Slightly Mad
By C.L.G. Lockhart
I fell to the ground harder than
anytime I have ever had. The bullet punched me so hard in the shoulder and the
pain was immense and it felt as though someone was pulling me to the ground as
if I were connected to a pulley. The fall combined with the pain and shock had
the effect of knocking me out. When I came to it was all over and the
paramedics and police were there doing their jobs. They had already bandaged my
shoulder and when the medic noticed me awake they yelled for more assistance.
‘Where am I?’ was my initial thought.
Then as my sight began to function properly I came to realize I was at my bank.
Then I remembered:
“Where is my wife?” I asked the
medic. I could tell by her reaction that it was not good…
My wife was killed by one of the many
bullets that were sent at the people standing in line at the bank by
individuals whom decided that day to rob the bank. Those fine gentlemen planned
to rob a bank with automatic guns they acquired. Unfortunately they did not
learn to use their guns and when one of them accidentally went off the others
decided to open fire as well. These guys tried to make a run for it but they
were quickly apprehended.
The story of what went down that day
became headline news around the world and all eyes were on all of us affected
by the events of that day. As I recovered from my wounds and made arrangements
to bury my wife I was hounded by reporters and frequently asked to comment on
it. As I stood at the graveyard with my three young children and our friends
and family the reporters stood at the fence taking pictures of our misery for
their newspapers and websites.
It took nearly two years for the
trial to begin and it ended with a hung jury. The defence lawyers for the
gunmen spun the story that they were in over their heads. They were nice and
good people whom just made a mistake and we should always feel sorry for them.
We the victims laughed at their defense but apparently some of the jurors
bought into it and they were hung on making a decision. Another couple years go
by and another hung jury. It was after that second trial that the crown decided
not to pursue a third trial as they deemed it too much of a risk. The families
of the victims were left heartbroken and the criminals walked free.
The press dubbed them the “Free Four”
on the front pages as they all smiled for the cameras. It was the moment I saw
that front page then looked at my youngest daughter with the realization that
she is growing up without a mother that I decided to right this wrong. I went
from becoming sane to slightly mad.
I followed the four of them all over
the next year and learned all I could about what made them tick. Their favorite
places to eat, their extracurricular activities, and the places they liked to
frequent…I knew them better than I knew most of my friends. I became the shadow
that never left their side, the shadow they never knew they had. When my wife
was killed her life insurance left me with enough money I no longer needed to
work and following them became my full time job.
My parents took on the role of
primary caregivers for my kids. They did this believing I was depressed and
just needed some time to find myself; they had no way of knowing what I really
was up to.
I’m going slightly mad.
My plan is to take them out all in
one night. I will carry out my mission in such a way that they will all be gone
before anyone knows what is happening until it has already happened; this way
no one will be able to stop me. The
first one I will take out as he is leaving his local watering hole. He likes to
park in the back alley so the cops do not see him driving drunk. As he gets
into his unlocked car I will be in the back seat and sit up as he fumbles
drunkenly to get his keys in the ignition; he will have a red smile from ear to
ear when I’m done with him. The second and third ones always meet up for a game
of pickle ball once a week in these summer months. I’ll be utilizing the first
ones car as I run them down as they walk to their cars parked in a parking lot
fifty yards away. First ones car is actually a slightly high centered SUV and I
will make good use of the drive and reverse functions of this particular
automobile to ensure they do not get up again to play pickle ball. The fourth
one lives alone and likes to spend his evenings trolling porn sites on the
internet. He is also the one who pulled the trigger that fired the bullets that
killed my wife and went through my shoulder. I was able to procure the exact
same automatic gun he used on us and I in turn intend to use it on him, karma
is a bitch (sometimes).
I’m going slightly mad.
I am prepared for my mission and the
date has finally arrived. I tell my mother I am going out to attend my support
group for survivors of violence. God bless her as she believes me as
always. As I am about to walk out the
door my youngest daughter Shelby walks up to me. She smiles at me as I put my
coat on and gives me a hug.
“I love you Daddy” she tells me.
Instantly I burst into tears and cry like I haven’t cried before. My mother and
older children hear me and come to the door and they all hug me and remind me
that I am loved.
That day I decided to not seek
revenge but rather be the father my children need me to be.
I’m going slightly mad?
No comments:
Post a Comment