2.1.53

Chapter Eighteen: Shrapnel

The blaring siren, the fierce raindrops that hit against the windowpane, and the soft click of the safety switch of the firearm in his hand- it was all the sounds of comfort and distress at once.

"I am asking you again" His voice was ice-cold; his eyes were fixated on me.

"I don't know. I met her, we spent a day together. She mentioned about her father but no details about him" I was ready to fall at his feet, "I swear"

"Oh. Your chances of being my no 212 are increasing rapidly" He referred to his killings.

"We should leave now" One of the guys standing at the door said.

"Should we?" Patrick asked back.

Both of them remained silent.

My throat felt dry, I tried to gulp, I failed. Not every day you find someone pointing a gun towards you.

The police sirens neared. Maybe it was all just wishful thinking, maybe they were out on a patrol, maybe the guys at the door were correct, it was not a matter to worry about but I still hoped that I will be saved somehow.

One of the guys switched off all the lights except the small desk lamp. Perhaps it was to divert attention. The rain was strong enough to damp our voices but I knew it was not strong enough to damp my shout. I was mentally preparing myself to shout as soon as the police car will be passing the building.

The police car was probably a few hundred feet away from our building. I had one chance. But the siren stopped before it passed by. Perhaps they stopped the car.

There was silence. Patrick put the gun to his lips and gestured me to keep silent. I knew I lost my chance. I don't know the location of the police and if I shouted aimlessly, without reaching them, it will just guarantee my end.

A few minutes passed without a sound but then I heard a knock on our door. Hope flashed before my eyes. I knew Patrick and his assistants would escape. But luck was not by my side, instead of escaping Patrick kept the gun inside his coat and went to the door.

He held the doorknob and paused for a moment. There was another knock. He opened it slowly.

"Officer?" Patrick said.

The sound of the rain made the voice from the outside inaudible.

"Yes please come in" He said.

I failed to understand his intentions. How can he invite a police officer inside when he is holding me hostage? There were two policemen that entered.

They looked at me and one of them asked Patrick, "This is your guy?"

He nodded. I was still in a state of dilemma

"And he is not opening his mouth?" The officer asked again

Patrick shook his head, indicating a no.

"Let me take him to the police station. I have many ways to make someone speak"

And at that moment I realized that they were working together. Probably the reason how someone got away with 211 murders.

"I threatened him as well. Held him at gunpoint. He still said he doesn't know anything" Patrick said.

"Oh, and btw these are my colleagues if you are confused" Patrick said to me, confirming my suspicion

"Then there is no point in wasting time on him. Finish him" The officer said

"No No please, please don't kill me. I know nothing" I pleaded, my instinct kicked in.

"He seemed harmless to me" Patrick said

"So?" The officer asked.

"Yes Yes. So yeah, keep your lips sealed kid or I know where to find you" He said to me

I nodded. He nodded back and grabbed his hat from the bed.

"You are a good kid, all the best for your future. May we never meet again" Patrick said and flashed a smile. I hoped the same.

I smiled back and he turned to leave. The two assistants and the officers were out of the door and Patrick was just at the door when he put on his hat and turned back again.

"Kid, if I can give you one piece of advice to you is that never trust anyone" He said, his voice barely audible from the rain outside.

And before I could say anything in return, his hands quickly went inside his coat again, he drew his handgun and then a flash. A hot shrapnel pierced inside my skin, towards my chest.

I dropped on the floor, the pain consuming me, my vision started to give up. I saw the man leaving in between two blinks. And perhaps it was a hallucination, but I saw a girl I was in love with standing in the road outside wearing jeans and a baggy top. Perhaps it was reality.

------

The blackness, the memories returned to me. There was the same green hue and the same question before my eyes:

"Do you choose this death?"

I had no answer. My mind was consumed by a single unknown. Was it Prinita that I saw on the road or was I hallucinating?

One part of me felt content with the death, another part of me wasn't. I wasn't driven to my breaking point this time so maybe I should choose this death. But what if there was something better?

What if there is a dream where everything goes exactly like I wanted it to?

I clicked on No.

The machine increased its hum and I felt the sharp pain again. The back of my head hurt like its hit with something metal but it was just the poison that took another 5 years from me.

"Not this either?" I heard Rino's voice.

I stayed silent.

"Here is an apple. You must be hungry" Rino said and I heard his footsteps approaching me.

"No, I am good" I said.

"Okay. More apples for me" He said and I heard a bite.

"Is there any death where I am happy?" I asked.

"Is Death a happy event?" Rino asked back.

"I guess no" I said

"Then why are you searching for the perfect ending?" He asked

"I don't know" I said, "Maybe the same reason why all of us suffer our whole lives just to get a happy ending"

"Hmm" Rino bit into the apple again.

"You don't believe in a perfect ending?" I asked

"I don't know the answer to it" He said

"So, shall we continue again?" He asked as he chewed on the apple.

"Can I have a glass of water?" I asked, not that I was thirsty. I just needed some time.

I heard his footsteps towards the other side of the room. I could hear the water being poured into a glass from the jug and then I heard him approaching me again. He took my hand and handed me the glass. I took my sweet time to finish it. He took the glass from my hand and placed nearby on to the wood floor.

"So?" He asked again, his voice returned to being serious

"Yes" I replied.

The machine hummed to life, the green hue intensified and then black again.