Death's Rampage
By Lia Kabotoff
Heero, Relena, and all the rest of the Gundam Pilots walked in the door. Somberly, they removed their coats and sat down. Finally, Trowa broke the silence.
' I don't.I don't know how I'll be able.be able to go on. He was my.best friend.'
' I know,' Heero replied. 'Quatre was the only one of us, I think, who.understood what was going on, why we were there. Without him.I don't know.'
Duo buried his face in his hands and soon his quiet sobs echoed throughout the room. He finally raised his tear-stained face and addressed the rest of the pilots.
'I quit,' he said.
Hilde gasped. 'Why, Duo? Why?'
'Because it's my fault. Funny, isn't it? Me, the God of Death. Me, who has killed thousands of people and never even flinched. Now, I'm crying.crying because I killed someone.'
'You couldn't have known Quatre was in that crowd.' Heero tried to comfort Duo, patting his shoulder, but Duo threw him off.
'NO!' he raged, jumping off the couch. 'I should have known, should have realized, should have checked. But I told myself that all I cared about was making sure that mob never reached Hilde. So I killed them.'
'You.you did it for all the right reasons,' came Trowa's quavering voice.
'No I didn't,' Duo said, voice cold as ice. 'That's what I told myself but it's not the truth. I did it because I wanted to kill. I wanted to kill. If Hilde hadn't been there, I still would have killed them.'
Hilde's voice sounded, high and shrill. 'So you don't care about me, then?'
'No, Hilde. Not that way. You are my friend, just like anyone here. But that's all. And, now, I like you even less. Hilde, you are the reason Quatre is dead. Don't you get it?'
Relena's voice rang out like a bullet. 'How.dare.you! How dare you blame Hilde! Especially after you just told us that you wanted to kill those people, and that you would have still done it if she hadn't been there!'
'No Relena. I know how Duo feels. He's delirious, still trying to cope. He doesn't know what he's saying.' To Duo, she said, 'You're right. It was my fault. I always knew I was your handicap. Now, I ended up being Quatre's handicap as well. If I wasn't there, Quatre wouldn't have come to find me, and he wouldn't have been in that mob. You wouldn't have killed them to save me and Quatre.Quatre wouldn't be dead right now.'
Abruptly, Duo stood up and left the room.
'Duo.,' Heero called, then sat back down. 'Oh well.just let him blow off his steam. He's got a couple of issues to deal with.'
*********
Duo walked down the street, his anger boiling up inside. It was his fault, and there was no way around it. Of course, Hilde had a lot to do with it, that baka. The hurt in her eyes, yet the total resolution.it killed him to do that to her. Yet, it was her fault Quatre had died. He needed a way to blow off his steam.he headed towards Wufei's.
**********
Wufei yawned and turned off the T.V. He crawled under the covers and switched off the light, looking forward to a long sleep. In the middle of a dream about Sally Po, he was awakened by a sharp pain in his chest. Opening his eyes, he looked around. He was hanging by his wrists in a deserted alley, Duo in front of him, bloody saber in hand. The unbearable pain again.well, unbearable for anyone but him. Wufei looked down at his chest and saw the thick, red blood pulsing out of more than a dozen deep slashes. Duo smiled a grim smile and turned to go. Knowing he was going to die a long painful death, Wufei let out a blood-curdling scream, bubbles of blood forming at the corners of his mouth, as his soldier attitude finally shattered. But there was no one to hear him.
*********
Satisfied with his job, Duo left the scene. One down, four to go. He fingered the container of gas in his pocket and sat down on the curb to wait. All through the rest of the night he sat there, watching the few cars whizzing by, absentmindedly petting the stray cat that had come and was rubbing against his leg. A dog barked, and the cat darted off into the night, oblivious of the tiny, ticking time bomb buried in its fur. The sun rose, and still Duo waited on the curb. Cars stopped and asked if he needed assistance, but he remained silent. The day passed, and finally the sun began it's descent into the Western sky. And still Duo waited. And waited.
**********
Trowa rode over the hill on his bike, leaving a cloud of exhaust in his wake. As he neared the crest, he saw Duo sitting on the curb, a strange, psychotic smile on his face. Worried, Trowa slowed as he neared the motionless Pilot. 'I suppose even Shinigami, the God of Death, gets tired of killing once in a while' he thought.
'Hey, Duo! What's up?' he called out. Duo stood and reached into his pocket, then pulled out a long, black cylinder. He chucked it at Trowa's bike, where it smashed, leaking a clear fluid all over.
