Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 102

The earth trembled with Morrison's words.

"It . . . was you," Benjamin weakly said. "All these years . . . it was you."

"It wasn't my intention to kill your entire family," Morrison said unapologetically. "But I had to."

"WHY?" Benjamin roared, desperately staring up at him. "Because of some stupid prophecy that may have nothing to do with me? My whole life was dictated by what you did to my family!"

"Your whole life was an illusion at best!" Morrison heartlessly retorted. "You were supposed to die before being born but your mother was too stubborn to let Nature take its course--which is why she became fatigued, in body and magic."

"I'm going to kill you," Benjamin seethed.

Morrison looked amused.

"Yes . . . yes, because you're in the position to make such threats, boy." Morrison twisted the Bone Dagger again, once again setting Benjamin's chest on fire. "The truth is, you and I are one and the same, boy. You elude me because you don't want to die. I pursue you for the very same reason."

"We are nothing alike!" Benjamin said through gritted teeth, leering at Morrison with enough contempt to start a fire. "Your humanity is so fragmented it's nonexistent. I take pride in knowing I continue to hold onto mine."

Morrison cackled.

"There's nothing I loathe more than a self-righteous fool. Tell me, boy, how many people have you killed?"

"More than I admit to be proud of . . ."

"So you do know . . . even after all these years."

"I wouldn't dare allow myself to forget. That's taking the easy way out. That's being a coward. Face your sins like a man."

Morrison slowly pulled the Bone Dagger from Benjamin's chest. He bit his lower lip to keep from wailing as he endured the long seconds of excruciating pain. Benjamin fell to his knees once the Bone Dagger had been removed.

"I've lost count of how many people I've killed when the numbers rivaled that of a small village," Morrison said reflectively. "And you're right; forgetting does make it easier. Every kill is like starting over. Like the very first time. The exhilaration, the . . . fulfillment. The . . . the absolute jubilation. It's unlike anything else in the world. And . . .  and soon you find yourself not caring to forget anymore. Killing becomes part of who you are. You've embraced your dark nature."

Morrison chuckled, looking up at the dark and cloudy sky, the moon barely peeking over a cloud at them.

"You know they say this is the true curse of the undead, Crawford. Losing your humanity. Embracing the beast of Nature." Morrison slowly twirled the Bone Dagger in his hands, staring at it intently. "So . . . am I the bad guy for being weak?" He looked at Benjamin. "Am I the bad guy for being afraid? Or am I the bad guy for embracing what I've become?"

Benjamin, trembling from rage and apathetic to whatever might happen to him in the next few moments, said "You'd better kill me now . . . or I swear I'll snatch that Bone Dagger from you and send you straight to hell."

Morrison screwed his face into an ugly scowl.

"Yes, this moment is long overdue," he said, position the Bone Dagger before Benjamin's forehead. "Send your regards to your family for me, will you, boy? Tell them it was nothing personal."

Benjamin closed his eyes.

He knew this moment would come eventually.

He knew he couldn't evade Morrison forever.