Anew

76

Tristan finished positioning the auto-rigged bow and set the arrow toward the outlined target in the distance. Tristan double-checked his calculations until he was satisfied the arrow would pierce his heart straight-through, slicing it in two.

After checking the wind, he left the bow and went to stand with his back against the bull’s-eye. It seemed like a million miles separated him from the tree he would die against, but he walked them anyway.

Once there, he placed his back against the target and faced the arrow pointed at him from afar. He took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and waited for his life to come to an end. The auto timer gave him only 90 seconds and, with those seconds, he chose to think back on the beautiful life he’d had.

Scarlet, her voice, her laughter, her love, her forgiveness, her hope…. He was more blessed than any other being to ever live.

And he had lived.

Now it was time for him to close his eyes and give Scarlet the chance to do the same.

With shaking hands and a nervous heart, he stood up tall.

His eyes were still closed as he envisioned Scarlet’s sweet face.

He could almost hear her calling out to him. He could almost feel her nearness and the peace that came with it.

A final feeling of serenity before his life went black.

He heard the arrow latch pull back, about to release, and took a final breath.

With his last thought, he prayed Scarlet would find it in her heart to someday forgive him for saving her life.