Free Requiem for a Mouse by Jamie Wang Page B

passed. “Would you like to know why I drink this?” he said in a pant.
    “You’re fucking crazy!” John screamed.
    “Not crazy, disgusting,” Lao said.
    It was too hard to hold in. He lunged sideways and vomited a clear stream of what smelled like kerosene.
    “What the fuck?” John tugged against the noose around his neck trying to inch away.
    “Excuse me.” Lao dabbed his mouth with his tie. “I drink this is to remind myself of how disgusting I am, how disgusting what I’m doing is. You see, I believe that what I’m doing is a sin. This is my punishment.”
    Lao’s eyes stung. His stomach felt like a knife had pierced it. He paced around John with unstable steps. “But I’m only human and this is the best I can do. I’m violent, arrogant, selfish, and sadistic. What else can you expect? At least I have the good sense to punish myself.”
    “Please, I’ll do anything you want!” John begged. “Whatever you want, it’s yours!”
    “You already know what I want. How did Owen get the gun?”
    John’s eyes grew large. “It was given to us.”
    “Was it by someone named The Boss?”
    “How’d you know?” John stammered.
    “Owen already told me this much. Now go on, what did he look like?”
    John slowly shook his head. “I never saw the man. I only heard the name because the package came with a letter from him. We just got a package outside our door one day, that’s all. This isn’t my fault.”
    “Then I suppose you’re even less help than Owen.” With a swift kid, Lao knocked John over.
    The noose tightened around his John’s neck. The chains on the ground clanked as he twisted and turned. Lao paid him no attention. Taking his time, he pulled out a box of cigarettes.

PRINCE
     
    The black river sparkled with glints of moonlight. Each ripple a small flash of silver, like the glisten of a diamond. It was easy to get lost in such a sight.
    Prince sat in his usual spot, beads of sweat dripping down his chin. He hated working out, but it was necessary. Nobody as weak as him could protect someone. Since the incident at Hawk’s Lair, he hadn’t missed a single day. If anything like that ever happened again, he would be ready.
    “Hey Prince.”
    He knew the voice. “Sasha.”
    “You smell awful. What are you doing at this hour?”
    Prince shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.”
    Sasha returned his answer with a smile. “Nobody can. Bolt and Flower are wide awake and Mav’s off doing his own thing again.”
    “Our final drop is tomorrow. I’d be surprised if anyone could sleep,” said Prince.
    Sasha took a seat beside him and looked toward the river. “This is so pretty!”
    Prince glanced at her. Her red eyes widened as if she could see the entire world, if only she opened them wide enough. The silver of the moon glimmered through her red making her eyes look like rubies. It was easy to get lost in such a sight.
    “Why didn’t you tell me the river looked this pretty at night? I would’ve been here every night.” She wielded no authority in her voice. Right now, they were equal.
    For the first time in a while, Prince found himself at a loss for words. He had only seen her so relaxed a handful of times before. It was hard to believe that this was the same proud girl that headed their family.
    “I think a fish just jumped out the water!” Sasha laughed. She hugged her knees and pointed a finger at the river. “Did you see that?”
    Prince brought his hand up to his chest, surprised to feel the rapid thumping of his own heart. He could hear the blood pounding through his head. Though he tried, he couldn’t contain his laughter.
    “Did I say something funny?”
    “I never thought you were such a girl.”
    Sasha grinned back. “Asshole.”
    They sat there a while, enjoying the breeze. It was Sasha who broke the silence. “We’ve been getting in a lot of fights recently.”
    If it was anyone else, Prince would’ve given a sharp retort. Instead all that came out his mouth was an