☆Deathbringer

"The last day of a free man, is that it?" 

Mother's glaring at Morrowseer, seething in his presence. She almost passed out when I told her that he was working at my school. "You stupid idiot. Why would you ever turn yourself in, eh? Just forget it and enjoy life."

I am worried that Mother would kill him (not for his death, I would love it, but the thought of my mother having the guilt of killing such a filthy being), so I hurriedly reply, "Are you sure you want to treat me like this? When I am the key to meeting your only daughter, the bridge to give them some money, an angel that offers a chance to act like a decent father, or let me say, a decent human being, which you have had hard time doing in the past—"

"I get it, boy, I don't want your remarks," Morrowseer grumbles. "Get on with the plan."

"Moon's a sweet thing, I can't believe she's your daughter," I say in return. "Okay. I'm just going to get you in Glory's house, introduce you as my uncle, which, unfortunately, you are, and disappear to see how Glory is doing. And tell her what I'm planning to do tomorrow. Don't say a word, don't make Secretkeeper or Moon realize who you are, just be content at watching and sipping tea. Remind yourself of the trashy things you have done to Secretkeeper, like leaving her pregnant, how much pain she must have been in, and realize what a monster you are. Maybe next time— if there is a next time— you can give them some money. I think that's all."

Morrowseer stares at me in disbelief. "The plan was this simple, and you never helped me when I asked for help?"

Now it's Mother's turn to stare at him and grip his collar. Her face is red with fury. "YOU ASKED HIM FOR HELP, YOU SAW HIM AT SCHOOL, YOU TALKED TO HIM—"

"I was his damn teacher, Quickstrike, wasn't I?" Morrowseer grumbles. "Or maybe you can just give the money to them. No need for me to go in. Just give it as a Christmas present or something."

"One, you're acting like a coward, two, it's not Christmas, and three, why would I listen to your wishes when I can see you miserable?"

"You gave birth to a demon, that's what he is," Morrowseer snaps, but he nods, grabbing his car keys. He motions for me to come. If I didn't know him, I would even say that he looks excited. "You don't want to be late to your girlfriend, the sweetheart doesn't have much time."

I punch him in the stomach for that remark, and he groans in pain. I dart to the door even faster than he does, wanting to see her. Because, unfortunately, he tells the truth. Before going out, however, he turns to Quickstrike and throws her a brown bag. "Quickstrike, I liked you better when you were killing people, but since you're insisting on living as a kind, good person, you'll need some more money. And don't stay contact with men you don't have feelings for, just ask me if you need more." When she just holds it in her hand, he sighs. "I worked to get it, it's not dirty money."

Mother gives him a grudging smile of gratitude. I turn to him, grabbing his shirt to stop him from going. Lowering my voice, I ask him, "You knew? You were watching us?" But you don't care about us. He scoffs and goes out of the house.

"Tell me how Glory's doing, when you come back, will you?" She calls out.

I reply, but almost certain that she doesn't hear it— I'm already out of the house. Eager to have a glimpse of Glory.

☆

When I go in, there isn't Glory, but Greatness, a grim expression on her face. I can hear her talking furiously with Secretkeeper. I immediately fear the worst. "Where is she?"

Severkeeper is the one that answers me. At the sound of her voice, Morrowseer, hidden underneath his black cap, freezes. "She went to meet her mother. And Mrs. Bright followed her after an hour, just to see how things were going."

I immediately relax. "Oh."

Greatness realizes who I have brought, and eyes me in horror. She motions to take him away, and I'm starting to realize what a bad idea it is, but he stands firm. "Are there any other people in the house, then?" Secretkeeper, who was offering a cup of tea to the both of us, almost drops the teacups. I turn back to show him my horrified expression— he wasn't supposed to say a word—but he ignores me.

"You," she whispers, and I inch away from Morrowseer and sit next to Greatness sheepishly. She blinks for a couple moments, and then gives him a radiant smile. "You must be Deathbringer's— father? Uncle? Brother, maybe?"

Morrowseer stares at her, gently taking off his cap and setting it on the kitchen table. Secretkeeper's eyes follow him in disbelief. "Of the sort,"he replies. He looks around, probably searching for Moon, and Greatness sighs.

"Delightful. What tea can I offer you? Deathbringer, I'll give you your green tea right away, Miss— Glory will be here soon."

