The World We've Set On Fire ■ Wattys 2016

Kill Me

I don't know why I was there.
I don't know why he was there.
I don't know why it happened, it just did.

I was walking in the forest when I ran into Maze. I didn't see him come and he obviously didn't see me. We bumped into each other and I fell down.

He offered his hand and helped me up. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you." He smiled and asked, softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I wiped the dirt off my uniform. "You?"

"I didn't fall."

"Oh yes..."

None of us said anything for a while. Then, he asked, "So you're free right now?"

"Yeah..."

"Same here... walk with me."

I should've refused but I answered, "Sure."

We started walking towards the thicker and darker part of the forest. The leaves crunched under our feet.

"Gael, I know who you are."

I didn't have a gun to save myself. He had a gun, probably loaded. Maybe death was the best thing that could happen to me right now.

"How?"

"Do you really think that I'd leave everything without even finding out every detail about the person I was to kill?"

"I should've thought."

"Yes, you should've..."

"Kill me." It was a request.

Hammad told me everything. I don't plan to kill you anymore.

"You believe him?"

"I do. Also... you don't look like a murderer." He sighed. "The moment I saw the real you... I knew that my plan was nothing. You aren't a killer."

I wiped my eyes. "I'm sorry about your daughter."

"I'm sorry about you."

"Huh?" What did he mean?

"Without meaning to, you killed hundreds of innocent children. It obviously destroys you to think about how many lives you took... the incident damaged you forever. And I'm sorry about that." He was right.

I nodded and sighed. "You're right... well... um... I should go."

"I'll see you tonight?"

"Yes... of course."

And with a fake smile, I left.