Mein Vögelchen

Twenty Seven

Made a new necklace. $5 +shipping

The morning in the garage was filled with lingering kisses and constant whispers of endearment.
Once Gilbert started up that car, Matthew would have to lie on the floor until after Matthias had driven away. This was the last time in a while that he would be able to touch the love of his life.
When he finally crawled onto the floor of the car, he felt lost. Gilbert was right there in the driver's seat, but he felt so far away.
The car drove along and Matthew's eyes started to drift shut.
He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. He stayed up and watched Gilbert, how he snored faintly and how he drooled.
He was going to miss all that.
He fell asleep on the back floor of that car, but the dreams he had were not as happy as he had been last night.
He dreamt of those dark hallways of the agency, of Alfred, guiding him through them.
"It's a good thing you came back. I really didn't feel like killing you." He said, voice casual.
"Yeah. Glad to be back." Matthew said. The words had come out of his mouth without his consent.
"Now, to prove you're still loyal, we have a surprise for you." Alfred opened one of the doors and Matthew gasped.
Inside the room, Gilbert was tied to a chair. There was a wound on his head and blood ran down his face, bright against the pale colour of his skin.
"Gil, no."
"Kill him."
"What?"
"You have to kill him or we will kill you both."
Matthew swallowed, taking a step into the room. There was a bat in the corner by the door which Alfred lifted and placed in his hands.
"Go ahead."
Gilbert looked up, tears in his eyes. Ropes held his wrists and ankles to the rests and legs on the chair he was in, preventing him from escaping, but allowing him to struggle.
"Mattie, please."
"If you do it, 'e'll never forgive you." Francis said from a corner of the room Matthew hadn't seen. He was crying.
Just like Matthew.
Just like Gil.
At his feet lay a body wearing a bloodstained suit.
Arthur.
Francis hadn't wanted to kill him. The Brit was the love of his life.
"Alfred...I don't want to. I love him."
"He's got to die whether you kill him or not. This is all a matter of you dying with him." Alfred explained, eyes cold. Where was the little boy who would let Matthew crawl into his bed when he was lonely? Where was the teen who got excited over wearing a suit for the first time?
"Matthew...save jourself. Kill me!" Gilbert begged.
"No!" Matthew shouted. "Not you!"
"If this is what you want." Alfred grinned, holding his gun out and shooting Gilbert right in the head.
Matthew screamed as the gun was brought around to face him.
His big brother, the one who had been by his side since day one was now trying to kill him.
Alfred's finger squeezed the trigger without hesitation.
Matthew heard a pop.
And then he woke up.
"Woah! Hey! Get back down in case somebody sees you!"
Matthew, who had risen up due to the shock of his nightmare, apologetically lowered himself back onto the car's floor. He looked upward toward the new driver who was not in anyway Gilbert Beilshmidt.
"Who-"
"I'm Matthias Køhler. Gil didn't want to wake you up because you were sleeping too soundly."
The man had honey blond hair and a Northern European accent.
He wasn't Gilbert.
Not at all.
Matthew hadn't gotten a chance to say one last goodbye.

I love the plot device of highly surreal nightmares that deeply foreshadow certain events ;)