Red Hands, or Blue? (Warning: Mentions of blood, Violence, Death)
(Listen while reading for better immersion)
I ran along the dark streets of Manhattan. The streetlights were all on and made my eyes hurt. My breath was white from all the coldness of winter. I never looked back. The sirens ringing behind me was getting smaller and smaller until I couldn't hear them at all.
It was complete silence. I went into a nearby alley and caught my breath. I didn't know where to go, I was all alone without anybody else. I had nowhere to go, nothing else to hold onto. It was cold and I had nothing warm in my grasp, hell, not even myself was warm. I was far, very far from being warm.
-
I was known as the only one who can always cross the line of brutality and never get caught. I was seemingly... a well-known criminal, known well by the dark corners of Manhattan. I actually had a good family but when my wife knew my 'real self' that I tried to hide from her so badly... She left me without a word. A few months had passed from her leaving, and I was now here, caught by Evan.
"Well, sorry for tying you up, but I think you... hurt one of my friends, and I had to do this for him."
There was a group that grasped the whole dark society. Respria. Their leader, Evan, 'hired' me to deal with his problems for a while, then he just let me go on and live my life. Then some time later, I had an argument with him.
"I already told you that you shouldn't mess with me, Henry. You know who I am, since you've worked with me for quite a long time. And I thought that was enough time for you to understand me. Or was I wrong?"
-
I got into a fight with one of the trusted men of Respria, at a small bar. To defend myself, it wasn't totally my fault since he was the one to spit at me and punch my face. And I'm not short-tempered but... I lost it when he kicked me and talked about my wife, that he actually killed her. I didn't think about holding back anything.
After some time of beating him up, when I calmed down, all the people at the bar were looking at me. And when I looked down there was something red, blood on my hands. And no, it wasn't a symbolism or anything. It really was literal blood of the man. I punched him until he bled. I lost myself so much. When I looked at the man's face, which was almost mangled at that time... The realisation struck me at the back. 'Oh, I did it again.' It didn't really feel bad though. It was rather... good. Nobody called the police and they all frose there in fear, looking at me as if I was some monster or beast.
-
"Are you listening to me?"
"Yes, I am."
"You messed with the wrong person. You should pay for that, right?"
"I am afraid that... I shouldn't be messed with too, just like you. You know who I am. Even you won't be able to stop me then, I assure you."
"Well yes I do, of course. You're The Red Hands of Manhattan... or whatever those assholes call you as. But tell me,"
The leader slowly walked towards me and firmly grabbed my neck with his gloved hands.
"Do you even regret it? What you've done to him?"
I couldn't answer him. When if I say the truth I will die or go through something terrible. Even if I lie I had a scarce chance of getting out alive. The leader let go of my neck then came closer to me and stared into my eyes.
"... No, just forget about what I've said. Anyways, I should tell you a secret since you've helped me for so long..."
He turned back and grabbed something that was on the wooden table. Probably was a knife, now I had no choice. Right behind me was a door.
"Actually, I got rid of her myself."
I was on the verge of losing it again. I could hear my teeth grit.
"She knew too much about us. She was a journalist, right? Poor Percy dug in too deep. Do you want to know about her last words? ... She said 'Please help me, Henry'."
That's when I lost it. I failed to protect my wife. It was because of me. Because I was a criminal. I didn't know she would get hurt. Maybe deep within I knew it but tried to hide that feeling. I felt so bad. I couldn't even protect my loved one when I am feared among this world. I was worthless. If I could, I would've died and saved her. But I couldn't.
But then, a realisation came into my head. It was Evan that killed her. He killed her. And I have enough strengh to make him suffer.
I broke out of the ropes and pushed him. I heard something crack when he hit the floor, powerlessly. I managed to make Evan drop his knife on the floor. I grabbed his knife and... made my way out. I got rid of every single Respria member I met eyes with. I destroyed them. There was red on my hands and even on my face, and my clothes. I just kept running after that.
-
Anyways, that was what happened at 1990. It was such a cold day, and I had to keep running from the police until I fainted. Then I woke up at a small town's house. The woman who saved me told me that I could live with her until I get better. When I saw her, tears fell from my eyes. Maybe it was because she looked so badly like Percy. The woman told me that everything's okay and hugged me.
I hoped she never knew about my past... and after that I became a deputy of this county, because I regretted how much of a terrible person I've been. I've been so bad to my wife, and I couldn't say anything to her now, since she's gone. I couldn't apologise, which is my deepest regret in my life. And I'm trying to pay for what I've done in my life by doing good things. I hope... I can repent myself. And I hope nothing about my past gets known by anyone in the county. My hands were red, but I covered them blue.












