the forbidden fruit / the beast of Wrath part II

Now.

Rig has doubts about his work. he think that he has to stop. he loves Nina so much that he has been thinking about something.

if they are already a couple. if it is not enough for him. then if they get marry, maybe he will feel more satisfaction. so he has been saving enough money to pay for a ring. one that is good enough for Nina.

Rigoberto is having the most human ideas now. he wants to have a wedding. and to protect Nina for the rest of their lives. he wants to be more than a protector, or a lover. he wants to make sure that she won't ever suffer. he wants everything for her.

Rigoberto is trying to be more human, more than ever. he tries to show a better side of himself to Nina. he tries to be a better human for her.

.....

in the meantime.

Tiziano Fierro is eating in a diner. he knows that some undercover cop has been following him for the last two weeks. Tiziano usually kills the cops to make an example out of them.

but this time he is just not in the mood. after all he just lost the most important person for him in the world. Brandon was like a brother to him. it will take time for him to get over the fact that even the mullet of justice wasn't immortal, nor invincible.

it is hard to believe. Brandon Williams is now ten meters underground. he is no less than another corpse on the graveyard. there is no one to remember him. to one to cry for the Fallen Brandon Williams. no one else, just Tiziano.

Tiziano drinks on name of the last hero. the last defender of society.

Tiziano is waiting for the cop to make his move today. Tiziano lose all care for the business and his work. there is always a time for everything. his time as a crime boss seems to be over.

Tiziano eats Brandon's favorite breakfast. some tears fall from his eyes. Tiziano looks at the cop who is getting close to him. Tiziano ignores him. he keeps eating. the cop talks to him and then leaves. Tiziano feels relief.

as the cop leaves the diner. he gets shot from the back. Tiziano looks at some stranger walking away on a motorcycle. someone else put a hit on the cop. someone else felt afraid of what the cop could expose. Tiziano laughs with melancholy.

Tiziano leaves a few hundred bills. he leaves followed by his men. it became a tradition. it became so normal to walk with bodyguards. to see dead bodies dropping. Tiziano forgot the last time in which his life was more normal.

"thanks guys, you all know me. I am not a man of words. and less a man to be thankful. I would pay you all back for your loyalty and for the trust that you all had put on me."

Tiziano looks at a bright blue sky. there is hope. there is light on the candle to keep the road clear for enough time. Tiziano is amazed by the freedom he feels. he became a mobster for a reason. but now he has the money to change the pages of his life's book.

.....

somewhere else on Inflictionville.

Rig is walking on the streets. he is thinking about many things. there are many places that he wants to visit with his girlfriend. there are many things to do with Nina.

Randy and Terry walk in front of Rig. they look at each other on the eyes. Terry hugs Rig as he talks about the good old days. Randy congrats Rig for getting away with murder and framing someone else.

"well my amigo hola. is a pleasure to see you here. Terry wants you on the team working for us, so do you want to make money?"

"sorry boys. I am trying to control my anger issues. I am actually going with a therapist. he has helped me a lot, so I am trying to keep my head out of trouble. my hands clean without blood. it may sound as hypocrisy, and? what is wrong with that?"

"you are a man whose life is based on hate and anger. you may be able to control it. but you will always be the beast of wrath. no one can take that title from you. only your apprentice can do it. and that would be until your death."

Rigoberto tries to smile even when he feels a lot of pain inside. it has been four years since Martin went to prison. since then Rig left behind his Midnight Reaper's persona. he is now a new person. he is a person of peace.

Rig use to be full of anger. rage. hatred. wrath. he is finally free of those cruel emotions. he is finally able to enjoy of things he didn't understood on the past. but he is worry for his girlfriend Nina. she has change on a bad way.

what worries Rig is that Nina is now worse than him. she has given up to her Wrath. she is acting as the Midnight Reaper. she comes home bathed on blood. sometimes she doesn't even clean herself. it hurts Rigoberto to see her like that. it hurts him.

Rigoberto has begged Nina to stop. she looks at him with cold eyes. she pushes him away when it is about her nocturnal activities. Rig feels like it is hopeless. and now he doesn't want to talk about her.

"I don't care anymore about my future, or my destiny. all that I want is to be happy with my girlfriend. soon to be my fiancee. I am already telling you. I will have my happy ending at her side. no more violence for me."

Rig keeps walking and Randy follows him. they hear a sound, like a gunshot. when Rig turns around. he looks at a guy on a bike taking a gun out. he has a red helmet on covering his face.

he shots at Terry twice. Terry falls on the ground badly wounded. Terry is bleeding a lot from the stomach. some lackey tries to help him. Terry smirks at them. he tells them that it is nothing. he has seen worse.

Terry tries to stand up. Randy helps him. they give small steps. one lackey calls for an ambulance for Terry. the lackey turns and looks at Randy. 'they are coming.' he whispers feeling a bit of relief. the shooter is gone. it is difficult to find who send him.

"don't be scare. it isn't as bad as it looks. the ambulance is coming. I can hear the siren from here. Rigo, oh boy. is a comfort that you no longer belong in our world. I am grateful to you for the old days. now go back to your bride."

Rig has teary eyes. he understood. those days are on the past. Rig haven't touch a gun in so long. he isn't sure if he can ever survive. he starts to walk away. those are no longer his friends. that is no longer a part of his life.

as Rig walks slowly away. he thinks about his family. since two years ago he had talk to his father on the phone. he has talked to his mother and siblings. he even talked to Joan only once. she was happy. he feels the need to call again.

