Aberrant: Dead Rising - Sea of White [AU]

[Dan Hawkins]

Dan looked out over the sea of white he’d come to see. It had been a year already since his last visit. He walked alone, as he always had, his powers tuned down, his only weapons his natural ones. Here there was no need. The dead didn’t walk here.

He found what he’d been looking for and knelt, placing a small Flag, and a picture of himself on graduation day, the last time he’d seen his father face to face. Cancer claimed him soon after, but not before He said the words to Dan that mattered the most. In His head he could still hear his voice, and it made him smile. “I’m so proud of the man you’ve become son, you honor all of us, never forget that we are all proud of you.”

The Flame was still burning even after all this time. He remembered the reasons, the man, and the good and the bad, knowing he’d been a brother in arms, in generations past.

He said a silent prayer, and made his way to the best view.

He stood looking down at the capital in the distance, the mausoleum before him. He was alone now, where last time he’d been surrounded by people. He placed a small flag on the pedestal before the mausoleum, drew himself to attention and saluted.

He drew back and took a deep breath. Four years ago Ally had showed him this poem from one of her books, and it spoke to him. With great care, he nodded and recited it.

“I stand alone gazing at the sea of white,

Here and there I see others walking through it.

Some stand as I do; others kneel.

The solemnity of this place marks it as sacred.

I turn and watch the everlasting flame,

Always burning so bright.

Then I look at the American Flag waving over Arlington.

I ask “Was it worth it? Did so many die for a good reason?”

As I stand there gazing at the red, white, and blue,

I see the fathers of this nation fight for their freedoms.

I see the Civil War, our darkest hour.

I see the first and second world wars,

Where we fought and showed the world what we were made of.

I see Korea and Vietnam, wars we fought, and should have.

I see the fall of the Towers, the heroism of New York, of the nation.

The Nation has suffered much, yet we come back stronger.

For us to give up now defiles the graves of all those who died.

I snap to formal attention, and offer my salute to the flag,

Then I turn slowly, and salute all those who lie in the sea of white,

Those that died so we all would know freedom.”

The Poem wasn’t the best written he’d read, but it touched him nonetheless. The young man who had penned it had never known war directly, had never served his country, yet The first time he’d visited Arlington, he’d grasped the importance of the place, it’s significance. Here on Veteran’s day, the first since Z-day, Dan saluted his fallen brothers and sisters, and vowing that he would make them proud, and carry on the spirit that they’d fought and died for.