Hunger #Wattys2017

Epilogue

Connor's rotting corpse laid neatly in a casket, dressed in a tuxedo.

After a heartfelt sermon and a small speech between each of the attendees at the funeral, the casket was closed and rolled along by four clergymen.

At the burial site, the casket was lowered into the hole that was dug for it. Dirt soon followed after it to cover.

Once the gravestone was planted in the dirt, everyone around Connor's newly made grave was silent.

His father's four brothers and sisters, his Uncle Hiro on his mother's side, Sherri and her parents, Judith and her parents, Nigel and Gladys. All gathered around, dressed in black.

They sky turned overcast, small raindrops began to fall.

A few of the crowd broke out umbrellas to protect the others among them.

"He's in a better place now." Hiro mumbled as he looked up. "I just hope he's happy there..."

Sherri and her fathers invited the other guests for a feast later on that night. Most accepted.

-

Downstairs, people were talking, laughing, and eating. Upstairs in the loft, Judith and Sherri were looking out the window at the full moon and numerous stars.

"Bet you that one's Connor." Sherri said while pointing at the biggest, brightest star in the sky.

The girls laughed quietly and gave sad smiles. Their faux happiness quickly turned to sorrow as they hugged each other and grossly sobbed.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" the girls said.

When the door opened, Nigel peeked his head in.

"Hi girls. Everything alright up here?" he asked.

The girls did not respond.

"I suppose not." he said. "Well I'm not sure if this will make you feel better, but Gladys and I snatched this from an evidence bag the police had while they weren't looking."

He tossed them an envelope, Judith caught it.

"I recommend washing your hands after."

"Nigel! Where are you?" Gladys called.

"Oop, sounds like my girl." Nigel said, almost bashfully.

"My girl? Oooo are y'all two a thing?" Sherri asked, perking up.

"Not until her next birthday." Nigel replied.

"How old is she going to be?" Judith asked.

"Twenty."

"Nigel!" Gladys's next call sounding a little worrisome.

"Coming!" Nigel said then turned back to the girls. "Hope you two enjoy the rest of your night."

He climbed down and closed the door.

There was a couple of seconds of lingering silence before Judith ripped open the blood-stained envelope and pulled out the letter. They began to read:

Sherri, Judith,

I'm not mad, I don't have any resentment from you not saving me the first time. In fact, I was really happy. I thought you guys would surrender to Henry.

But you didn't. Thank you for that.

I mean, I knew Henry was going to kill me. He threatened me with it recently. But again, thank you. I hope to see you guys again, but not too soon.

Connor

The girls hugged each other and let hot tears roll down their cheeks after reading the letter.

"I miss him." Judith choked.

"Me too." Sherri also choked. "But at least he's out of Henry's clutches...now and forever..."

-

Tired eyes browsed the long hallway of murderers, rapists, drug dealers and countless other criminals entrapped in their cells. They were causing a commotion as they caught sight of the red and pink haired boy.

"Oh look, fresh meat." said a criminal, looking at Henry with hungry eyes.

"Quiet!" a cop angrily exclaimed while hitting his baton against their cell.

"Here's your stop." a gruff voiced cop said.

The two cops unlocked the braces on his body and carried him. Another cop opened the cell that was to be his new home.

On a count of three, the cops threw him into a soft white room with a window.

"You're too young to be in here, and yet here you are." a cop said before closing and locking the cell door.

Once the cop was out of sight, he sat himself up and back against one of the cushioned walls.

If I wasn't wearing this stupid strait jacket, and if I didn't have this irritating mask over my mouth, I'd be tearing you apart limb from limb. All of you...I'm not threatened or intimidated by ANY of you...

"Hello there."

Henry looked up, a Caucasian man in a pale grey jumpsuit gave a friendly wave to him.

"Say there boy, aren't you a little young to be in here?"

"Piss off, old man." Henry retorted, his voice muffled from the mask.

"Feisty one you are." the man said. "Ross. Josselin Ross. But you can tell me Joss. And you are?"

Henry gave a disdainful look before finally saying his name.

"So...what are you here for?" Joss asked, the curiosity genuine in his voice. "I mean, an innocent boy like yourself couldn't have done anything TOO bad. Thievery, arson, maybe manslaughter."

"Do you really want to know?" Henry asked doubt in his question.

"Well it would be nice to hear one more story before I go." Joss said.

"You're getting released today?" Henry asked.

"Oh no, child." Joss replied with a sly smile while lifting up his bed to reveal a deep hole. "I'm busting out of here."

"Hm. I like you." Henry said. "What are you planning to do once you break out?"

"Adopt a girl who can get the job done of killing a vampire boy, since my niece couldn't do it." Joss said. "I'm gonna train my new daughter until she drops. I would get my son to do it but, he's busy with his own problems. Bugger still thinks I'm dead."

"Ah." Henry said.

"So tell me your story, Henry." Joss said. "I'm DYING to know..."

Henry said nothing at first, but a sinister smile formed under his mask, his eyes coated with malice.

I don't think he'll think I'm an innocent boy after this...