Filling the Void
The angry shouting, frightened screaming, desperate crying, frenzied
running, all of it, everything froze for that one single moment…and then he
said those words, “That bullet just hit the biggest, most genuine heart to ever
exist.”
A heart, all but this new darkness, knew to be full of light and love. Had he gone on, finished his thought, I bet that would’ve been the rest, she was certain feeling her own heart perish to darkness.
Those were the only words he spoke for days she remembered. From that point on, the avowal, haunted its hollowing whisper to her, too often in her dreams. She couldn’t say exactly when she came to the realization that, he knew the blow was fatal before it hit her.
She remembered everything so vividly as if it just happened moments, instead of years ago. First the bellowing BOOM, then the tiny, shiny thing it birthed took flight. It’s such a crude little thing to end something so beautifully pure, precious and rare. It doesn’t look like much on its own. She thought as she watched it send ripples through the air, rotating with its imperfections glimmering, reflecting distorted rays of light and pitted concaved golden images as it passed by.
How can they be so careless with life? She once questioned, until that day. After that day she no longer cared. Vengeance was imploring her now and it was near impossible to ignore.
“When it struck her, the blow threw her back like a horse kicked her square in the chest!” Her quivering shout at their captive echoed again and again through the dark, cold and dank basement. Only unlike in her dreams, this time she was not alone. She and her older brother, the kind and gentle giant, had managed to separate and drag one of the programmed hunters into the soundproof deep of the abandoned apartment building.
After many failed attempts at escape, this highly trained man, once rich with the arrogance of militant power, quickly crumbled into a heap of pathetic sobbing, “PLEASE! I wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have done it!” He took a breath as his eyes widened, “I could help you, t…t…tell you anything thing you want to know! I surrender!”
She stood by and watched for her brother’s next step, but he remained unmoved, he doesn’t trust this one either, otherwise he would’ve jumped at the slightest chance to find the others. Yes brother I agree, this one stinks. Sweat still rolls down his temple and we’ve been down here a while, she too could smell the trickery on him.
She stared through the man, “Why don’t we make an example of him…”the words came out to be sure, but felt like someone else was saying them. “…we could leave him here for the rest to find. They can’t be that far behind now. You and I both know the world is a better place without his kind.” The thought left her numb, a welcome change from the resurfacing sorrow.
She blinked then looked to her brother. The moment their eyes met her heart broke from the disappointment she found in his big, brown caring eyes. The silence felt like it lasted forever before he finally spoke, “Be strong.” he urged. “They will pay for what they’ve done, but not like this. Not here and not now. This is not us. You cannot let them change you.” He studied her, “You know my words are true sister, deep down you can feel it.”
She stood up straight, rebellious and stubborn. And he was right. Emotion filled the void and tears flooded her eyes as she broke in a whisper, “I just want them to leave us alone.”
He wiped away her tears and put his big arm around her, “I know. That time too will come, you’ll see.”
Copyright © 2012 by Shelia Weiss
A heart, all but this new darkness, knew to be full of light and love. Had he gone on, finished his thought, I bet that would’ve been the rest, she was certain feeling her own heart perish to darkness.
Those were the only words he spoke for days she remembered. From that point on, the avowal, haunted its hollowing whisper to her, too often in her dreams. She couldn’t say exactly when she came to the realization that, he knew the blow was fatal before it hit her.
She remembered everything so vividly as if it just happened moments, instead of years ago. First the bellowing BOOM, then the tiny, shiny thing it birthed took flight. It’s such a crude little thing to end something so beautifully pure, precious and rare. It doesn’t look like much on its own. She thought as she watched it send ripples through the air, rotating with its imperfections glimmering, reflecting distorted rays of light and pitted concaved golden images as it passed by.
How can they be so careless with life? She once questioned, until that day. After that day she no longer cared. Vengeance was imploring her now and it was near impossible to ignore.
“When it struck her, the blow threw her back like a horse kicked her square in the chest!” Her quivering shout at their captive echoed again and again through the dark, cold and dank basement. Only unlike in her dreams, this time she was not alone. She and her older brother, the kind and gentle giant, had managed to separate and drag one of the programmed hunters into the soundproof deep of the abandoned apartment building.
After many failed attempts at escape, this highly trained man, once rich with the arrogance of militant power, quickly crumbled into a heap of pathetic sobbing, “PLEASE! I wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have done it!” He took a breath as his eyes widened, “I could help you, t…t…tell you anything thing you want to know! I surrender!”
She stood by and watched for her brother’s next step, but he remained unmoved, he doesn’t trust this one either, otherwise he would’ve jumped at the slightest chance to find the others. Yes brother I agree, this one stinks. Sweat still rolls down his temple and we’ve been down here a while, she too could smell the trickery on him.
She stared through the man, “Why don’t we make an example of him…”the words came out to be sure, but felt like someone else was saying them. “…we could leave him here for the rest to find. They can’t be that far behind now. You and I both know the world is a better place without his kind.” The thought left her numb, a welcome change from the resurfacing sorrow.
She blinked then looked to her brother. The moment their eyes met her heart broke from the disappointment she found in his big, brown caring eyes. The silence felt like it lasted forever before he finally spoke, “Be strong.” he urged. “They will pay for what they’ve done, but not like this. Not here and not now. This is not us. You cannot let them change you.” He studied her, “You know my words are true sister, deep down you can feel it.”
She stood up straight, rebellious and stubborn. And he was right. Emotion filled the void and tears flooded her eyes as she broke in a whisper, “I just want them to leave us alone.”
He wiped away her tears and put his big arm around her, “I know. That time too will come, you’ll see.”
Copyright © 2012 by Shelia Weiss