Postmortem

The Night After

That night I went to Bruno's house. I knocked on the door, though it would be simple to get in without permission if I felt inclined. He answered after one minute and thirty two seconds exactly. A bright smile lit up my face at his evident surprise .
"Hello Bruno. Care for a quick chat? I'd like to discuss what happened last night." He stood so still I wondered if he was playing dead. It would be a ridiculous thing to do, especially now. With my revival I could hear his heartbeat as loud as cymbals by my ear.
"Sure, Alice. Can- would you mind if we talked out here?" He asked, wiping his sweaty palms on his gray t-shirt. My smile turned gracious, almost forgiving as I nodded. He let out a breath and stepped outside. Once the door was closed behind him and he stood next to me I made quick work of grabbing the front of his shirt. I lifted him with one hand, the strength as easy to me as the conversations we used to share. I pinned him against the wall of his house, off the ground.
"Now, Bruno," I murmured gently beside his ear, "I'm going to ask you a question, and if you don't answer I will tear your head off of your shoulders and leave it on the doorstep for your family to find." I pulled away slightly. His expression was frozen, every muscle in his body taught as a bowstring. Good, he was listening. "Why did you kill me?"
"I- we didn't- I just."
"Use your brain while you still have it, Bruno. I'll only ask once more. Why did you kill me?"
"Because we didn't think you'd come back!" He burst out. I stared at him, waiting for elaboration. "I- we had wanted to try it for a while. And you already trusted us. You were the easiest choice, but I wasn't the only one who wanted to do it, I swear! And we thought you'd stay, well, dead." When he stayed silent I sighed.
"That's it? You killed me because it was easy, because you didn't think you'd have to pay for the life you stole?" I set him down, dusted off the shoulders of his shirt. He shuddered, trembled. "How disappointing. I won't kill you tonight Bruno." I smiled, radiant, as his shoulders slowly relaxed. "But a cost is owed, and where death is involved there is always interest. You will pay. Goodnight, Bruno."
My threat stayed where I put it as I walked away, nestled into Bruno's very bones, the marrow of his being. He would pay. I would see to it.