Should I

Ivan, h-he was…is my friend. I just don't think he realized that. Dude, he had changed though, he wasn't like he used to be. And everyone expected me to kill him.

I remember talking to Arthur and Francis about the problem. I argued with them, I said, "Dudes, I know that he's done some bad things, but he changed once and he can change again!"

Of course, Arthur and Francis disagreed. They told me that Ivan had always been this way, but I was must too stupid to realize it. They said that I had been caught up in my own world, too naïve to notice anything was wrong, as usual.

I walked onto that snow-covered field, going to kill a man that probably didn't realized that I was his only friend in the entire world. I saw him standing some distance away, his scarf waving in the breeze.

"Ivan!" I called out to him. "Dude, we don't have to do this, you can change." I pleaded with him. Standing in front of him, I fully realized that I couldn't do this, that I couldn't kill him.

"And you could become one with me Alfred, but we both know that you are not going to do that, da?" Ivan replied.

It wasn't the normal Ivan that I was talking to. This wasn't the happy man that treated everyone as a friend. This Ivan was different, dark and powerful. And, for a moment, it startled me.

Without even thinking, I drew my gun. Ivan quickly drew his, even from this distance I could tell that he was smiling.

Should I do this, I asked myself. I shook my head. "This isn't right." I whispered. I need to get him to see that.

"You're not thinking right. We just need to talk about this dude, I'm sure that everyone will understand."

"No!" Ivan exclaimed. He started to advance across the field towards me. "I finally have power that everyone can recognize! You are all afraid of it, that is why you are trying to take it from me. I have the power to stop war, make the entire world get along and be friends." Ivan stopped an arm's length in front of me.

"Is that really what you want Ivan?" I asked cautiously.

He leaned in close to me, as if he were telling me a secret. "Yes Alfred, that is what I want. But, I do not think you are going to be a part of that world."

My breathing quickened. I needed to think of something, so as a split-second decision I grabbed Ivan's arm and pointed his gun at my head. For a moment, Ivan looked startled. A hint of his old self showed up in his eyes.

"Ivan, I know you're not gonna shoot me." I told him.

"And, how do you know that?" Ivan asked. He looked confused, like he truly couldn't understand what was happening.

I slowly raised my gun and pointed it at Ivan's head. "The same way I know that I'm not gonna shoot you." I told him.

We stood out on that field in silence for a time that seemed to drag on forever. Then, someone pulled a trigger. I froze, no one moved. Am I fine, I thought, I feel fine.

Ivan slowly looked down and then fell to the ground.

"Oh crap!" I exclaimed. I knelt on the ground next to Ivan. I could see that Ivan had been shot in the chest, his breathing was starting to slow down.

Ivan smiled at me, the real Ivan, I could tell it was him. A tear fell from my eye and I laughed with a hysterical joy, he was back. "Alfred, I think I've been shot." He coughed violently and spit blood out onto the snow.

"Don't worry Ivan, I'll get you out of here." I looked around, but I couldn't see anyone. Then, who had shot him. I swung out and hit the snow. "Damn it!" I yelled.

Ivan reached out his hand and touched my arm. "It is okay Alfred." He coughed again. "I am dying anyway." He coughed more blood.

"Don't you dare say that!" I yelled at him. "I'm not losing you again."

Ivan didn't say anything. He just used a greeting that I had seen him do many times, he slowly struggled onto one of his elbows and kissed me on the cheek, then fell back onto the ground.

A tear fell down my face. "I told them you hadn't changed." I whispered.

But, Ivan didn't respond, he never responded to anything ever again.

I leaned over his body and I cried. I heard snow crunch behind us. I didn't look up though, I didn't want to be disturbed.

"It's about bloody time he died, don't you think Alfred?" A voice asked me.

I stopped crying, my sadness was quickly replaced with anger. He did it!

I slowly stood, not wanting to turn and look at the man who had killed Ivan. "Arthur, you killed Ivan." I slowly said.

"Of course I did, it had to be done." Arthur said quickly. It seemed, to him, he was just stating the facts.

I quickly turned around, my face was red with anger. "You just murdered him! Don't you realize what you've done?" I yelled at him.

Arthur slowly walked over to me, almost mockingly. "Don't act like you know more than me Alfred, he would have killed you. The only reason you were even here was so you could distract Ivan." Arthur explained to me.

"You tricked me." I said quietly. "You were always planning on killing Ivan. Do you realize what you've done?"

"Yes Alfred, I do know what I've done, and it had to be done. Do you not realize that?" Arthur said.

"Apparently not." I said. I was just getting even more upset. Arthur was just too arrogant.

"My God, Alfred." Arthur mumbled. He looked down at the ground and shook his head with shame.

I don't remember what happened next it was almost as if I wasn't in control of my own body. All I know is that I grabbed my gun and then Arthur was on the ground.,

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed. I threw my gun far away and hurried to Arthur.

"You git, you shot me." Arthur said weakly. His shirt was quickly becoming stained with his blood.

"What have I done?" I said quietly. "Don't you worry, you've lived through worse than this Arthur." I told him.

"Don't lie to yourself Alfred, no I haven't. And, you shouldn't worry. I think I might be ready, to die I mean. After all that has happened in my life, it might be comforting." Arthur said quietly.

"Don't you even think like that. Dude, you're gonna live through this." I told him.

Arthur didn't seem to hear me though. "You know Alfred, when you were young, I knew that you would grow up to do great things." Arthur started to cough violently and spit out blood.

"Arthur I-"

"You know what else." Arthur interrupted. "It may not seem like it, but I love you Alfred." Arthur closed his eyes, for the final time.