Page 113 of Semblance

There was a moment of lingering silence. I heard the beating of my heart which echoed like war drums.

And then the sound of the gong cut through the silence and reverberated throughout the room.

Click.

The gong struck again.

Click.

It wasn’t until after the third strike that the sound of gunfire erupted, followed by a loud groan.

I opened my eyes just in time to see Brevin slump over in his chair and fall to the floor. The tip of Lincoln’s gun was smoking.

“I’m sorry Brevin,” Lincoln was near hysterical. “I’m so sorry.”

“I never liked Brevin,” Sinister said. “Some say it’s unethical to sell drugs, weapons, and sex, but honestly is selling false faith any more ethical?”

“Don’t speak like you knew him,” Shadow said. “Don’t speak like you know any of us.”

“Oh but I do,” Sinister said. “Since the day I killed your mommy and daddy, I’ve watched you and your sister grow, waiting for the perfect day to introduce myself into your life. Tonight’s games took almost over a decade of planning Shadow, and all for you. It’s all for you.”

There was a moment of tense silence before Shadow spoke.

“I’ll bury you.”

“Maybe you will, but wouldn’t it be romantic if I dragged you down into the grave with me? We’d be locked in an embrace for all of eternity; dance partners in hell,” Sinister laughed. “But enough with my dirty little fantasy. There’s still one more round of this game to be played.”

Sinister walked over to Lincoln and handed him another bullet. “One more to go,” he said.

Lincoln loaded the bullet into his gun, his hateful stare never straying from Sinister. I could tell Lincoln wanted to use that single bullet on the bastard, but it’d only serve to get everyone killed.

He spun the chamber of the gun and snapped it shut, taking a deep breath after.

James did the same.

The second round of this perverse game had begun.

“Aim.”

That was my cue to turn away.

This time there was only one chime of the gong as the deafening blast from the pistol immediately followed.

I watched as Lincoln dropped to his knees, tossing the gun aside. He buried his hands in his face and unleashed a horrific scream.

Meanwhile James’s head hung over the back of his chair, his limbs dangling loosely by his side. Blood dripped down from the side of his temple and gathered into a red puddle on the ground.

Shadow made his way towards Lincoln, ignoring the demon faces, whom had their guns aimed directly at him.

“Lincoln,” Shadow said, “We’ll bury these fuckers. Every last one of them.”

“Fuck, I killed them,” I heard Lincoln sobbing.

Shadow pressed Lincoln’s head into his shoulder.

“You didn’t kill anybody,” Shadow said. “Remember those words; you killed no one tonight.”

Shadowglared in Sinister’s direction, whose eyes danced with amusement beneath his shrouded visage.

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