Victim to all

Victim to all

In the dullness of the cold afternoon, I walked down the city streets with revenge in my eyes, bitterness in my lips and a blade underneath my sleeve. My eye was on a man wearing a gray hoodie with his hands in his pockets. I was looking at the murderer of my beloved Ella.

The memory of her death will never be clearer…

It was a year agowhen it happened. It happened on the exact street I walked through now. I remember Ella and I were heading for a little café we usually visit after work. It was such a beautiful day that day. The sun glimmered behind the glass buildings as it prepared to set. A slight drizzle of rain poured down on the streets. Sparkling crystals of colors spread as the rays of the sun touched the raindrops. I had Ella in my arms as we walked through the light rain. Every once and a while, our eyes met and our smiles shined at each other.

“The sun looks so beautiful at this time of the day, even from here.” Ella smiled.

“You’re right, but I prefer to look at you instead.” I said, in which she replied with a smile.

Ella looked so beautiful at that time. Her smile sparkled like the ocean under the sun. Her eyes were as blue as the clear skies. Her golden brown hair flowed beautifully down her shoulders. She was an angel under the setting sun.

I loved her. I love her more than anything in the world and I was ready to prove it. In my pocket was a diamond ring I spent on with every dime I saved the last two months. After our little date in the café, I plan to whisper in her ear, “I love you Ella, and with all my heart I ask, do you love me too?” and show her the ring. My heart was filled with excitement just at the thought of it.

Before we were able to arrive in the café, we have to pass an alley that serves as a shortcut. The alley itself seemed dangerous but we passed their so often that we were assured that it was safe. But half- way across the alley, something terrible happened.

A man grabbed Ella from behind and placed a knife on her throat. “Empty your pockets.” He commanded, “Empty it or else!”

“Dean…” Ella whispered out.

“Okay. Okay, Just please don’t hurt her.” I replied to the thief. I slowly emptied my pocket but made sure that the ring slipped into my sleeve.

“What’s that under your sleeve?” The thief said in frustration as I finished emptying my pockets.

“Nothing” I replied, “I emptied all my …”

Before I was able to finish my sentence, Ella was able todeal a blow on the thief’s chest with her elbow. I saw my chance and I tackled the thief before he was able to grab Ella. I wrestled him for the knife, but I was losing my grip on him. My back was against the wall and I could feel the cold blade pressured on my face.

I saw eyes filled with hatred and anger in front of me. I will never forget the face that stared at me with such contempt.

As I struggled to regain advantage, Ella grabbed the thief’s arm from behind and tried to pull him away. In frustration, the thief turned and at that moment it felt like time had paused.

 The sharp blade pierced Ella’s skin. Ella’s eyes were filled with so much shock, so much dread.

“Ella!” I shouted.

It was a devastating moment. The thief was standing in front of the fallen girl. I was leaning on the wall, struck with shock. After a few seconds, the thief dropped the knife- I don’t know whether in shock or fear, and ran. I still stood there, paralyzed with shock. Only until the thief had left the alley, I came to my senses and went to Ella’s aid.

The rain started to grow stronger and the sun started to disappear. The glimmer of the sunset was now replaced by the stillness in the cold air.I held Ella’s body close to me. I moved her hair to see her dazzling eyes. Her beautiful face was growing pale. 

“Ella… You’ll be okay. You…you’ll be okay.” I mumbled as I tried to cover Ella’s wound.

“Dean…” I heard Ella whispered, “I’m sor…sorry.” Tears began to blur my eyes.

“Ella, no… no…” I cried. I dropped my arm to the wet ground and reached for the ring I had dropped during the struggle. Then, with all strength and passion, I slowly whispered “Ella… Ella, I love you, and… and with all my heart, I ask…”

I paused for the moment. Tears poured down my eyes. I felt the strong surge of love, sadness, joyand grief pass through me. Then I continued “do you love me too?” Then, I showed her the ring.

