Til Next Lifetime (Open)

Lifting her lifeless form Samuel laid her in a collected heap. Her arms folded over her chest her eyes held closed by the silver dollars he’d kept in his pockets. He had to admit he was number than he should have been. It was the needed thing it was the only way he could keep his word. She wouldn’t harm anyone anymore. Yet there was a part of him that knew she deserved something maybe not better but something else. He’d made it as painless as he could. He even gave her the dignity in it being him. He didn’t call a hitter he hadn’t done what had initially popped into his mind. He hadn’t sealed her in simply forgetting her. Grabbing her phone he popped out the battery then snapping it in two. Looking at the wreckage of a life he moved to gather her things. There was no reason to do so but he felt less than proud at leaving her things strewn all over. The vial, the knife both expected. The lack of a firearm was as much of a surprise as the picture.




It had a dogged ear in the upper left corner but was surprisingly well kept as if it had been in a photo album. Why would she go in the run with this eluded him.



He held the picture allowing the memories to flood his mind. He and Estelle and Abel on the way to make a meet with the Prince’s men. They were setting the ground work for what would become Exauda though it turned out Estelle was unwilling to abandon her precious New Orleans. She thought she could make a difference. He’d seen it growing in her just how far she was willing to go to make that difference. He hadn’t been willing to die for a cause he had however been willing to kill a swath for one. Sighing he smoothed her hair back into place and arranged her so that she seemed nothing more than lost in a dream.



Standing he slipped the picture away absently. Lowering his head he closed his eyes. Unbidden a poem by Sarah Blackstone came to mind. In the quiet of this now her tomb he spoke it from memory.

“Imagine if I was given one moment, just a single slice of my past.

I could hold it close forever, and that moment would always last.



I'd put the moment in a safe, within my hearts abode.

I could open it when I wanted, and only I would know the code.



I could choose a time of laughing, a time of happiness and fun.

I could choose a time that tried me, through everything I've done.



I sat and thought about what moment, would always make me smile.

One that would always push me, to walk that extra mile.



If I'm feeling sad and low, if I'm struggling with what to do.

I can go and open my little safe, and watch my moment through.



There are moments I can think of, that would lift my spirits everytime.

The moments when you picked me up, when the road was hard to climb.



For me to only pick one moment, to cherish, save and keep,

Is proving really difficult, as I've gathered up a heap!



I've dug deep inside my heart, found the safe and looked inside,

there was room for lots of moments, in fact hundreds if I tried.



I'm building my own little library, embedded in my heart,

for all the moments spent with you, before you had to part.



I can open it up whenever I like, pick a moment and watch it through,

My little library acts as a promise, I'll never ever forget you.” Turning form her body he found a sheet and covered her. A few steps and he was at and through the door locking it behind him he looked at the door once more before hiding it further behind a few other pieces of detritus. It was a vault designed to last through nuclear holocaust no one would ever find her. He would take steps to make sure that remained the case. For now however he was done.



The drive to a public lot was a short one he exited the car and made his way to the Quarter allowing himself to become just a tourist. His mind all but empty.