Page 6 of Collateral Damage

“Just listen to yourself. You are turning into the man you feared most.” My eye twitches, finding everything within me not to pull the trigger into the back of his throat.

“He was no man. He was theDevil. And I pray that when I leave this god forsaken piece of shit we call earth, that he isin hell, waiting for me so I can kill him again.” He is the entire reason we are both in this mess. He killed an innocent woman to protect a man who couldn't of given two fucks about it. It’s laughable really.How fucking dumb can you be?

“Please. Don’t do this.” I glance to his right, into the eyes of his wife who looks as frightened and as confused as I was that night.

“Those were her words before you pulled that trigger. They meant nothing to you. And they mean nothing to me.” As I finish my sentence, she tries to make a run for it, tripping back down onto the sofa as my palm grips her loose hair, yanking her back down with harsh force.

“Sit. The fuck. Down.” My teeth grind, throwing her back into the seat. Did she really fucking think that was going to work? Now I take no responsibility for my actions.

“Did you. Or did you not. Pull that trigger knowing full well what you were doing?” The barrel of my gun rests between his eyes.

“I told you!... It was self-defence!” I refrain from pulling the trigger, having too much fun watching him tremor.

“I’m giving you five seconds to answer correctly or I'm firing your lie through her skull,” she sobs, glaring at him in desperation and it's a beautiful sight. So fucking ironic.

“Did you. Or did you NOT. Voluntarily fire that gun,John.” He stays mute, leaning back in the chair trying to escape the metal.

“Five.”

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you! I didn’t fire on purpose!” Even with her life on the line he still lies through his teeth. He really is a good for nothing son of a bitch.

“Four.”

“You’re fucking crazy!” He takes her hand, squeezing it tightly and this act of ‘love’makes my skin crawl.

“Are you really going to fight this when her life is at stake?Three.” He finally realises I'm not joking, lifting his hands to surrender as those words I've been waiting for finally choke out of his mouth.

“Ok! I fired with intention! I killed her! I was angry and confused! I’m sorry!” Relief eases off my shoulders, rolling it out as I lick my lips with anticipation.

“Good boy…” I grip the back of his neck with callousness, swinging him to face the fear in her eyes.

A bullet finds its home in her skull as I pull the trigger.

“NO-”

…

“It doesn’t matter how much you plead your sins to save someone else. They end up taking the bullet meant for you anyway, isn’t that right?Detective.” I hold him there, fighting his reluctance to watch his beloved bleed out all over the couch but he needs to fucking watch, I want him to watch the life drain from her pretty little eyes. My grip tightens as his loose tears turn into heavy flows of guilt, cradling her head in his hands, mumbling sweet little nothings under his breath.

“I just wanted to hear you beg like I did before you killed my mother. Before I do what I should have done that night.” He's angry.Good.Everything he's feeling, everything he wants to say is sitting at the tip of his tongue but he's still holding himself back.

“Here's how this is going to go… I'm going to talk. And you're going to listen,”the knife dances between my leather tendrils.

“Let me show you, just what kind of‘friend’you were dealing with,” I slip a lighter from my back pocket. Placing it beside meon the coffee table as I take a seat, almost breaking it with my weight, pulling a cigarette from the box.

“What kind of man you called a friend, shall I?” He doesn't look at all pleased, peering at his deceased wife, leaking from the temple of her forehead, staining his white polo shirt.

“That won't be necessary!” Necessary? This is anecessity.

“What's the matter? You scared? You know what wasn't necessary? My Mother's fuckingDEATH.” My fist cracks against his cheek bone, forcing him to glare at her and take it in once more.

“What can I do. Please. Tell me! Anything!”

…

“You canFeel.” I draw a flame, burning the tip of my cigarette and sucking in a long puff before pulling it away from my lips, analysing it between my fingers.

…

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