Her soft gentle hand touched my face, and she said so gently, “I love you too, always… I do… I’m… Sorry.”

I’ve lost my voice as only sobs came out of my mouth. The rain poured down. The sun disappeared. Ellawas gone. I looked one more time into her eyes. Then I found my voice…

I screamed.

The memory will never be clearer.

Now, the knife stained with Ella’s blood will be stained with her murderer’s. For one year, I have been finding the man who has taken my Ella from me. Now, I am following him down the street. The murderer will fall victim to my anger, to my revenge.

I followed the man walk down the street until the time was right for me. Upon reaching an alley, I knew the time was right. I reached forward on the man’s jacket and pulled him into the alley. I placed him with his back against the wall and the knife on his throat. I looked into the man’s face- a face I will never forget.

The alley was dim and silent; far from the noisy streets and crowded buildings. The buildings surrounding us created a giant shadow over the alley. It was the perfect place to express my revenge and anger.

“You’ll pay for what you’ve done.” I said in a bitter voice.

“Take my money, take everything in my pockets. Just please don’t hurt me.” He cried.

“Don’t you remember me?” I said slowly.

“No” The man nodded in denial.  “Please don’t hurt me”

“You don’t remember me, do you? Let me help you… Remember a year ago, you looked at me with my back against the wall. And I looked at you with fear in my eyes” I said as I slowly motioned the knife towards his face.

He looked at me for some time and then his eyesgrew wider. “You’re the man from the alley. I… I stabbed that girl who was with you.” He said in fright. His face showed the gravest expression of fear- an expression that satisfied me as I looked at him. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. Please.”

My heart was filled with anger upon hearing this. “You didn’t hesitate to put a knife on my face. What makes me think you didn’t mean to hurt Ella!” I screamed at him.

“I’m sorry…I” He started crying.

“You killed the person I loved the most. You took her away! And you’re going to pay for that! This knife is what you used on her. Now it’s what I’ll use on you!” I said with pure anger. I placed more pressure with the knife.

The man started crying. I looked into his eyes. It was filled with fear. But I didn’t see the man who placed a knife on my face and stabbed Ella. I even saw a slight hint of innocence in him. “Why must thoseguilty of a crime turn innocent before their punishment.” I thought to myself. I want the person who killed Ella to pay but Ididn’t see him in this man.

I turned away from the man. I looked down towards a puddle on the ground and saw the man who killed Ella in my eyes. My heart filled with shame and grief but I could not cry. I could not show emotion but anger in my eyes. I looked back at the man behind me sitting and crying on the floor. My heart only filled with pity for him.

In pain, I dropped the knife and slowly walk away. But before leaving the alley, I looked back and said “It wasn’t your fault.”

We are all victims. We are all victims to life and its aspects-its joys, its wonders, its horrors, and its truth. Ella may have been a victim to murder, but the murderer is a victim of sin. But, I am a victim of the grief I feel for Ella, the pain of sparing her killer, and my very own shame of trying to take a man’s life.

I walked down the street to the alley where Ella died. I looked down at the spot were Ella lay in the memory of her death. I looked up to the sky. I screamed.

Reviews

[Rhianne Ney]

(: Greatly written and well penned (I sound redundant, forgive me) Anyways, great job here ~!

[luviva]

wow, you are a great story teller, you know the way the story unfolds, the scene of the crime and all the emotions involved just made e feel like i was watching one of the CSI episodes!

[Hester Vane]

Deep and powerful stuff! You portary the emotions perfectly, so much so, i almost shed a tear at this one! All I would say is go through and check your grammer, for example it should be 'Ella and I' not 'Me and Ella', even if you are writing to try and be more informal. But apart from that, powerful stuff!

[Kyle Sky]

thanks a lot. I'll be sure to check the grammar.

[Ahmad Cox]

Wow, amazing story. I really liked the powerful message in this one.