A deep sleep took me, a welcome escape from reality. I woke up suddenly, and in front of me were unfamiliar faces. They were asking questions, and from the sirens echoing in the distance, I understood they were after my parents. I remembered what had happened: they were horrible people, but I hadn't had the courage to take their lives. Instead, I was running from my own moral duty. Upon learning the goals of the people who had found me, I decided to amend my mistakes. To do what, deep in my heart, despite everything, was the right thing.
That was where I met them. My best friends. Auren and Celia. From the first, I was in awe of his sense of justice—so noble, so unbreakable. And Celia, despite her insecurities, was one of the most ethical people I had ever known.
As for me, the feeling of guilt haunted me. That emotion that tortured me was hidden. It never left. It just lingered in the background. My humor was only a shell. Beneath that shell, there was nothing but the tears of all the mistakes and evil I had committed. I felt that if I stayed with them, I could forget, for a time, everything I had done.
Until one day in the house—we weren't doing anything in particular—until a voice message from Lucan arrived.
—We've found a pair of hitmen who murdered a family of five near the valley. They live in a house. Their names are Edward Forge and Cristina Forge.
Right after Lucan mentioned the names, I stood up from my seat. I recognized those names. Edward and Cristina Forge. With a seriousness never seen before, I told Auren I would handle it. Auren, Celia, and Nadia asked me why I was suddenly volunteering for that mission. With my typical smile, I told them it was nothing, just a quick job, and that nothing would happen to me.
—All right, said Auren, placing a hand on my shoulder. Just don't die out of recklessness. Then he walked away.
Some time later, I was outside a normal house, hidden in the grass out back. Gripping a lever-action rifle, I aimed at the grown man. As if he had a bad premonition, he took cover beside his wife, dodging the bullet. At the same time, they fired back toward where my shot had come from, shattering my rifle.
With no other choice, I revealed myself to the couple. The man, Edward Forge, pointed at me and shouted:
—What do you want, and who are you?
—Edward Forge and Cristina Forge have been sentenced to death for the mass murder of innocents and civilians, I said. As for my name... my name is Axel Forge.
My father's face twisted in disbelief. I lunged at the couple, only to be met with a hail of bullets from both of them. I managed to dodge some and take cover. I shot at my father, who quickly ducked, though his weapon was disabled.
With my father's whereabouts unknown, I went straight for my mother. She greeted me with machine-gun fire. I was hit in some non-lethal spots, but enough to draw blood. I managed to fire a shot into the barrel of her weapon, wounding her hand. But from a blind spot, my father rushed at me with a metal rod, dislocating my left arm. My only pistol slipped from my hand.
Quickly, I reacted by kneeing my father in the face. I grabbed the pistol with my right hand, shooting him in the stomach. Edward bled and spat blood, before taking a kick that sent him crashing beside my mother, who tried to shield him but was struck in the arm by a bullet.
Both parents, now on the ground, looked at me. I aimed at them without hesitation, remembering that moment when I hadn't seen them as my parents, but as disgusting strangers. Yet again, I lacked the strength to act.
In the present, my father spoke:
—Axel, you don't have to do this. We could go back to those family times.
My mother interrupted:
—If you kill us, you'll be just as cruel and vile as we once were. Think about it.
I cut her off with a scream of frustration.
—Shut up! I said, tears visible in my eyes. What you did has no forgiveness. Do you think things will ever go back to the way they were? What the hell do you think I am? Enough. I'm going to finish what I couldn't do so many years ago.
Aiming the weapon at them, my parents cried out in plea.
—Axel, NOOO!
But the sound of the shot rang out in the back of the house. In front of me, Edward and Cristina's lifeless bodies lay on the ground. In that moment, I felt nothing. Just rejection of the way my parents had lived.
I returned to my true home without anyone noticing. I went to the back to watch the sunrise. The operation had lasted into the night, and the first rays of light were appearing when that same feeling of guilt struck me again. I felt terrible. I hadn't seen my parents in many years. They were bad people, but why did I feel this sadness? I spoke while covering my eyes in shame.
—Damn it, why?
Behind me, Auren and Celia came after me. The latter hugged me, and the former said:
—We looked into why you rushed into that place. I suppose it was a mission you felt guilty about. But the important thing is, it's over now.
Auren hugged me too, and Celia said:
—You're going to be okay, Axel.
I returned their embrace, saying:
—Thank you.
In my mind, I kept telling myself that this guilt I felt would pass with time. I just had to wait for the wound to heal.