Note: For those joining us for the first time and to refresh the memory of our existing readers refer to the previous stories.
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Part 4:
I (The Innocent)
The last moments before we die are always the clearest. It’s almost like a high, maybe derived from the extreme adrenaline rush our body pumps through us in anticipation of our journey. It is at the point of death we see clear like a recently healed blind person. But what is left after the adrenaline wears off, is guilt. The body in preparation of death exhaust’s all its adrenaline but the body doesn’t prepare for you not dying, so in principle it doesn’t know what to do if you don’t die. But guilt is sometimes more painful than death. It can be torturous.
I was about to be killed, till I heard voices around the gallows then suddenly a loud “Stop” it was from the hangman. At first I was confused, maybe the rope wasn’t tight enough or maybe some mistake had happened. I couldn’t see anything so i relied on my wit and fear to make basic assumptions of my surroundings. But after a few minutes of waiting for the whole process to restart, I was led down the steps, my blind fold removed. Confused I asked, “what’s going on” with a smile on his face the hang man replied, “you’re not dying today, we just received an order to vacate your execution.” I was elated but still shocked. A million questions coursed through my brain but I was exhausted. I needed to sleep, so immediately I entered my cell, I slept off.
II (The Hangman’s Conscience)
For the first time in a very long time, I took a long sigh of relief. Tonight, I will sleep like a child. At last I didn’t have to be riddled with the guilt of killing an innocent man. In my more than two decades of being a hangman I’ve never experienced this such of close call. If I had been fast by a mere 30 seconds, Ben would’ve died. And I would’ve just succeeded in killing an innocent man. But thank goodness I delayed a bit. The rumor spreading around is that the real culprit confessed to the killing. I couldn’t care less but I was glad, Ben wouldn’t die from my hands. My conscience was free.
III (The Murderer)
I didn’t mean to kill him. But he was foolish, who fights with a man with a gun. I just wanted him to apologize for the hurt he caused me. I tried to make him feel genuine remorse but Laori was stubborn and prideful. We had an argument, then he began to hit me in the chest with his palms, so out of rage I pulled the trigger.
But in retrospect, I’m not sorry I killed him. He deserved it, although everyone who was involved in the conspiracy wanted something, I mean, Laori made many enemies. But mine was personal. He made killing him easier even though I didn’t wish to. But the only guilt I felt was sending an innocent man to the gallows. I couldn’t do it. So I drove myself to the Attorney General’s office and confessed my crime. I explained how I lured him to the scene, killed him and framed Ben. But of course I left out the fact that i didn’t act alone. That information wasn’t necessary. Laori was dead, now it’s my turn to pay for my sins. Ben had nothing to do with it.
IV (A Free Man)
Ben stepped outside the prison walls to see his wife and his new born waiting for him. It was as though he was a new creature a born again as the Christians call it. A few days ago he was a condemned man but today, he was free. The last few days had given him enough time to think and be immersed in guilt. He had questioned all of his life’s choices till he arrived at the realization that the only way forward for him was to forget the past and become a better man. Although he had been a victim of the world, he was done writing the script for his own condemnation. The time for reconciliation was here. Riddled by grief he hugged his wife and child, left with but one lingering question in his mind: “who fears death?” As they walked away into the sunset, he whispered into the air: “everybody.”
The End.
Appreciation
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This is a really good read; the entire story. Such a great way to end it.
Beautifuuuul😍. What a perfect way to end the story! Looking forward to more awesome stories from you.