"he is no longer one of us Randy. his eyes are no longer full of rage. the fire on his soul is gone. I am glad to see that Kenneth was right. if I had seen it otherwise, I may had shot him dead my self. now where is the ambulance?"

"you stupid pendejo. you scare the fuck out of me. no mames pendejo. that was scary, you are my best friend. you can't go down without me. it can be boring and sad without a pendejo like you at my side."

the ambulance finally arrives. Randy asks Terry if he needs company. Terry tells him that he can do it by himself. Terry asks Randy to go with Kenneth. he doesn't want him to be alone. Kenneth has been depressed lately.

Terry leaves on the ambulance. he takes a cigar from his pockets. he puts the cigar covered on his own blood, on his lips. Terry sighs. a pretty nurse takes a look at the wound on his stomach. he has plenty of scars on his stomach, chest, and back.

.....

at midnight.

somewhere outside of town. Nina is dragging a living person inside of her car. she drives in direction to the woods. that person is the infamous Jonathan Smith the fourth.

in the road she didn't notice a car. it was going on the opposite direction. she crushes with that car. she is unconscious for a moment. the trunk opens by itself.

Jonathan Smith the fourth gets out of the trunk. he seems to be fine. Jonathan looks up at the moon. he then walks inside of the woods. he disappears inside of the woods. the area that he knows more than anyone else.

the driver of the other car was a middle aged man. he tries to help Nina. he calls 911. is dark the road on the woods. the man is worry. Nina is bleeding from her forehead. the middle age man doesn't know what to do.

Jonathan Smith the fourth keeps walking inside of the woods. he looks like a mad men. but he is worst than that. he is a true scary monster. Jonathan is The Big Bad Wolf of his own tale. he is true evil.

.....

in the meantime.

Rig enters in a jewelry store. he looks at the employee of the store. he needs help finding the right ring for Nina.

"excuse me good sir. can you help me? I want to buy a ring for my girlfriend. I am not sure jet what ring is the one. maybe you understand me, or maybe you don't. but I love so much my girlfriend. I want to put the best ring that I can find, on her hand. because the ring has to be a ring worthy of her."

the employee understands. he shows to Rig different types of engagement rings. Rigoberto is excited. he wants to propose to Nina tonight.

"sorry again. it is hard for me, to find a ring that I could say this is the one. I had never done this. so I am kind of nervous. you may understand me, or you had been on my place once. I want a ring for my girlfriend. something bright, simple and beautiful."

Rig gets a call. he doesn't answer the phone. Rig is busy trying to chose the correct ring for Nina, his lover. a ring that can symbolize their love for each other.

"had you ever been in love? I can promised you that even after some years, I still feel the same way for her. or maybe my love has even increased. it is so strange and unique. this feeling is like if I could do anything, if she is at my side. when she is far. I feel like a character from a play done by Shakespeare, you know? from a tragedy."

after two hours he finally choose a ring. Rig pays in cash. once out of that store. Rig puts the ring on his pockets. he smiles thinking about asking her to marry him. he gets a call from the hospital in which Nina was taken. he is told about the accident.

.....

Later that Night.

in a hospital's bed is Nina. she opens her eyes. Nina feels a lot of pain. her left hand and four fingers are broken. Nina's nose is broken. she can barely move. she hears the footsteps of someone approaching.

"are you worry for me darling? I can't believe that. you, the stone cold man breaks every time he fears something might happen to me."

Rig takes light steps closer to her. Rig hugs Nina with so much love. he hugs her carefully avoiding to hurt her. they kiss each other with passion and love. Rigoberto touches her face. her lips. she blushes with his touches.

"believe it or not. but I love you. even after the smallest cut or wound, I fear losing you. because you are everything to me."

"do you know that I love you so much, that sometimes is painful to love you. but even if I feel pain. I can't do anything but to love you even more."

some tears fall from Rig's eyes. he looks away. he hates to be seem as weak, or vulnerable in front of Nina. she kisses him on the cheek. Rig looks at her. he is blushing as he tries to cover his face with his hands.

"you are the most precious person in my life. for you I would even give my life, if it is necessary. I never met someone like you, someone who means everything to me. I wish to be at your side forever. for the eternity. and if I find you in another life, I wish to be again with you. and in every other life I want to be with you."

"wow. that was so romantic. I didn't know you could be so romantic. I even blushed. I can't believe you make me feel and behave like a schoolgirl."

Rig trembles in front of her. Rig kneels slowly. he puts his hands on his pockets. he takes the ring out. Nina looks at the ring feeling confuse. she doesn't know how to answer to his question. she didn't expected the ring on a moment like this one.

"that is because my feelings towards you are truthful. every word I say, represents what you made me feel inside on my heart."

"let's go home darling."

.....

inside of a prison.

Martin wakes up. he is tied to a bed. Martin screams with rage. he demands to be put on freedom right now. Martin demands respect for the Midnight Reaper. he demands respect for himself. Martin screams 'I am the beast of wrath.'

someone enters on the room. there is a middle age man wearing a gray suit. the man has glasses with brown frame on. there are prison guards around of this man. he is the director of the prison.

"hello our distinguished guest. you may be the beast of ten horns and seven heads, sadly for you. I am atheist. I don't believe in Christian poetic myths."

"I am the Midnight Reaper. I am the Beast of Wrath. I am the sacred hand of vengeance. I hold on my hands the sword of reckoning."

"he is far too gone."

"I will be free once more. and on blood will be written my divine justice. this isn't over. did you hear me? I am not done jet. I am WRATH."

"take him. is time for his therapy."