Tavern 4

The road is dusty and dark, the only lights the fleeting rush of a cars headlights that stay upon your back for a second, before rushing off to illuminate the road ahead. As I walk the pack upon my back feels light compared to the dread in my heart. I face before me the one thing I have never managed to conquer, my home.

The shadows still cling to me, and it is for her that I must return and come home. The crickets hum as my feet pass by in the dark and I remember the stream where we used to walk. The humming of insects, the reflection of the water in her eyes. She was different from the others somehow, as was I. This was our curse and I must find the salvation we both need, before it is to late. Up ahead I spot a light shining upon a sign up ahead. A small hotel that marks the outskirts of this sad and lonely town that doomed its children to a fate worsened by death. The sign has changed since I was here last, so have the owners, however the memories are not dulled by time. It was here that we finally found each other, that one fateful night that would end up destroying more than petty lives.

I still remember it all, the smell of her hair, the feel of her flesh, but most of all those haunting eyes. The memories are strong, when I open my eyes I feel blood squeeze out from my clenched fist. I force my hands to relax and try to continue. I know I can not, I am damned and nothing can save my soul. I turn to leave, feeling the light upon my back. I hear her voice calling and I can not abandon her, I must continue. What is it I fear, coming home should be as simple as it gets, however the despair that fills me knows no rules. I walk on, seeing more lights open the veil of the night. I pass by a town I once knew, but has sometime lost me. I take the path to the river, I need to see her again, before I set her free.

The river reflects the darkness of the sky above, and me bellow. Even the moon is hiding it's face from the world tonight, offering no sanctuary for ones like me. The river has not changed much, despite times marching, only the aluminum cans and needles offer any signs. As I look into the dark and swirling waters I see her, not as she was, but how she came to be. She screams at me, begs, and I have to help her. I walk back to town as the first light of the far away dawn threatens to peak over the horizon. The houses I pass are all familiar to me, but there occupants not. As the final one catches my eye I stop. The cold grows in my stomach as I look at the ivy covered walls and the cold lead windows. Here was where he lived, he that destroyed all he created and those who loved her. I look through the window from the street, and watch as he hits her. I stand and watch as he smashes his fist into her again and again. I am powerless, I am impotent, I can not save her. She collapses to the floor, her eyes black, her checks stained. He drains the bottle of whisky dry, allowing a small stream to follow over his uniform. He then throws the bottle at her, laughing as it shatters over her exposed back, ignoring her cries.

I walk on as the scene fades and take the route through the cemetery. I walk to the plaque that commemorates her memory, I see it for the first time. I kneel before her and hand her back her hairbrush, the only thing I ever managed to save. I am about to continue when I notice another stone I can not ignore. The tears fall that I promised would never as I kneel over my mothers grave. I find it good to cry again, after so many years and so many heartaches. She would never have accepted me back, but still, she was my mother. I remember the night she had found me with her. She used to clean the hotel, and it was from her I nicked the keys for our room. She had gone to him and they had found us. He was sober and almost kind, kinder than my mother. She tried to prevent me from leaving the house, to ever see her again, she believed that she was cursed, diseased and trash. The next night I was going to meet her at the river, we were going to leave, to be together. Somehow he had found her after he had crawled out of the pub. The last I saw of her was her head as he pushed it under the water.

Of course there was an investigation, she had slipped was the official reason, but he placed as much suspicion on me as possible. Everyone who could not care less suddenly became her best friend and tried to drive me away. My mother believed the rumors and threw me out. I left that night and damned us both.

It is then that I see him, as he heads past. Murderer, I run towards him as I couldn't then. He sees me running and hears my call, for a second his face betrays the fact he is confused, but as recognition lights his gray, dead eyes, his face becomes a mask, stern and unrelenting. I grab his grubby collar and smash my fist into his stomach. He is surprised, and doubles over and feels the blood stains his lips. My knee decides to make contact with his nose, spreading more of his blood over the ground, staining the pavement like the blood stains on his soul. I grab him in a head lock, murderer. All it will take is a simple twist and she is avenged. She screams again, and I hesitate.

All goes black for a second as I am hit from behind. I stumble, releasing him, watching as another of the so called law helps him to his feet. Cradling my head I find it is my turn to bleed. She calls again, she is being drawn to the river, she is leaving me. I run after her, I can not allow her to leave. As I reach the dark waters I am grabbed from behind. A nightstick enters the small of my back, and I fly into the murky waters. He soon follows, he let me live once, he will not make that mistake again. He pushes down on me and my lungs scream in protest as they are given water instead of there beloved air. I hear a voice challenging him and the murderer and his partner argue. I feel a bullet enter my stomach ending the argument for me. I look up at the killer and laugh, for now I see him in his true form, he is small, weak. I fell her presence envelop me and I know that finally I am home.

Cuttings from the local newspaper, three days later…

Officer Kelly was arrested last night for the murder of…
The investigation into his daughters death was also reopened following…
Officer Kelly had no comment regarding these allegations.