Greatness snorts. "I'm glad you can still say her name without the slightest prick of your conscience."

Morrowseer and I talk at the same time. "What are you talking about?" "Why are you acting so haughty to a woman you don't even know, little brat?"

Secretkeeper frowns at her, opening her mouth as if to say something, but ignores her. "Deathbringer, what would your— uncle, brother, whatever— like for tea?"

"I have no idea," I reply as I throw a questioning look at Greatness. She's busy glaring at Secretkeeper.

"Moonbeam tea, please," Morrowseer says, staring intently at Secretkeeper. Her face contorts in disgust, so much that I even feel a little sorry for him. 

"We don't have any." Secretkeeper's voice is sharp.

"But that's your favorite flower." I dig my face into my palms. Oh God.

Secretkeeper stares at him for one moment, three peaceful seconds, before she reaches out and grabs his hair, screeching, a sound that I have never heard before. 

"You. You. YOU!" She pulls and pulls, that after a second of suppressing the urge to laugh at his face, I try to hold her. Morrowseer seems to have gone limp, without any thought of fighting back. "I promised myself, that the moment I saw you, I would pull every hair out of your body, I would kill you, I would beat you up—" 

Greatness stands, and I'm afraid that she'll beat Morrowseer up when she has the chance, because then I'll lose control of myself and join in. But she only takes Secretkeeper's arm and shouts for her to calm down.

"I'll KILL YOU!" Secretkeeper screams hysterically. Her arms don't reach Morrowseer anymore, and as if to satisfy her, he keeps punching himself. I give him a kick to help, but he doesn't seem to notice. "I HATE YOU, MOON HATES YOU, YOU LITTLE FILTHY ANIMAL, HOW DARE YOU COME BACK NOW THAT YOU HAVE NO MONEY—"

"I do have money," Morrowseer says, softly. "I came here to give you some, not to ask for forgiveness, I know I don't deserve it, but just..."

"I loved you, I left everything just to love you, I bore you a daughter, and you, you filthy animal, you never came back, you deserve to die, to fall into the pits of hell, no, you're a demon yourself, aren't you!" Her voice becomes higher and louder. "I used one last penny trying to find you, because I didn't want Moon to live fatherless, because I loved you, and when— when I got hold of some money—" she suddenly shudders. "I knew I shouldn't take it but I did, just to find you, to see if you were safe..." She takes her face in her hands, sobbing completely. "And this girl here— she's telling me that it was harmful for Miss Glory, I caused her harm, all because of that filthy money..."

"What?" It's my turn to be panicked, angry. "What are you saying? What caused Glory harm?"

At that moment, someone opens the door. Moon comes in, a grocery bag in her hands, her eyes widening at the sight. She drops the ingredients and runs to her mother. "What's happening? Why are you crying, Mom?"

Secretkeeper doesn't reply, and just hides herself even more with her hands, as if ashamed to show Moon such a sight. "Nothing, nothing," Secretkeeper says and mumbles something unfathomable. 

"You were screaming, I heard it," Moon protests, looking around. Her eyes focus on Greatness, and then Morrowseer. "What happened here?" She spits the words out, her green eyes cold and unforgiving. She protectively shields her mother from the two of them.

When Morrowseer doesn't say a word— he, too, looks ashamed— Secretkeeper sighs, wiping her eyes and standing up. "Nothing, I just got excited, you know how my emotions get up and down sometimes."

There's a long silence. "You're my biological father, aren't you," Moon spits, looking down at Morrowseer. Morrowseer looks up at her, as if drawn to her voice. His eyes search her face despairingly. Yet, he doesn't say a word.

"Don't say such nonsense to Deathbringer's uncle. Or brother."

"Tell me the truth." Moon's voice is the opposite of Secretkeeper's: it gets lower and quieter. "Are you my biological father?"

I don't know what I imagined would happen if Morrowseer selfishly introduced who he really was to the two of them. I thought Secretkeeper would be angry— she had every right to— but Moon? I just couldn't imagine her angry. She just seemed like an eternally happy person.

Morrowseer glances at Secretkeeper, and when she nods, he chokes out, "I am."

