Monday, March 21, 2011

365 Days Later...

One year ago today, my chief came into the office and handed me and my partner an assignment. We were to investigate a teenage disappearance in the forest off Point Hope, a sixteen-year-old girl that had up and left home in the middle of the night. No clues, no leads, nothing to go off of but the alcoholic mother's word. I figured it was a cut and dry case. I figured it would have been an easy solve.

One year later and look where I am now.

On the run, fearing for my life, both partners are dead, in hiding, being chased by something that by all logical accounts should not exist, the government cleaning up after him and putting me on the top of their list, all these kids running for their lives and coming to me and putting their fates in my hands.

Yeah, quite a bit has changed.

And yet this very morning, around midnight, I got a tip and a link to head into some chat. Why an online chat of all places, I don't know. I couldn't help but think it was another trick of Redlight's, him trying to convince me to take his offer, though it DID have that crazyman's name in it. Habit or whatever.

Well, I thought, can't hurt me over the internet. So I hopped in to see what he wanted and...

I still don't exactly know how to explain. There were over a hundred people in that chat, well over a hundred, and among them were Jeffrey, Evan, Noah, that doc fellow and the PTC guy. All of them, in there for those Hybrids, and yet here I was, put on the exact same pedestal.

I felt like I was being interrogated as questions were thrown at us, but what really got to me were when those side-messages came in from individual people, telling me not to give up, to keep on with my work, and that they were right behind me.

I can't wrap my head around it. All those people...were in there for us? For those of us that are running for our lives, being hunted by something illogical, being close to death time and again. I knew there were fans, but...Jesus.

And word to word with those kids was interesting. I've said it before, they've got the best chance out of any of us. Not a clear shot, but a shot nonetheless. And if shit gets messy, I think they know I'll help how I can. Maybe it's the cop in me. Maybe it's the adult in me. Maybe it's just the situation.

I was the last man out of that chat, not because I liked to keep a crowd or make a grand exit, but because I didn't want to leave the warmth that that chat and those people provided and go back into my cold, dark surroundings of the real world. I wanted to just feel their happiness, their awe, their feelings that had left me so many months ago, and let it be my blanket. A security that I longed for, to be among them, being the ones to maybe cheer the others on while I stayed safe, maybe in my real bed back in my real home with Lizzie right next to me.

But nothing good lasts forever and I did have to leave, but I let them know that I was staying with it. Whenever there's hopelessness, those people out there unite to root for us. Makes me remember that we, I, have something to fight for. And that's not to let them down.

And hopefully, come this time next year, I won't have to be running anymore.

Hybrids, Noah, Doc, and the rest- you guys keep fighting.

It's been one year to the day.

I'm really hoping I don't go to two.

24 comments:

  1. After my recent ordeals. I really think I needed to read/hear this. Thanks man. You help me as well. Rather I want to admit it or not.

    Thanks Zeke. Stay safe and I'll try and do the same.

    ~Aiden

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  2. We are here for you, Zeke, even without the chat. I'm sure if you ever need anything done, everyone that was there will jump at the chance to help out. I know I would.

    Stay safe and stay strong.

    ~Brat

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  3. Thank you Zeke.

    If you ever need anything...

    Hell, your my, our hero. We'll do anything for you.

    Stay alive.

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  4. Indeed. We're here for you, man.

    Stay strong.

    ~ Branwen

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  5. I missed the chat last night, but I just wanted to say this: Thanks, Zeke. Thanks for inspiring us to not just lie down and surrender to this thing, but fight against it. Without you, none of our small "victories" against it could have happened.

    We're here for you, man. Good luck, and stay alive.

    -Scott

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  6. It's nice to hear about this...I don't know it just gives me hope to hear how people rally together and support others. It makes me believe that my family and I will be able to live normally someday and leave all of this behind us. Tony would scoff and laugh, but he's always been a pessimist.

    I hope you stay safe and take care of yourself Mr. Strahm. And if you hear anything that could maybe direct me to the whereabouts of a group of proxies...perhaps you could just even mention so? I'm just running out of options to finding my daughter...never mind. Good luck Mr. Detective.

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  7. It's good to know that our support isn't unnoticed. Was wondering though, I started getting stalked by a certain tall fellow, and was blogging about it when a guy commented using the name "Card Carrying Villain". It was a letter of challenge, something about him sending his cohorts or whatever after me and my friends. Thing is, he knew my full name. Any advise if he turns out to be a proxy, or worse? How do I find out?

