Far Away | self-para
Amidst the chaos of his tumultuous past, there was a specific memory etched into Viggo's mind like a scar, influencing his behavior and shaping his daily life. He still woke up to it at night, no longer screaming from the memory that wrenched him from sleep.
It was a night veiled in shadows, the air thick with tension as Viggo found himself standing in the darkness outside a modest home. His target lay inside, a woman innocent of any crime beyond witnessing the sins of others. Yet, duty and loyalty to his employer demanded her elimination.
As he stood there, knife gripped tightly in hand, his gaze shifted to the dim glow emanating from the windows. Inside, the woman slept peacefully, unaware of the imminent threat lurking in the darkness. But it wasn't her slumber that gave Viggo pause; it was the sight of her children nestled beside her, their innocent faces bathed in the gentle moonlight.
In that moment, a torrent of conflicting emotions surged within him—anger, regret, and a flicker of something resembling compassion. His mother's teachings echoed in his mind, her words of protection and the sanctity of family resonating with newfound clarity. It was a pivotal moment, a crossroads where Viggo's convictions clashed with the demands of his past.
In the end, it was not duty or allegiance that stayed his hand, but a primal instinct—a refusal to become the monster his past deeds sought to mold him into. With a heavy heart and a burdened soul, Viggo turned away from the path of bloodshed, fleeing into the night and igniting a manhunt that would haunt him for years to come. He had been running ever since, the screams and sight of that innocent family's blood in his hands that would never be clean no matter how hard he tried.
He woke up less and less from their memory, but it still lingered. Which was why he stood awake on his kitchen at 2 am, hands that once took like now slicing through vegetables and meat, mind filled with both blood and recipes.
