It was over in an instant.
It felt like an eternity. I stood frozen on the spot, staring at the body of the man who had been my protector and provider for the last 3 months. He had ensured I stayed safe, sheltered, and well-fed every moment I was with him.
His murderer was standing above him, momentarily unaware of my presence. How could he? How could he have rid the world of my provider?
That lecherous ball of slime, before I could do it myself?
He had funded every step of the journey I was taking, at the high price of his pitiful advances, and unbeknown to him, his own life. My skin crawled to think of how many times he had tried to touch me, my ears rang with his whining that he had given me everything, that I had given nothing in return. I should have killed him weeks earlier when his pleas became more insistent. He had become dangerous, but to have lost the chance to dispose of him in my own way made me furious.
So furious that for a moment, I forgot that there was another person between me and his body.
My eyes rose to meet his ... as red as mine were angry. I could feel him analyzing me, and I could almost feel the lie coming on. I knew he hadn't found the man that way. I had watched him drain the blood from the body and slit the throat to cover it.
"Shut up."
His eyes widened a little.
"Do you know...how long I had to follow him? How long I have had to put up with that pitiful, disgusting man? And now, I don't even get to finish his useless existence?! Gods, all for naught! I still feel the burns on my skin from his lecherous hands, and thanks to you, I don't get to rid him of them!"
"If it's any consolation, he didn't feel much." He shrugged. My temper boiled over.
"I wanted him to feel everything I was going to do! I was going to make him suffer for every little thing that he has done in his entire miserable life! And now I've got you to thank for taking that opportunity away from me!" I ranted and screamed before he interrupted me and apologized.
"Look. I'm sorry. I had no idea that you were after this guy. I just happened across him. If I had known, I would have asked you about it first. I mean, hell, aren't there tons of other worthwhile guys out there that you can go after?"
He had no idea how many men were deserving of my scorn. But I knew he could have chosen a better target. He must have been tired. "Aren't there plenty of other useless people that you could go sink your teeth into? Quite literally, I might add."
For someone I had just seen take the life of another human being, he seemed so nonthreatening. Almost amused by my sarcasm, even.
"Now. Look here. I apologize for raining on your little murder parade, darlin'. I never planned on getting in anyone's business. So I'm gonna go my way. I suggest you go yours. The fuss you've stirred up has no doubt caught someone's attention. The faster you get out of here, the better."
"But what about the body?" Was he just going to leave it laying there? "Even I would have given it a proper burial."
He insisted we didn't have time - before walking up to grab my shoulders. He intrigued me too much to die, so I jerked away. As I proceeded to make distance between the two of us, I walked face-first into the leather-clad chest of a town guard. I felt the murderer grab me again, pulling me away from the guard.
In another split second, the guard had flown through the air - propelled by a strong fist - into a brick building. We had a short amount of time to get away.
So I went with him.
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