The Murder King (A First Draft)

Epilogue: The Murder Prince

December 23, 2012 

        They cut down my body after only a few minutes.  I'm not really sure why I'm alive when HE isn't.  He was better than me.  And no matter how long I live, he always will be.  I loved him, more than I ever could have explained in those last few seconds.  And he died.  They didn't even move me away from the gallows.  I'm lying here in the grass, pretending like I'm dead.  Staring at his body. 

        For the first time in years, I feel free.  I also feel like I should go end my life, because it isn't worth living without him.  But he wouldn't have wanted that.  He said so very clearly in his last few minutes.  He had said he was sorry.  He told me he hadn't wanted it to end like this.  He wanted me to live.  But living is just a burden now.  When I first saw him in that alley, I thought to myself, "Maybe I can make a friend.  Find something worth fighting for." 

        I lay there on the ground, staring his body.  I dare not move, lest someone see me and finish the job they started.  I laid there for hours before I thought it was safe.  I moved a couple inches at a time.  I moved closer to the gallows.  It took me another hour just to get to him.  At this point, I gave up all attempts at hiding.  I jumped up and ran to him.  His body is perfect just like it was in life.  His brown hair covers his eyes, but I move it out of the way.  They're the same as they always were.  That mesmerizing hazel.  Looking at them, I could see how he felt during his last moments.  Pain was shown there, but looking deeper, I saw something I rarely ever saw in him.  I saw acceptance.  Acceptance and even under that, peace. 

        "I'll live for you, I swear it.  I'll live for you and I'll keep the name you gave me.  I love it more than you will ever know," my voice runs from my body.  It doesn't sound like it used to.  It sounds like nails.  Years of disuse have ruined it.  I reach into his pocket and grab the shiv that I knew would be there.  He could have escaped, but he wanted to see me one last time.  I kiss him on the cheek and run my hands through his hair, just once more.  I run to the door leading into the prison and silently open it. 

        I step in, and am surprised to see that there are no guards facing the door.  There are two walking down the corridor.  I stealthily sneak up behind them and slit their throats, slicing the jugulars.  It's odd...  Whenever I killed before, I felt a pang of regret for the life lost.  Now I feel nothing.  Empty.  I step over the bodies and continue running down the corridor.  Whenever I get to a doorway, I speed up.  But there are a suspicious lack of guards.  That is until I get to the cafeteria.  Inside, hundreds of them sit around tables, celebrating the death of "The Murder King and His Comrades".  Of course!  We were at the top of the Most Wanted list for five years.  They were celebrating because we were dead.  They really should have at least checked first. 

        I get to the gates and see only one guard.  "This has to be the easiest prison break in history," I whisper as I walk up and slip the shiv into the guard's heart.  It's way more personal than I'm used to.  My guns kept me distanced from my marks in the past.  I walk out of the prison.  I'm free.  Except, there's someone waiting for me outside.  It's a girl guard.  She looks at me and says, "You're not Damien."