The Mercy of Birds

CHAPTER 48: BLUE FADES TO YELLOW

Victor walked up to him, his eyes laden with emotions. "Miranda Lee, the mother of Carson. She had been tracking Clementine down and after she found out that she was now free, she pretended to become her nurse and... forced her into a suicide pact. My sister had no choice..."

Jonathan brought his hand up to his mouth and rubbed it unconsciously as if it had gone dry.

"We also found out that she was the one who sent Detective Hernandez the recording, she was the one who had been there. I'm sorry if I'm asking for too much, but I need you to testify as a witness in her case," he finally revealed his intention.

"Absolutely not," he promptly refused as he began to retreat.

"Sir, please, I know you know she's just a victim!" Victor affirmed in desperation.

"Is she?" he countered. "Do you think a victim would stab an innocent boy forty-seven times?"

Victor winced at his remark, his stance wavering. On the edge of his conscience was an anger that threatened to overcome him after being affronted. "She certainly didn't deserve to be raped and auctioned like nothing but a piece of meat!"

This time it was the older man who advanced towards him. "No, she didn't, no one does, but tell me, Victor, what did she do to Miranda Lee now?"

Victor faltered, more than ever. He felt his world swaying on his feet again. "She stabbed her... forty-seven times."

Then he stared at him, his dark brown eyes so raw and cutting. "There are some people who have suffered long enough in this world that only death can be a mercy to them."

He turned away and left with his car while Victor was still trying to register his words in his mind. Bystanders closed in and passed him by with their very own lives to attend to and he never felt so small, so miniscule, expendable and spent. He couldn't even find it in himself to be angry anymore, his fire died out before it could enlighten him.

Would it have been better if his sister just endured it? Would it have been better if his sister just ended the life of no one but herself? Would it be? Would it?

"Victor," a hand touched his shoulder. "What did he say?"

When she received no answer, she knew that this path only led to a dead end. She gave him a nudge, an encouragement to move forward and find another way. "Come on, we still have Nicholas. We need to get a hold of Nicholas."

+

"It's okay, Cameron," she said. "I'm just happy that you're here."

Then came the deluge of questions that only weighed him down.

"Did you get enough sleep last night?"

"Did you take care of yourself?"

"Have you eaten breakfast? Make sure that you do because it's the most important meal of the day."

"Did you and Victor talk? I want you to look out for each other."

"How about Nicholas? Have you heard from him? If he decides to not want to see me anymore, then it's fine. I just wanted to know if he's healthy."

It sets him off of the edge. It doused him with ice cold awareness of cruel reality. It made him want to be angry with her, and worse of all, it caused him to regret the day he ever even thought of bringing her home to him.

All of the strife that occurred between him and his brothers regarding her presence didn't mean anything but render her to be even more precious to him, but this... this made him wish that he could turn back time and alter his decision. He wished that he could just abandon her. He wished that he could just not care about her. He wished that he could just not love her.