Epilogue

the mourning is like a reminder to the living that they have to keep going with their lives. whatever happened before the mourning is in the past now. forgotten, to not be remembered ever again.

like a phantom that torments those who feel guilt for the mistakes, that won't be undone once the mourning started.

some may decide to do something different with their lives. others would keep living the same way they had always live. some would want to go back in time. others would want the time to run as fast as possible, so the past can be buried under tons of lies that conceal the truth that once used to be and that haunts them in their sleep.

some would wake up with a smile thinking of the mourning, as the reminder that life gave to us. so we can know that after the darkest night, comes the light of a bright new day.

others see the mourning as a cruel joke. one that reminds them that they are stuck in a vicious cycle called life. which won't let you go until it has satisfied its hunger.

there are many people with different opinions in the matter. but one thing is for sure, that once it is mourning. it means that whatever happened yesterday was in the past, and that now is today.

now is the present, and tomorrow would be the future.

.....

the Next Mourning.

Nina wakes up on her bed with teary eyes. she feels remorse for what she did. Nina wants to cry now that she is alone in this cruel world.

Nina lost her father, her only living relative. she has just kill the love of her life. she feels like her life is falling in pieces.

Nina stands up. her body is so weak, that she shakes in every step she gives. she turns the TV on. Nina saw some news about a dead man found in a dock.

the anchorman is in the dock. he steps on the area in which Rigoberto's body fell. behind him are bloodstains. there is a body been moved. the body is covered.

"a few hours ago was found the body of a young man. he was murdered in the dock. there is a note saying that he was the last victim of the Reaper. so the real question is, has the Reaper actually decided to end his work? and why did he choose to kill this young man? what has he done for him to be the last victim?....."

".....there are plenty of questions. and there are none answers. on another news. after this murder was sign as a work of the Reaper. there are people asking if Martin Johnson was innocent. was he framed? will he be release? I am Francis Rosewood."

Nina turns the TV off. she falls on her knees. she cries. Nina doesn't have enough forces to stand up again. she suffers while thinking in her lover.

Nina looks at her hand. she sees the ring cover in blood. the wedding ring that Rigoberto gave her.

Nina goes to the bathroom. she takes a shower trying to forget everything that has happen in the last few hours. when she gets out of the bathroom, she looks at the photo that she found in Rig's wallet.

"bastard you didn't just died. also you took from me the opportunity to have revenge on the man whom killed my father. now that you are gone, I can't know who was the man that murdered my father."

.....

in the meantime.

Tiziano Fierro is in a road driving. he has been living for the last few days on a town nearby Inflictionville. it is a bright and peaceful place.

in there he started a new organization. one different from the last one. this time he is not only building the Fierro family again. but he had decided to use the money he gets from the organization to help others.

this time Tiziano isn't just doing damage to others. he will also help, even if he is call an hypocrite by others. Tiziano gets an energy drink from a plastic bag. he is doing this change not for himself. but for Brandon his best friend.

there is a minor issue. the police in town is a bit tight. there is a bigger Mafioso on town. so it will take a while for Tiziano to be the top dog on town.

two of his former employees are in the car with him. one of them tells him that he saw in the local news about the discovery of a body.

Tiziano doesn't care about dead people. but when his employee tells him that the dead man is the Rigoberto 'the Midnight Reaper' Mendez. that he was murdered on a dock. Tiziano swallows saliva.

"I am lucky I left town. he was a scary beast, but for every beast there is a hunter as scary or as tenacious. or maybe, just maybe that is what he wanted. to die like a nobody. after all he was scare of himself."

he gets a call from one guy. he is told that the organization is growing in town. everything is going accordance with the plan.

Tiziano keeps driving. he even puts some music on. he sings with his companions. there is tranquility on the car.

"when a beast dies. it is because he fought with a bigger beast, or because that beast lost any sense of meaning in the world." words that Brandon once told him.

"at times I wonder if I did the right thing when I choose this life. instead of fighting for what I used to believe in. then I am reminded that the past is the past. there is no solution on something that is over."

.....

in another town far away from Inflictionville.

Jose Miguel Mendez and his wife Emma Nelson, are in a kitchen cooking. a ten years old kid asked them when is the food going to be ready. Jose Miguel and Emma smile. they adore the little boy.

Amado Mendez and Joan are sitting in the dining room. they are kissing each other. they look so happy. a five years old girl is asking them for food. she laughs by herself. then she goes to her grandpa.

"when are we going to make more kids? we aren't getting younger. it is now, or never darling. I want our family to be bigger."

Joan kisses Amado with love and passion. the kid enters in the dinning room covering his eyes and making noises. Joan and Amado laugh.

"I see gross grown ups. I am telling grandpa and grandma."

"Joan my love. there haven't been a day in which I don't think in how lucky I am for having you. I might not be a fine doctor like I dreamed to be. but who cares when I have the most perfect woman in the world as my wife."

"please don't say that. you embarrass me. I am not perfect. I committed many mistakes in my past. I am far from perfect."

"who cares? you are perfect on my heart. and I don't care about the world. for me you are the only one. the most wonderful woman in the world. I am grateful everyday for having you at my side."

