Last visit before it's gone forever
After visiting a place like what's in this story... felt some inspiration. Sorry for the kind of open-end, got overrun with the "this is stupid" mentality running through my head... maybe you'll find it interesting?
https://open.spotify.com/track/5RE3w3M9g5vsotdIVtLONq?si=9kMNFxWPSSamY3mZwGaepg
Skandranon leaned his head over and preened the head feathers of his mate as they started their approach to the Loring Air Force Base open house “You okay… you sure you want to do this?” He said to Zhaneel who’d been fairly apprehensive about this trip from the beginning, her time at Loring and the subsequent closure of the base and ending of the military gryphon program was a bit of a sore subject for her and something she often reminisced about and was more than once emotional about.
“I’m okay… they made me guest of honor so… a bit late to back out now” she said giving her wing feathers a rough RUSTLE as she made the way up the driveway of the museum, a small but lively event was already taking place. Many humans of various states of aging were present. She grinned when she saw some familiar gryphon faces… though there was certainly less vibrancy in their feathers…
After a somewhat mentally exhausting period of introductions, reintroductions, catching up and reminiscing the museum’s curator walked up to the falcon gryphon, who’d lowered herself down slightly to not impose over the man. “Now if you’re willing… we’ve found that a lot of what you did in your training area is not well documented… can… can we take you there and you can help us preserve some of this history?” She sighed and nodded “That’s…. Not surprising this was never really endorsed by the Air Force is why… but… yes we can visit, I’d… I’d like to see it.”
——
Walking in grass once mowed down was knee high, some of the lights on poles were still up, some had fallen or were near falling. The gate into the facility had a sign showing the squadron’s logo, a gryphon in fast flight throwing lightning bolts the paint peeling, the gate long broken open. Zhaneel walked up to the vandalized building that she remembered having built for her… her ears laid back as she looked around seeing the state of what she’d worked day and night to get the slightest approval to have built for her. Obstacles and other targets on poles were either long grown over or were in various states of falling down. The building itself…. “The reuse agency just…. We don’t know why they let so much of this whole base go but… it’s… it’s one of the worst ones unfortunately” The curator said as she approached the main building where she’d lead training exercises and ultimately what would become the unofficial gryphon common ground on base. The sliding entry door long forced open the words “42nd GRYPHON TRAINING SQ” still showing above the doors, between letters still hanging on and marks left in the paint.
She walked through, Skandranons heavy talons crunching over fallen ceiling and kicking broken glass out of the walkway. He kept his distance from her for a moment, letting her take in the last time they’d see this place before they tore it down for houses to go in.
Zhaneel stopped brushing the painted training squadron logo on the floor clear of debris, before moving on, to the largest common area, two huge glass doors now completely devoid of their glass looked out at once was the course.
She hesitated for a moment seeing a shattered picture frame amongst a mangled pile of sheet rock and insulation, and giggled as she felt the tears welling in her eyes. A fairly goofy moment of a bunch of larger gryphons standing on their hind legs holding her up like a trophy or something.
She looked back at Skan and let out a shaky breath