For Good

Prologue

The jaws of the penitentiary groaned and creaked open, spitting out the man from the bowels of the prison. The man passed through the gates and stopped to glance at the castle-like walls that had been his home for over a decade. He coughed, a hoarse, bark that expelled a gooey mess from his lungs. The man spit on the stonework and then breathed in a deep sigh of the night air. The air had a new purity and crispness that he had never experienced while on the inside.

The man shifted his military surplus backpack to one shoulder and slung it around to his stomach. He dug into one of the small, green canvas pockets and took out the wallet that was inside. The tattered leather held some cash, a credit card, a driver's license, and two keys.

The man smiled at the freshly printed driver's license under the glow of the exterior prison lights. Daniel Lewis of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That was him, or at least, that was who he was now. Daniel hated Milwaukee and he knew that She had chosen it out of her odd, and overtly macabre, sense of humor.

Fucking crazy bitch.

Crazy or not, Daniel owed Her everything. Deals had been made, papers signed, and now he was taking the first steps to his new life.

Daniel was not an innocent man, and he could hardly be called a free man, going from prisoner to slave. He didn't mind though, there were some perks to his arrangement, such as getting out of jail despite the mountain of evidence that was stacked against him. The truth didn't matter, that was a lesson Daniel had learned long ago; results mattered.

Daniel rummaged through the bag and his heart soared at what lay inside one of the small pockets: a pack of cigarettes and his lighter.

He pulled a cowboy killer from the pack and flicked the lighter, abraded gold with a faded red star in the middle. Daniel breathed in deep, savoring the subtle hints of cocoa, brown sugar, and licorice that underlined the earthy tobacco.

Thirteen years. Thirteen fucking years. He took another drag and began to walk away from the prison. But not one more.

The debt Daniel owed for his liberation was one that he would never be able to pay back. He knew that and so did She. Were it not for Her, he would soon find himself on his way to Pelican Bay, strapped to a table and stuck with a needle.

Stuck like a bad little piggy.

Daniel walked down the middle of the prison road, holding up a middle finger to the guards that he knew were watching him go. He grinned, imagining the rage and the disbelief all the men in the prison felt as he waltzed out their door.

He couldn't wait to get home, wherever that was going to be this time. His first order of business would be a shower, then a shave, and then another smoke.

Just as promised, there was a car waiting for him on the corner of Natoma and Prison; a '67 Ford Mustang. Daniel caught the glint of the pristine blue paint. One of the keys inside his wallet fit into the lock and there was a piece of paper tucked in the sun visor. There was an address written in flowing cursive.

Daniel laughed as he climbed inside and pulled the door shut, tossing his bag into the back seat. He squirmed around in the crunchy leather seat before placing the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life, like some unholy beast escaped from hell. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he had feared.

Bullshit.

The hollow pit in his gut didn't lie. This was going to be a fucking train wreck and he was the one tied down to the tracks, like a damsel in those old westerns his dad used to watch.

The blue Mustang sped through the moonless night, a passing shadow that ate up the miles at a ravenous pace. As the sun rose, Daniel tuned the radio to an Oldies station and was soon accompanied by the voices of the greats: Billie, Johnny, Bob, Frank, and Glenn.

Daniel periodically checked the piece of paper to be sure that he was heading in the right direction. He knew the area, he knew the roads, and he knew that She would make sure he made it there on time. He stopped only for gas and the bathroom; She had ensured the car was stocked with bottled water and snacks for the road.

The sun was beginning its descent when Daniel arrived at his new home. Daniel stepped out and instantly reached for his pack of cigarettes. He had only smoked when he stopped, having promised Her that he wouldn't smoke in the car. She always knew when he lied. Almost always.

The other key in Daniel's wallet opened the front door of the house. The paper in his hand told him that the upstairs master bedroom was his, complete with a change of clothes in the closet and toiletries in the bathroom. He went up and took a shower to rid himself of the stink of prison.

The sun bathed all that it touched in tones of yellow, orange, and pink. Daniel watched silently from the second story of his new home, watching the vibrant colors drain from the sky. The walls surrounding him slowly lost the stains of the fading light, and the shadows stretched out to replace brilliant colors with darkness.

Daniel's blue-gray eyes were transfixed on the distant horizon, as if he could see something that was not quite there yet. His gaze remained steady as he slowly reached out and opened the window, breathing in the fresh air of this cool summer night. He was waiting for signs of Her arrival.

The shadows in the room grew stronger, more bold, and darkness soon spread over his face. The last of the orange, yellow, and pink of the sky reflected in Daniel's eyes. His pupils devoured the colors, leaving behind only black.

He ran a hand across his freshly shaved face, then over the short, black hairs on his head. He no longer smelled of prison, but now of expensive cologne tinged with tobacco. There was nothing sinister to his look but there was something not quite right about him, an attribute Daniel credited to Her.

Daniel was the kind of man that made you feel uncomfortable when he stood behind you in line at the grocery store. The kind of man that, when you walked through a parking lot late at night, caused you to self consciously play with your car keys in your hand. He was the kind of man that dogs whimpered away from and babies stared at in anxious uncertainty.

Daniel placed his pack of cigarettes and lighter down on the windowsill. She probably wouldn't mind that he smoked here as long as the window was open. He withdrew a cigarette and held it between his index and middle finger, bringing up to his lips. The lighter struck, briefly illuminating his true features..

He took a drag and held it for a moment. A wisp of smoke crept out of his mouth and spread out the open window. As the last of light faded from the sky, the shadows gathered behind him. He began to hum, lost in thought, nothing left to do but wait.

It's all different now. It's funny how one day can change everything. All it takes is one bad day, or one good one.

Daniel knew that he was free because She needed him once again. She didn't go to all of this trouble for just anyone. Most people were expendable to Her. Not him. Daniel had proved his worth to Her a long time ago, and whatever it was that she needed, he would see it through to the end.