Fini.

Florida. April 30th, 161 yf.

Kayla.

We drove down to the old dilapidated structure where we parked our truck. Richard had relocated there 12 years ago from New York when he retired from the force to get a way from the big city. It had been a while since we were in the area.

” Seems like only yesterday… “

I smiled in response to Chloe’s reflections. Just looked at her. I couldn’t believe were were sixty or something. I still loved her:

” Help me with her Lamar… David. “

My son David and his father pulled out the old woman from the back of the truck. My husband Lamar still had gusto in him after all these years. She had a sack around her head… we put her in a white wedding gown.

Richard was patiently waiting inside on his wheel chair. I noticed he had a nervous look on his face… clutching a black box and looking into my eyes for reassurance:

” You’re 70 something Rich… Time to go…”

” Yeah, I know… It’s just hard… the feelings… after all those years on the force. “

Chloe nodded and gave the old bastard a final shoulder massage:

” Don’t think about it… it was just a job… just do it… you were working for the 10 percenters. “

” Here, I brought you your last bagel. ” Lamar chuckles to himself as he hands a bag to Richard.

” Who is she? ” Richard heard the old lady whimper and cry. I was afraid of this. Chloe and I looked at each other, knowing inside he knew.

” Richard…” Chloe was still massaging, ” You don’t even know her any more… she made the best years of your life miserable. “

I looked at him for a moment, then went to the truck to get things to prepare the place.

Chloe.

“Did I miss the party?!?”

It was Cathy. The old hag was always late for shit.

“Cat! Shhh, you wanna get us busted?”

“There isn’t another building around here for the next 20 miles honey, besides…”

She pulls out her gun. Cathy never goes anywhere without it.

Kayla left to give her a hug. Last time she saw Cat was 7 years ago when we were in Malta, helping Frank preform his Hohes Opfer. He’s floating somewhere in the stars now.

She gave Rich a kiss on the forehead, and kissed me looking into my eyes.

“Sorry I’m late sweety, I thought somebody was following me so I took a detour. So fucking hard to drive around here with no street or lights,” She looks over to the lady on the ground and gives her a kick, “Doing O.K Dee?”

She frustrates me sometimes, it’s like she can’t feel the atmosphere:

“Jesus Cat, please,” I kinked my head towards Rich with that look trying to get her to get the drift.

“Oh… yeah, I’ll go help Kayla get ready.”

“It’s a nice day for a white wedding…”

David was singing some ancient song by Billy Idol called White Wedding and snickers with Cat. His mom squints her eyes at him and slaps him across the head:

“Dig!”

Kayla was setting things up around the barn. She’s been awful quite lately thinking about Rich.

“Still remember the longs talks you and Kayla had Rich?”

He smiled, “Yeah… I’ll wait for you two; school… yeah,”

“I’ll be a cheerleader, Kayla’s best friend. You can have her in the next life…sloppy seconds. Hopefully you won’t be a nerd, or she’s not gunna give you the time of day.”

He laughs, “Stuck up bitch. Always was. We’ve come a long way huh? Built a small empire. Good game.”

“Yeah. Game over for you.”

I looked at him as I knelt beside him looking at his black box:

“Can I see it?”

Richard unlocks the box with his old hands and pulls out black satin and unwraps it. The Obsidian Blade was shaking in his nervous hands:

“Moose horn. Me and Cat went to Alaska when we were still young. Younger at least. Had a hell of a hard time trying to kill the thing with my home made bow and arrow. Of course Cat gets impatient after the 4th day. She pulls out the fuckin’ nine she was hiding and shoots the damn thing 6 times!”

I was admiring the sharpness of the shiny black blade while he was laughing and reflecting. I don’t even think I was paying any attention to him. I saw Frank’s face in the blade as he was gasping for his last breath.

It’s indescribable to see a man die in front of your eyes. One moment he’s there talking to you, and the next he’s lifeless. You realize standing there over the empty shell that something that was once there, left.

I cried. Knowing that I’ll see that scene again, and watch the blood of an old beloved friend soak the ground.

ONA-NXS:352, 120yf