Moon narrows her eyes, and her voice is ice. "I have no idea why you came here, or how you had the nerve to do it, but I assure you that I have never in my life considered you as my father and I never will." She pauses as if to let the words sink in. "We are living happily, without and no thanks to you, and I hope you realize how selfish it was for you to come to us to ask forgiveness, or even to just see us— you have no right. I, for one, will never forgive you, will never accept you as a father, or a human being. I sincerely ask you to walk out of this house right now, and never return."

Morrowseer stares at her dumbly, nods, and walks out of the house. I try to go after him, but Greatness holds me back, pointing to Moon and the tears that are falling from her face.

I make both Secretkeeper and Moon hot chocolate, and apologize for being inconsiderate of their feelings by bringing him. I would have asked questions on how we are relatives, but they seemed too shocked to think of it. They just nod silently, and although teardrops keep dropping on that hot chocolate, nobody says a word.

☆

Glory still hasn't come back after a couple hours, and I turn to Greatness as we wait in her room. I'm prancing in nervousness. "You think something happened to her?"

"It's only been a few hours, I expect she needs some time to talk to her mother. It might be the last," Greatness answers flatly.

I close my mouth shut— Greatness doesn't seem to want a conversation. But then I realize that I have something to tell her. That she, of all people, deserves to know. "I'm going to turn myself in tomorrow. I talked to Mother about everything, and she agreed."

Greatness, looking gloomy and worried before, genuinely brightens at the news. "That's great, Deathbringer."

I play with my fingers, pondering, and finally ask her: "What Secretkeeper said about Glory. Do you know anything about it?"

Greatness thinks for a moment, and shakes her head. "I can't tell you. At least, I have to tell Glory first. But I think she'll agree to not tell you."

"What is it?" I'm distressed. "How long did you know it? How can't you tell me?" When she doesn't reply, I can't bear it. "What is it? Is it good news or bad news?"

"Bad. She knows the worst part, but she doesn't know about Secretkeeper."

"Then she'll tell me," I say, more confident than I feel. 

Greatness blinks, as if she hasn't considered it. Her eyes become wary. "If I tell you, you'll do something rash. I know it."

"Is it that bad? Then you must tell me."

"Promise." She's saying the words slowly, not wanting to say them. "Promise me that you'll be in prison tomorrow. That no matter what, you'll turn yourself in. That what I tell you today won't change your decision."

I stare at her, daunted by the news already. "I promise." I'm not the boy I used to be, Greatness.

"Glory's stepfather." Greatness takes a deep breath. "He was the client that ordered the assassination. I didn't know who did it until yesterday, but as I was going back to Glory's room, I heard it. The thing is"— she sneaks a look at me, that wary look in her eyes— "he injected cancer cells into Glory when she was young. Secretkeeper helped the nurse come in the house with the other shots. Glory's grandmother thought that they were flu shots. I thought Secretkeeper knew what it was, because she accepted the money, but apparently she didn't."

I try to take it all in. Glory's stepfather? Anaconda's husband— he was the client, the one that ordered me to kill Glory's father, the one that injected cancer cells—?

"You're sure about this?" My voice is quiet.

"Absolutely sure."

I suddenly stand up. My brain is pitch-white, wiping out everything. I am familiar with this feeling, this white fury, this hot anger, the boiling fire that threatens to run over. The urge for violence. I am an animal, only answering to my senses, to kill, to destroy, I don't know who I am. My brain becomes calm, and I quickly scan the image of him I have in my head, where he is, where he can be, what weapon can be used—

"I knew you would want to kill him," Greatness says, a disgusted look on her face, but she's only an obstacle now. I push her away and reach for the door. "That's all you know how to do."

I have no time. You made a promise to your mother, a voice whispers, but the fury swallows it again, the image of Glory burning in my mind, and it's kill and kill and kill all over again. Greatness, always going on about justice, about law and no violence. What does she know? She has never killed anyone, and she acts holy because of it, but does she know anything? I laugh maniacally. 

"Your philosophy only defends monsters," I spit out.

"Killing him won't be enough." Greatness' voice is clear, cutting through my fury. Punching me back to my senses. "He'll only laugh at us even if we succeed. He'll be remembered as the target of assassination. There might be documentaries about him."

Greatness turns her eyes at me, and I realize for the first time there there's a similar anger in her, too. "I, on the other hand, am planning to destroy him completely."