Vanishing waves, part ten: Mr. Fantastic
How did the box connect with the future in the first place?
Will it happen again?
Does it represent some continuous loop
into the past, back through to the future?
In the streets cupped by the surrounding mountains, Reed holds the helmet from his vanishing waves adventure, speaking into a thin headset: “Still processing the sights given to me while I analyzed the phenomenon.”
“What does it say about our salvation as a race?”
“Furthemore: is it a key to our continued existence in the biological and extra-corporeal sense---a place of life beyond life, or is it life beyond death?
I realized there could be no shortcuts to what the Box promised to do---that we as a species must find it in ourselves to live open to love, to share more fully in the qualities we consider, as an aggregated form, our existence.”
“Reed, I’ve been wondering about something, I can’t shake! Can we say the people did not choose to vanish with the vanishing wave, in some profound sense? What of those who have reappeared---and why is it everyone’s NOT reappearing---“
“---and why are they returning in different quantities in intervals I’ve yet to discern as a clear pattern for prognosis? There’s little from which to forecast, I’m afraid, to the pain of those who wait.”
“How will the lives of those returned be changed forever?”
“Just stand close to me a minute, darling. I’m so glad your face is visible to me.”
“Reed, while we’re still on this coast,
I’m offering to stay and look for others.
We’ll see if there’s anything we can do.
I still wonder what became of that kid who did the drawing--it all flew by so fast---“
“Johnny and Ben will be back any minute. We’ll all return there as a group---well, they’re coming in the living room now!”
“The people who made it back will have the best bar stories wherever they go! Say, Stringbean, I wondered if you came out of this thinking: Mebbe this lil’ glimpse of the horizons of existence will make it a less frightening thing to fear, while we all face the unknown…who better’n me to conquer the fear of a change?”
“Hah! I guess!”
“Listen, I had a good walk! If we can just stay out here long enough for me to do the Stingaree, I would feel like a normal guy! I know that’s deliciously selfish, so I ask you: what difference is left for us to make?”
“We have little other choice than to play it by ear! But seventy-five percent of the people who vanished have returned, leaving me with questions for another day!”
“Who would’ve ever thunk it?
Bashful Benjamin J. Grimm, fightin’ a world menace with inner peace! Inner peace! Ha! Me, I can’t wait to get back to New York!”
“I think Sue and I will take Franklin and make the trip up to North County ourselves. Why don’t both of you go have some fun? Brother-in-law?”
‘Unless I get called in on a wildfire, I think I’m going to rent a convertible in La Jolla and drive over to Dog Beach. See ya!”
“I didn’t know Johnny could surf.”
“I don’t think he’s going to surf.”
“OH!”
“Don’t wanna fall asleep at Sea World, Alicia---I’m liable to wake up tucked away in an aquarium!”
“Then we’ll take up donations for viewing!”
“Aw, go play with your sand pail!”
“I’ll keep you describing everything, Ben, don’t worry about staying awake!”
“Then I’m gonna quit before I git fired! But lissen, if you two see a newborn in a hotel room without a door up on Mission, send along my congratulations!”
“Have fun, all three of you! Say, sweetie, we can eat while we work…”
“I’ve got an improved scanner for testing residual elements of the wave…plus there may have been something left I missed on the mountain…”
“Inland’s warm, Reed, don’t let Franklin forget sunblock, either.”
“We can check all three locations over the space of the day.”
“You never know if someone’s going to come back with a helpful eyewitness account, either. And in the woods, at one place, I was certain I’d made two figures visible, and I
Wonder who they were?”
“So goes a working vacation for the Fantastic Four, honey.”
“You’re right, Reed. For us, the only mystery would be if there was no mystery!”
THE everlovin’ END!
Thanks always to Stan and Jack
Written by Cecil L. Disharoon, Jr.
Art by Lue Lyron, w/ Marc Kane
Reed Richards, Sue Richards, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm the Thing all copyright 2009 Marvel Entertainment Group. All remaining characters and concepts copyright 2009 Integr8d Soul Productions. Made in U.S.A.
