The Last Daredevil Story

Forty-nine year old Matt Murdock arrives home from his office for the last time. It has been a long day and he has failed to get a client off. He has a very important decision to make. He wonders if it should be Daredevil's day of retirement.

"No better place to decide than out on the streets," he thinks and changes into his costume.

He steps out of his window and slowly climbs to his roof. He looks out into New York City and thinks over his future.

"I can't do stuff like I used to," he thinks, "I can't swing from flag poles, no more flips. Hell, I all can really do is jump rooftop to rooftop and that becomes tiresome."

He reaches down and grabs his billy club. He holds it in his hands.

"I can still use this, though." he whispers, "I can still throw the club. Maybe that's all I need. Sure the acrobatics helped a lot, but maybe the club is all I need."

"Perhaps." says a voice from behind him.

Murdock swings around to see the familar form of his friend.

"Peter." he says, "Are Spider-Man's days coming to a close?"

"Eventually." Peter responds, "Things aren't as easy as they once were. However, I'm going to keep going until I think my family needs me more than the world does or..."

"Or you end up like Frank."

"Or I'll end up like Frank."

Frank Castle had been killed a few years back. He, Ghost Rider, John Blaze had gone Hobgoblin hunting and Frank had gotten his heart ripped out.

John Blaze didn't fare much better, but at least he lived. He managed to grab hold of Hobby while he was trying to escape on his Goblin Wing. They fought on top the device and Blaze was knocked off. By then they were high above New York and Blaze hit the sidewalk, feet first. He will never walk again.

"Matt! Matt!" Petter shouts to his friend.

"What?" Matt asks snapping out of the memories.

"I gotta go. I hope you make the right decision."

"Yeah. Thanks."

Murdock hops to the next rooftop. He hops two more. He then proceeds to rest his hands on his knees and starts panting.

"Damn!" he says, "I'm getting too old for this! What is that whizzing sound? Damn!"

Murdock dives out of the way just in time. A knife smacks the ground behind his original position.

"Getting slow aren't you?" says Bullseye.

Bullseye throws another knife at Murdock and Murdock dodges again. Bullseye pulls out four knifes (two in each hand) and smiles at Matt. Matt grabs his billy club and thows it just as Bullseye begins to hurl the knives. Matt rolls to two knives. The other fly off the roof.

Murdock dusts himself off and then remembers Bullseye. Hears slight moaning and turns to see the form of Bullseye lying on the ground. Matt had unknownly thrown the club harder than he ever had at an enemy. It hit Bullseye between his ribs and had gone straight through his heart. Bullseye died moments later.

Murdock feels a slight sting on his neck. He reaches back and rubs it. He feels blood soak through his glove and knows he better get back to his apartment and bandage the wound.

"I'm tired of these injuries. The only way to stop these is retiring and that's just what I'm going to do!"

With that, Daredevil jumps out into the night.