Michael Gray- Mystery Man

chapter twenty one

December 14th 1920

That was the last and final night Michael and Anastasia stayed together. This is the beginning to an ever lasting hell. It all started at the crack of dawn. Michael had tried his best to wake up early and sneak out so his wife wouldn't come along. But the woman was stubborn, her hairs pricking up at the silent movements from her husband.

"What are you doing?" Anastasia asked making Michael jump. He was quietly putting on clothes at the end of the bed.

"I'm getting ready." He answered truthfully.

His wife raised an eyebrow. "Without me I suppose?"

Michael pulled up his trousers and sat at the end of the bed. Reaching out for her leg above the duvet he spoke, "Just stay here. I'll be an hour at the least. I'm just getting in a car, picking up John and Esme and I'll be back. I promise."

Shaking her head, she never softened her features. "I'm coming with you."

Michael rolled his eyes yet again, letting out a long groan. "Fine, get dressed then." He grunted. "We have to leave soon - Tommy says it's safer to travel before the day has started." Michael fiddled with his suit, pulling out his pocket watch. "Shit. We leave in five."

And with that, Anastasia got dressed as quickly as she could. Not bothering too much with her hair, she pulled in a ponytail, clambering out of the sheets she threw on her dress and coat. Within four minutes she was ready... Michael counted on his watch. Solemnly opening the door, Michael took one glance back at his wife,

"Please..."

"Let's go Michael." She sighed, pushing past him.

They left the flat and safety of Small Heath as they entered the mission of bringing back John and Esme.

༄ؘ ۪۪۫۫ ▹▫◃ ۪۪۫۫ ༄ؘ ˑ

"Please just promise to stay with me at all times. No wondering off." Michael instructed Anastasia as they sat in the car.

"Michael, for a task that is supposedly so simple, you're awfully nervous." Anastasia noted.

"It's a simple task but with many risks." Michael admitted. "I just don't want to lose you."

"And you won't." The girl said, resting her hand on his knee.

The journey was full of little scares. Every time a tree would move due to the wind, the couple thought it was a human. Every time a car backfired they thought it was a gun. No where felt safe.

As promised by Michael, they made it to John and Esme's farm. Michael exited first, holding his hand out for his wife to take. The farm was eerie, a slight mist enwrapping the fields. The echo of cows unsteadying the couple as they hurriedly made their way up to the front door. With a soft couple of knocks the door flung open, shocking Michael and Anastasia as John stood there, looking down at the pair through his air rifle.

"Bloody hell." He chuckled, chewing on his toothpick. "Thought you were gonna jump out and kill us." He laughed.

"Well, we aren't. So you can point that somewhere else." Michael stated, pushing the end of the gun in a different direction.

"Oh yeah." John smugly grinned. "What you doing ere anyway. You alright?" He asked, last part more towards Anastasia.

"We're fine." Michael replied. "But you're not. Have you looked at your post? Do you know that the black-"

"That the black hands after us." John finished, acting like he'd heard that a million times before. "Yes, I know."

Michael swallowed. "Well, Tommy wants-"

"Tommy this, Tommy that. Fuck him, I'm tired of being controlled by him. I'm me own person." John moaned.

"Tommy? Tommy! He better not be ere." Esme screamed as she came running out. "You tell Tommy he can fuck right off." She said, getting in Michael's face a bit too much for Anastasia's liking.

"Tommy is trying to protect you." Anastasia stated, moving in front of her husband.

"Tommy has done nothing but ruin my family." Esme narrowed her eyes, squaring up to Anastasia.

"Tommy does fucked up things but in the end it's always for the right reason." Anastasia raised her voice.

Esme laughed. "Fuck you. And fuck him. My John hasn't been sleeping because of him."

"Esme." John cautioned.

"He's even cried to me some nights." Esme yelled.

"That's enough!" John shouted, his cheeks reddening at the embarrassment of his wife. "Look, we're fine on our own. We don't need Tommy." John tried to change the subject.

"We don't need anyone." Esme piped up, crossing her arms.

Just as Esme finished a truck pulled up and both John and Michael's ears perked up.

"Esme get in the house, bring Anna with you." John instructed, taking his rifle back up as he took a step outside.

"What. No I'm staying here." Anastasia stated, taking Michael's arm.

"Anna get in the house now!" Michael bellowed taking his hand gun out.

Esme losing her confidence, stepped into the doorway, yet Anastasia stayed by Michael's side. Eight men jumped out of the truck; all with riffles. Before anyone could say or do anything, these men began shooting. Everything happened so quick. Shot here, a shot there. It was way too much to comprehend.

But surely enough, as quickly as they arrived, they left in a rush, the truck pulling away.

"John!" Was all that could be heard from Esme as she ran out of the doorway towards her husband on the floor.

Michael was badly injured but Anastasia, that was something else. Michael could barely breathe as it was but what he saw next took the rest of his breath away. His wife, still and lifeless right next to him. She was covered in blood, eyes open.

Michael let out a cry. "No!" He tried to reach out and grab her hand but he couldn't move. He had taken six shots to the chest. "Anna." He managed to mutter as his eyes began to close. He managed to twitch his right arm and touch her skin. Cold. Ice cold. "No!" He began to shriek, blood covering his clothes. Before the scene could play out any further, his eyes closed on him, leaving the last image of his wife a gory and gruesome one.