Jose Miguel serves them pozole with tamales. they all eat in the dining room like the happy united family they are. Jose Miguel never told them the last words of his other son to not destroy their hopes.

the only other person whom knows about that tragic news is his wife. who also wanted to hide the truth from a happy family.

.....

the next morning.

Jordan is in another state. he is working in a store that he owns. his brothers go to school everyday. Jordan has a happy life.

the store may be small. but is enough to pay for their basic needs. they are all happy. when Jordan arrived. he used the money Rig gave him to rent what is now the store.

Jordan doesn't only take care of his brothers. he also takes care of kids from the streets by giving them food and a place where to sleep. he is in debt with the Mendez family. he is grateful to them for what they did for him. this morning he heard on the news channel about Rigoberto's death. Jordan was thinking about the past.

Jordan felt bad for the news. at the same time he was happy. because he knew that was Rigoberto's choice. to go out in that way. he was till the very end an eccentric and strange person. he was so misunderstood.

.....

in the state of Creepwood.

Sidney works in a restaurant as a waitress. by the way her roommates are Jack's sister and her boyfriend. Sidney works in a descent job. she sleeps in a big house. is true that the money that paid for that house was dirty. it is also true that they live comfortable.

they are better with not much of a future. and a past that is easier to forget than to remember at all. which is not worth to even try to remember. the only thing that they have is their present and a few millions.

Sidney saw the news channel this morning. she didn't notice the news about the murder on the dock, nor she would ever get the news of Rig's death.

.....

Prison for the Criminal and Insane.

Martin Johnson opens his eyes on a dark room. he laughs like a maniac. as he laughs a few tears fall from his eyes. he was mentally stable when he arrived. with time he has lose some of his sanity. he has become a victim of his own world.

Martin knows that there is no prison that can keep him captive like an animal. because he is a wild beast waiting for the moment to be free from this prison.

Martin has some contacts and they will freed him soon. at first his most profound desire was to seek vengeance against Rigoberto. now that he is dead. Martin isn't sure of what fulfillment his freedom will bring. an empty revenge is nothing.

for the moment he enjoys of his days in prison. he has all the time of the world. and all the possibilities to let go of his wrath. the same wrath that is eating him alive. Martin is a man with wrath. he is a man on fire.

Martin has slowly. but efficiently started a fire that is going to burn down that prison. of course the fire is just metaphorical speaking. which means that is worst than a real fire. because a real fire with water is extinguished. but a metaphorical fire doesn't stop until it burns everything.

Martin has many allies. those who aren't his allies are his victims. in prison Martin is more than a king, he is the lord. the is the beast on the top of the food chain.

Martin has been in peace since the first day in which he arrived. but when the word spread that Rigoberto was murdered, Martin saw it like a sign that it was his time to take the title of the 'Midnight Reaper.'

Martin calls his contacts to inform them that he needs his freedom now. their answer was 'in seven days.' now all that Martin does is wait for the next week. a plan for his return in been written.

.....

at the Sunset.

Kenneth Robbins is in the cemetery walking between tombstones, until he stops in front of the tombstones of his sons. he was trying not to cry. it was difficult for him to not cry. the wound is there. he may not be bleeding. but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

"I heard that the man whom kill you was killed last night. who could have guess? I told him that he was going to have a cruel punishment. and he is now going to be your mate underground. he got his punishment. my boys I hope you two can find in heaven the power to forgive me for being an awful parent. I have to fix things with your sister."

.....

everyone keeps walking with their lives. and it doesn't matter what they want, or if they don't want it. here is no happy ending. because this is no fucking fairy tale. but the end that everyone deserves in this twisted world is what they got.

now if you are interested in knowing, from all this characters who is the narrator of your story? obviously it wasn't the dead guy on the dock. he doesn't even count anymore.

whom could have being the narrator. and who could be capable of knowing everything that happen in this fucked up world? then I would give you a clue. my name starts with Ran..(and ends with)..dy. yes, Randy is the name of your mysterious narrator.

now you would think how is that I could knew everything that happen? I will confess that I am not an omnipotent being. nor I believe in angels. now if you asked me about demons? I may, or may not be one. only I know.

--the end.

____________________________________

Author's final thoughts.

this is a story that is suppose to be about a greedy tale about choices. in more than one opportunity the main character was given choices. he was given options to escape from that shit-hole in which he was. he always took the worst choice. and that lead to his death.

I tried my best to give to every character a personality of their own. I tried hard to make every character seem like a realistic character. end even when the story has some religious touches like the Sin of Wrath. I tried to focus on the dark side of humanity.

I don't like to use sex/nudity, or too vulgar language, or drugs on my stories. I used those points as an element of the story because it was about the darkest side of humanity.

I know this story wasn't perfect. there are some plot holes here and there. there are plot lines I started without properly ending. but even so I feel like I achieved what I wanted from this tale. I was able to complete the story that I wanted to show.

I am not sure if I may be able to do another story like this one. another story with a more realistic tone. now the ending does feel more supernatural. and it feels off in comparison with the rest of the story. but that is the point. because the story has a religious tone. it fits if Randy represents 'Evil' as symbolism and not as a human.

finally I may write a sequel story at some point. nothing is confirm. but I have one or two ideas that were left out. if that happens it won't be soon.