Memorial
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It is a dark and stormy evening in the English countryside.
Lightning briefly illuminates the dark sky. Thick black clouds block
the view of the sky as fierce rains pours down to earth, drenching
trees, houses, and a familar form. The form of a woman wearing
sunglasses, even in this driving rain, wielding two pistols.
But this familar, larger-than-life form is not our familiar
heroine, but rather a statue of her that has been erected in the
courtyward before her manor. Three people are standing in the rain to
pay tribute to the memory of person depicted by the statue.
An older couple stand huddled underneath an umbrella, stand about
a short stone's throw away from the statue, their grief or their guilt
making them unable to close the remaining distance. The husband is a
tall stately gent with a broad square frame. The wife, standing
stiff-lipped in the man's arm, is slightly shorter and quite
attractive even though she is getting along in age. Their posture is
stiff, even in this time of sadness.
The third person is an even older man. He is even more hunched
over than usual, but it is not the rain beating on his bald head that
is slouching his shoulders forward. He shuffles forward slowly to
place a wreath at the base of the statue.
The plaque at the base of the statue reads,
LARA CROFT
ONCE AND FUTURE ADVENTURER,
FOR HER.
Lightning strikes and the shiny brass plaque reflects its
blindingly white light. The old man turns and looks at the couple,
who turn and look back. All are at a loss for words. With nothing
left to say, the couple turns to go as a car pulls up to the gate of
the manor.
The old man turns to the car and walks down the path to the car,
leaving the statue of Lara Croft standing alone in the rain. Winston
climbs into the car. Inside, a man of the cloth is seated in the back
seat viewing the evening news on an LCD screen.
The news reporter reads the evening news, "In world news, a
private memorial service was today held for renown archaeologist Lara
Croft..." The car is now travelling down the tree-lined road, away
from the manor.
Father Dunstan attempts to breach a conversation and turns to the
old man, "Tis is a sad day Winston."
"She will live on forever in our hearts," Winston replies bitterly
while staring out the window of the car.
Father Dunstan attempts to comfort him and adds, "Surely Winston,
and for this is but a memorial service, there may yet be news from Von
Croy in Egypt."
Winston is quick to reply. "Indeed, we can only hope and pray
that she may yet return to us," he tells the father hopefully. As
quickly as his hopes welled up, they bleed away as he continues, "And
I fear that Von Croy, digging in the hopes of discovering her alive,
may only be met with black reality."
Father Dunstan nodds in agreement, "Indeed, indeed." The news
reporter is still reciting the news as Father Dunstan points a remote
control at the LCD screen and clicks off the telly.(follow plot)
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