Monstrous Deeds

Prologue

Harper looked up at the seemingly endless night sky. The air was crisp and the ground he was lying on was refreshingly cool. The emergency lights of the stolen car illuminated the silhouettes of his companions in short rhythmic flashes, while its remaining functional headlight seemed to trail off forever into the vast, dark emptiness of the desert. Harper couldn't tell who was winning the fight, or whose blood it was that was scattered all over the ground. He knew he should be afraid for his life, but somehow he wasn't. He couldn't even feel the pain from his broken leg anymore. He felt...still. He turned his attention back to the night sky. He wondered if his parents could see him, or Roy, or his tiny niece and nephew. If maybe they were somewhere lost up there in all those stars. Would he be allowed to join them after all he'd done? Should he? Probably not. Harper closed his eyes and exhaled, and for the first time in as long as he could remember he felt a profound sense of peace. His life hadn't gone at all the way he'd planned, but it had been one hell of an adventure. Dawn was approaching. He hadn't looked at the sun in almost thirty years and despite himself he was looking forward to one last sunrise. This was the end of Harper's story; he was finally going to die.