJR.aVz48J Or send an email To: outsidethelines-unsubscribe@topica.com This email was sent to: alara@mindspring.com T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less. Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose. http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01 ==^================================================================