The Battle Continues -- UWS RP Board

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Date Posted: 20:14:15 08/10/03 Sun
Author: "The Sentinel" Gabriel Blade
Subject: The Battle Continues

(Scene opens with a shot of a dank and decrepit city street after nightfall. Despite the late hour, the street is still buzzing with activity as cars squeal by and pedestrians hurry on, either seeking their homes and beds as their day comes to an end or seeking their evening's excitement as their night begins. On the mouth of one dirty and poorly lit alleyway sits an elderly man, easily in his seventies, though maybe the actual figure is less and unkind years have aged him prematurely. His clothes are filthy and torn, and as he sits on the edge of the street, you see in his eyes the look of a man who has all but given up, the look of a man who has been beaten down again and again by life, who has known nothing but hardship and expects nothing more, but who somehow, just barely, still holds on to the faintest glimmer of hope. In his weak, tired hand he clutches a styrofoam cup, discarded on the street earlier that day by some careless passerby who, once through with his coffee, saw no need to wait till he passed the next trash can ten yards ahead when he could simply litter now and save himself all that valuable energy. As the throngs pass this man society has forgotten, he uses what little strength he has left to hold up the cup and plaintively begs for any change they can spare. One by one the denizens of whatever city we happen to be in pass this poor man by, most not offering him a second glance, and those that do looking down on him with disgust, but not a one of them showing him the slightest charity or kindness. Just when the old soul has seemingly given up and accepted that he will have to go one with no food and no shelter for one more night, a man's shadow is cast over his slight frame and lingers there for a moment. Becoming aware of the shadow engulfing him, the old man pulls himself up, his hopes renewed that the night might just bring him some small favor.)

Old Man- (weakly, but hopeful) Please, sir, can you spare an change?

(Abruptly a large, meaty hand swings down and smacks the old man hard across the face, knocking him back and leaving a red mark across his cheek. The hand balls into a fist and shakes in front of the elderly transient menacingly.)

Gruff Voice- (bitter and angry)You make me sick! Look at you, you're pathetic! If you want money, get yourself a f*cking job, old man, don't waste my time. Get off your ass and help yourself, or quit f*cking around and die already. Either way, the world gets a little bit better.

(The fist rears back as if to strike, and the old man cowers from it, but it swings down, and after a snort of disgust, the shadow flows off the elderly form. The man slumps back onto the sidewalk and sobs quietly, wholly and totally convinced that his life will soon be done, and that he has nothing left to live for. Then, after a moment, another shadow looms over him. When he realizes he is again being watched, he shrinks back, covering his face and sobbing more. But this time when a stronger, firm hand reaches down, it is not in the form of a slap or a fist, but is open and inviting.)

Voice- (softly and kindly) Here, give me your hand. Let's see if we can't find you a warm bed and some food.

(After pausing for a moment as the words sink in, the old man looks up at his new visitor and slowly takes his hand. He is gently pulled to his feet and patted on the shoulder by his benevolent benefactor, As the camera pulls up and back we see this kind soul to be none other than "the Sentinel" Gabriel Blade. Gabe steadies the old man once as he almost falls, then leads him down the street.)

(The scene cuts to a shot of the interior of a nearby homeless shelter. Despite the late hour the shelter is well manned with devoted volunteers doing what they can to help out those less fortunate than themselves. Sitting at a table in front of us wrapped in a blanket, cleaned up, and with some of his color, strength, and hope returned, is the old man eating hungrily from a bowl of soup. Beyond him we see where a cot has been set up for him to sleep when he has had his full. Not luxury accommodations by any means, but an infinite improvement over what he thought this night would bring. The shot pulls back further to show Gabe leaning against the wall watching the man as he eats.)

Gabe- Everywhere mankind congregates in large numbers, in each or our great cities, you find this darker side of our civilization. The poor, the homeless, the destitute, bums, hobos, whatever you want to call them, they are there. Many believe that the fate of these people is their own doing, that they owe their current station in life to their own malaise, their own laziness and sin. Many believe they are a cancer upon us, that they deserve what they get and more. But many more us see that so many of these poor people have done nothing wrong. We see that these people are what they are because of nothing more than horrible luck, or the malevolence of others, or societies own shortcomings. And we seek to help in whatever small ways we can. It is a war we are fighting, and none of us can win it alone. But each of us can make a difference, and if we work together, perhaps some day it is a war that can be won.

(long pause)

Gabe- Hellfire, you and your fellow Acts of God believe that your are Holy men, that you have not only the right, but the mission to judge the rest of us and punish us for our sins. You look at us and you see nothing but sin. You see sin everywhere, in fact, except the one place it finds the most fertile ground in which to grow, yourselves. Some people seem to think I'm the savior of the UWS, I am its Hero. All I know is that I try to be. All I know is that I am a Warrior and fight with all that I am in the war between darkness and light. That fight leads me to men like this, to protect them from the harshness and evil in the world, to help them however I can. That fight also leads me to men like you, to stop you from destroying innocent people, and to see that you are Judged for your crimes. You
don't think that I've been near your Hell, you don't think I've seen anything that comes close to what you bring. Make no mistake, Hellfire, I may have a young face, but I have an old soul, and the Sentinel has seen and done battle with things the likes of which you could never dream. You say that all the other UWS superstars will have to watch me fall. That may well be, but if I do fall, I will fall fighting, and as I do I will take down some of the darkness with me. You think I will pray to God for his protection, but you don't know me at all. Unlike you, I know that I am not some Holy Avenger of the Lord granted His power and protection, I know I am not above the laws that all man must face. I am but a servant of those laws, a soldier in this Great War, and defender, a protector. Guardian to the Gateways to Eternity, bringer of Judgement. It is a heavy title to bear. But in the end the Judgement is not mine that I bring, for I too must face my Judgement Day. You say that I do what I do out of pride, it is greed or vanity that fuels the fire within me, but you are a fool. My pride is nothing to me. I don't care if I'm recognized, if I'm cheered as a Hero or known at all, so long as the battle has one. The cause is everything, the Honor I earn is mine alone. Any Glory I receive from others is secondary, and would be gladly sacrificed to see Good triumph over Evil.

(pause)

Gabe- You are right in one thing, Hellfire. I have limits, as do all men. And all of us must face Judgement, and if necessary punishment, for our sins. If my Judgement is to come at Blackened, so be it. I am ready for it. I wonder if you can say the same. Whatever is to come, whatever fate awaits us both, Hellfire, I rest assured of one thing. I will not allow you to continue to destroy innocent souls. (Indicating the old man) I will not allow to crush more innocent men like this one. I will see that you and the rest of the Acts of God are stopped. And I will see that you face your Judgement Day. Prepare To Be Judged.

(Blade stares into the camera for a time, then turns to glance back at the old man, watching him eat for a few moments before turning from us completely and slowly walking away as the scene...)

(Fades To Black.)

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