Vanishing waves, part ten: Mr. Fantastic
How did the box connect with the future in the first place?
Will it happen again?
Does it represent some continuous loop
into the past, back through to the future?
In the streets cupped by the surrounding mountains, Reed holds the helmet from his vanishing waves adventure, speaking into a thin headset: “Still processing the sights given to me while I analyzed the phenomenon.”
“What does it say about our salvation as a race?”
“Furthemore: is it a key to our continued existence in the biological and extra-corporeal sense---a place of life beyond life, or is it life beyond death?
I realized there could be no shortcuts to what the Box promised to do---that we as a species must find it in ourselves to live open to love, to share more fully in the qualities we consider, as an aggregated form, our existence.”
“Reed, I’ve been wondering about something, I can’t shake! Can we say the people did not choose to vanish with the vanishing wave, in some profound sense? What of those who have reappeared---and why is it everyone’s NOT reappearing---“
“---and why are they returning in different quantities in intervals I’ve yet to discern as a clear pattern for prognosis? There’s little from which to forecast, I’m afraid, to the pain of those who wait.”
“How will the lives of those returned be changed forever?”
“Just stand close to me a minute, darling. I’m so glad your face is visible to me.”
“Reed, while we’re still on this coast,
I’m offering to stay and look for others.
We’ll see if there’s anything we can do.
I still wonder what became of that kid who did the drawing--it all flew by so fast---“
“Johnny and Ben will be back any minute. We’ll all return there as a group---well, they’re coming in the living room now!”
“The people who made it back will have the best bar stories wherever they go! Say, Stringbean, I wondered if you came out of this thinking: Mebbe this lil’ glimpse of the horizons of existence will make it a less frightening thing to fear, while we all face the unknown…who better’n me to conquer the fear of a change?”
“Hah! I guess!”
“Listen, I had a good walk! If we can just stay out here long enough for me to do the Stingaree, I would feel like a normal guy! I know that’s deliciously selfish, so I ask you: what difference is left for us to make?”
“We have little other choice than to play it by ear! But seventy-five percent of the people who vanished have returned, leaving me with questions for another day!”
“Who would’ve ever thunk it?
Bashful Benjamin J. Grimm, fightin’ a world menace with inner peace! Inner peace! Ha! Me, I can’t wait to get back to New York!”
“I think Sue and I will take Franklin and make the trip up to North County ourselves. Why don’t both of you go have some fun? Brother-in-law?”
‘Unless I get called in on a wildfire, I think I’m going to rent a convertible in La Jolla and drive over to Dog Beach. See ya!”
“I didn’t know Johnny could surf.”
“I don’t think he’s going to surf.”
“OH!”
“Don’t wanna fall asleep at Sea World, Alicia---I’m liable to wake up tucked away in an aquarium!”
“Then we’ll take up donations for viewing!”
“Aw, go play with your sand pail!”
“I’ll keep you describing everything, Ben, don’t worry about staying awake!”
“Then I’m gonna quit before I git fired! But lissen, if you two see a newborn in a hotel room without a door up on Mission, send along my congratulations!”
“Have fun, all three of you! Say, sweetie, we can eat while we work…”
“I’ve got an improved scanner for testing residual elements of the wave…plus there may have been something left I missed on the mountain…”
“Inland’s warm, Reed, don’t let Franklin forget sunblock, either.”
“We can check all three locations over the space of the day.”
“You never know if someone’s going to come back with a helpful eyewitness account, either. And in the woods, at one place, I was certain I’d made two figures visible, and I
Wonder who they were?”
“So goes a working vacation for the Fantastic Four, honey.”
“You’re right, Reed. For us, the only mystery would be if there was no mystery!”
THE everlovin’ END!
Thanks always to Stan and Jack
Written by Cecil L. Disharoon, Jr.
Art by Lue Lyron, w/ Marc Kane
Reed Richards, Sue Richards, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm the Thing all copyright 2009 Marvel Entertainment Group. All remaining characters and concepts copyright 2009 Integr8d Soul Productions. Made in U.S.A.
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