The Royal Contract

“I thought you would have cold feet.” A deep, baritone voice talked to Mike as more footsteps approached them.

“I was ready to shoot him if you lost your nerve.” Another man arrogantly interrupted.

“Is he dead?” One more joined them as they converged around him.

“Of course! He is.” Mike’s voice confidently answered with a series of laughter. “Do you think I will still let him live after I betrayed him?” That seemed logical, he thought. His friend should guarantee his death.

Because if he did survive this, the first thing he would do would be to hunt his friend down. He would make sure to make his friend suffer before he took his last breath, killing him with his bare hands.

“Go check if he is dead.” His friend instructed one of the men.

“I think he is dead.” The man said. “Look, he is not breathing.” He could still barely hear their conversation as he fought the darkness that seemed to consume him.

That was news to him as he still struggled to move or open his eyes again. But his efforts were futile as his body remained immobile. Then, he concluded one thing.

.....

After that, he did not understand the rest of the conversation, but he remembered their laughter and the voice of the last man who spoke before he blacked out or probably died.

He was not entirely sure since he had never died before. Anyway, it felt like he was only sleeping as he still heard voices inside his head after a while. But it could be a dream. But did dead people still have active thoughts? How would he know?

Still, he could be dead, whatever that meant. But he remembered that they said the past and the present would flash in his eyes once he was on the brink of death. Was he about to recall everything that had happened to him since he was a child? Was this it?

Then, the thought of her pushed to the forefront of his mind as her image swirled before him. What would happen to Haley? Would she be safe now that he was gone? He hoped so, or else his sacrifice would be in vain.

“Wait! Did I just let myself get killed for her?” No, that was not it. Why would he do that? It did not make sense. His friend betrayed him that was why he died, not because of her.

However, it did finally make a lot of sense. He could not deny it anymore. He loved her. And if death could be the only way he could save her, he would die a million times for her.

And his son. He wanted him so much. He wished to hold him in his arms. But what life would he give him? Not this life. He would not want him to grow up like him. His son would be better off not knowing a father like him.

“I guessed I came here to die. I already knew that it was a trap. Yet, I still pushed through with it.” What a crappy way to die?

He admitted that this was not how a mafia leader should be thinking. But he was a man in love who only wished to protect the woman he loved and their unborn son. That was the difference.

He had worked hard to become the King of this City. Now, he was a speck of dirt on the floor, ready to be thrown away among the garbage. But did he regret it? He guessed not.

At least he believed Haley and his son would be safe away from him and his world. She could either raise his son on her own. Or find a man who would love her and their son and treat him like he was his son.

However, that thought did not feel right to him. Why did he suddenly think that he had made a mistake? Because, in all honesty, he did not want to leave her.

He wanted to be with her and raise their child together. He wished to marry her and build the white picket fence she dreamt of to be their home. He could not wait to be a father to his son when he first heard she was pregnant.

Damn! Was he wrong?

He should not have died.

But how could he change all of this when it was too late? How could he tell her that he loved her and would have married her right then and there? Instead, he left her without telling her that he loved her.

Now, she would live her entire life not knowing how much he wanted to be with her and their son. But it was too late because he already thought using his emotion rather than his head.

Now, he was in this limbo, floating in the darkness. Where was he going? Was there a way to go back? After all, they said miracles happened all the time. Would someone grant him one of those?

“Whoever is out there, maybe you could grant this criminal a second chance in life.” He found himself talking to no one in particular. He was alone. Therefore, he sounded like a lunatic talking to nothing.

He remembered reading something from ancient history and some news articles. How miracles always happened. But could they bring back the dead to life? Could they grant his wish to live again?

Still, he prayed if that was what he was doing. For Haley and his child, he was willing to change. He wanted a second chance to be there for them as her husband and their child’s father.

But he doubted that someone would hear his plea. Who would grant him another chance? Who would want a criminal back on the street of the living?