Ro (A Cyberpunk Retelling of Romeo and Juliet)

40

Can vengeance be pursued further than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee: Obey, and go with me; for thou must die.

RO MONTAGUE

Lawrence's followers dump me at the graveyard, wandering the streets of New Verona near endlessly. "Hide." They tell me.

Like a rat, I hide in the gutters. The southern streets blink wearily onwards, the neon lights a haze in the fog of night. Wandering in dove-gray cloak and black trousers, my hair shorn to nothing, and a stolen gun in my hand, I look down.

Here lies Viviana Flor.

I fall to my knees, running my hands in the dirt.

"A modern city, many years in the future, and still..." I run the dirt through my hands, watching the mud cake in the lines of my palm, "still, we haven't discovered immortality."

Numb, I sleep, for a while, with my back against Gran Viviana's tomb. Dead from grief, is what Lawrence told me. Gran Viviana died from knowing I'd finally been caught for my crimes. Funny, I wasn't even caught really for murder. I was caught for falling for the forbidden. For love, or something very much like it.

Paz, Viviana. I tilt my head upwards, imagining I see stars. Shame. Truly, I see nothing but a polluted haze. Paz siempre. Peace always.

***

I wake up moments later. The graveyard keeper, an old man who refuses to let robots take over the job of watching the dead, is telling me to go on. I wander the streets some more, pausing when I come in front of a brothel.

A grimy, outdated wall monitor plays near the bar. A headline along the bottom.

A face, eyes closed. News of Jules falling off the stage at a press conference. Falling off the stage while speaking in Jack Paris's behalf.

Suddenly, the infinity implant hits. Shared memories, like troubled dreams.

I love you.

This is why I must do this.

For New Verona.

And I can't hear Jules' thoughts anymore. Goes completely silent. Just. Like. That.

"No," I moan, nearly running into other people trying to get into the brothel. "No, no, Jules. It can't be!"

"Watch it buddy." I tumble into a disgruntled older man.

"You watch it!" I scream. The frightened customer runs off, seeing the wild look in my eyes, the stolen gun at my belt. Like a rat, I run.

Back in the graveyard, I sink to my knees.

"Gran Viviana," I beg, "don't let Jules join you. But if they have..." I swallow, drawing the gun. A weak piece of tech, but Lawrence had nothing further to give me. I only need one shot to accomplish what I wish to. "Jack Paris shall pay."

***

Hey, it's Ro Montague here. Don't forget to vote and comment... or else.

Your daily wisdom for the day?

Vengeance be my guide.