There he knelt
in the middle of the smoke filled room
the fire spreading quickly
the sound of sirens in the distance
slowly getting louder sealing his demise
Blood in pools on the floor all around him
lifeless bodies litter the room

He quietly gazes
looking down at the gun in his hand
The object that shattered his childhood
and transformed his fairy tale life
into the vengence filled journey
that spanned 11 years

A slight smile comes to his face
as he remembers a time in his life
before he knew hate
before he knew vengence
before this mask became his true face
before the world was on fire

I remember now...

a time of laughter
a time of light
when mom had dinner on the table
and dad came home from work each night

he'd take off his badge
and hand it to me
So proud of him
I would polish it for hours
handling it so carefully

He was a man of honor
who stood for what he believed
but guys like him had a number
and his was called way too early

they came late, and silent
in the middle of the night
I heard the shots, the screams
and hid under the bed
until the end of the fight

I was afraid to move
all I could do was cry
then my bedroom door opened
and blood soaked feet
walked to my bedside

It was not my mother or my father
then he dropped to his knees
thrusting his arm under the bed
grabbing at me

I screamed and yelled
I tried to fight
he dragged me out
I was bound and gagged
and stolen away, into the night