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  8. Like we've been saying, Zeke, we're here for you. I'm glad you got to feel some of that in the chat you participated in. Man, I'd have loved to be there. Might have cleared up a few things I'm not very certain about, but that's neither here nor there. You keep doing what you're doing, Mr. Detective, and we'll keep rooting for you.

    In honor of the recently-passed St. Patrick's Day, here's an Irish blessing (tailored just a little bit) for you:
    May the road rise to meet you; may the wind be always at your back; may the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your endeavors; and, until you post again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
    As always, my thoughts and prayers go with you, Zeke.
    ~The Quick

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  9. Mr. Strahm, I simply wanted to bid you happy anniversary. Best of luck.

    -Specter

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  10. Mr. Specter, why haven't you given vengeance upon Slendy for our fallen comrades? (DC comic reference!)

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. Zeke, you are invaluable to your audience. I first found out about you in the angora room. I was lurking, I just began my journey, I'm trying to see what this thing is here, in this world. I believe that you have the ability to gain knowledge of how this menace works in this world. I wish you the best of luck in your investigation. Although he's fictional, you remind me of Sam Spade, hard, fast, brilliant, and with a complete disregard for the law.

    Good luck and God speed good detective. God speed.

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  13. We really enjoyed having you pop in. I hope you know you're welcome there any time. We really do care about you, and we're all rooting for you. <3

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  14. Spread the word
    See the world
    Free your mind
    Know the truth
    He Who Waits Behind The Wall
    ZALGO COMES

    Spread the word
    For the love of God
    Spread the word

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  15. Please don't bring Zalgo into this.

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  16. Speaking of Zalgo....
    http://declareentry.blogspot.com/

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  17. -_- People, people, if it's BEHIND The wall, it's not much of a threat until it can go THROUGH the wall.

    Keep at it Zeke. We need you.

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  18. Good to finally get to speak to you in person Strahm. Things are still calm here, surprisingly seeing as how shit usually goes down-hill when people get too wrapped up in this mess. Maybe he's too busy up north with the Hybrids to pay little 'ole me any mind. But that is beside the point of this message. I simply wished to reiterate my offer of assistance if aid is needed. You know how to get in touch with me if you need.

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  19. Zeke im just catching up with posts i think it's nice your looking at damien's shit at least you will find out if he was insane or not shit though shit is happening by the way He is right behind me AGAIN sigh annoying slapheaded fiend

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  20. wait their was a chat? How come the hybrids haven't mentioned it? It would be big news for them to have a multicrossover however small.

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  21. Zeke, the truth is for as many people who are out there believing in the tall thin douche, nearly all of them also believe that you will be the one to kill it. If belief brought it out, then belief can stop it.

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  22. T̢͋̇o͐͝͠ ́̂k̊́ͥͪ̎̂ͨ̔i̴̔ͩ͐ͮ͜͡l̸̆ͮͥ̕l̄ͮ͡.͊̎́
    ̷ͮ̎
    ̎̏̉̐ͪͤͨ҉s͌͏̴e̢͆͋̈c̵̔̅͗̔͊̔̀r̶̨̾̔́̑̄͏e̎̂̒́̅̚͢t̶̶͐̎͋̂̎l̵ͪͧ͒͋ͫ̀y͛̚͝,̢̈́̿ͤ̓̎̇̇̎͡
    ͗ͣ͆̑̚͢҉
    ̏ͣ̀͜͠Z̶̵͂͊a̧̨̋́lͥ̅ͦ͐͋ͮ͛̓̋͝g͗̇͑̽ͣ̓̅͗͘҉̢o̵ͨͥ͒̽͢͞ ͭ̐̂͢͟͡ï̽̊̈̉s̨ͥ̏̇ͤ̈́̔̅̕ ̴ͦ̓ͤ͒̆̚͝S̵ͨͥ͘L̍ͥ̚Ȩ̈̆ͧ̈͆̌̊̆̕Ñ̨͏D̷̃͂ͦ̈́͑ͣ͐Ė͋R̷͊ͥ̄ͭͪ̔ͩM̔ͯ̔̌̈́ͯ̀ͪÀ̸͑̍̔̽̾͜N̂̇ͯ͛͌̽ͣ̀

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