'What're you doing?' Trowa asked nervously. But Duo just turned and walked away, flinging his long braid behind him. Trowa shrugged and revved up his bike.and the fluid burst into flames. 'Kisama' he thought. 'That baka put gas on my bike.' That was his last thought before the heat and the stench of burning flesh drove him wild. He raced down the street, picking up speed as he went, flames licking his body, burning him, so hot.so hot. He raised a hand to his face, and screamed. The flesh was burnt straight through to the bone, and was black, and his bone was burnt black, almost reduced to ash. Blood spurted from the fiery veins, brownish black, gooey blood, boiling and bubbling. Before the flames totally engulfed him, he thought to himself that the smile Duo had been wearing wasn't psychotic at all.it was the smile only the true God of Death would wear.
**********
Heero paced up and down the floor while Hilde sobbed into her hands. The poor girl. She was worried sick about Duo, and so was he. That stupid baka, he just couldn't see how much Hilde loved him, loved him with all her heart, and now she was so scared for Duo, and Heero could do nothing about it. The poor chick seemed to think she was the Pilots' handicap, always getting in the way, and no matter how many times he tried to remind her of those missions where she had saved all of their lives, she just wouldn't stop crying. She had already tried to kill herself three times, for Shinigami's sake, and though he had been able to stop her, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stop her the next time. Then all of a sudden, Relena burst through the door.
'Trowa.and Wufei.are.DEAD!' she screamed before falling to the floor. Heero knelt to help her up, and held her in his arms until she stopped shivering.
'Tell me everything,' he asked her soothingly.
'I.I was walking down the road and I saw a lump of what looked like ashes. You know how curious I am, so I walked over and I saw.it was Trowa, Heero, Trowa, burnt all over, all his flesh was burnt off and black, his bones were mostly piles of ashes, there was this brown blood all over the place.his bike was all twisted and melted and.and just.mangled.' She shuddered again and Heero held her tighter. Then she continued.
'I saw a trail of dried blood, where a trickle must have been earlier. So I followed it, and I came to a deserted alley. I saw Wufei, hanging by his wrists, blood all over his body. The pacifist doctor I used to be rose within me, so I wet a cloth and wiped it off. The blood.it came from one- inch deep slashes in his chest, cut with a knife or a sword. The slashes.they spelt out 'death.'
'Why death?' Heero asked rhetorically. 'There is nothing in that scene that doesn't scream out death. Why cut something so obvious?' Hilde just sobbed harder.
**********
Duo picked up the phone and dialed Relena's number. She was next on his list, that stupid pacifist princess. Relena's voice answered, quavery and sad. Duo felt a pang of guilt. He knew she had seen the bodies of the two dead Gundam Pilots. But she still had to die.
'He.Hello?'
'Hey Relena. It's me, Duo.'
'Duo? Oh, thank God you're all right!'
'Why wouldn't I be? Relena, what's happened? Is it Heero?' Best to play ignorant.
'Oh god, don't you know, haven't you heard?'
'Heard what?'
'Duo.Wufei and Trowa are dead. Murdered.'
'Oh god.'
'Yeah. Well, at least you're all right. We've been worried sick.'
'Well, I've an idea that'll cheer you up. Meet me at the abandoned warehouse, k?'
'All right.' Click. She hung up, and Duo smiled diabolically. It was going to be a.blast.
**********
As Relena walked, she thought about what had happened so far. So many of her best friends, dead. Dorothy Catalonia, Lady Une, Catherine, and now three of the five Pilots were gone. She wondered what would happen to Mercurius, Vayeate, Heavyarms, Sandrock, and Shenlong. And if Duo and Heero died, if whoever was killing the Pilots found them, the earth was as good as dead, and the Sank Kingdom would become just another OZ base. But as she neared the warehouse, her heart lightened. Seeing Duo again, her next best friend after Heero.though if she loved Heero, was he more than a friend? Anyway, she saw Duo waiting for her, and she ran to him. He put a blindfold around her eyes, and said, 'I'm gonna lead you to somewhere else, k?'
Trusting him absolutely, she followed, Duo gently holding her hand. Then he took off the blindfold. They were in the middle of a barren field. Duo handed her a present and said, 'Open it.' She tore off the paper and found that in her hands, she held a digital clock, flashing numbers at her in red. Red.she was reminded of the blood shed by so many of her best friends, and started to cry. Duo held her close and murmured into her hair, 'Oh Relena, I'm so sorry.'
Relena looked down at the clock she held in her hands and gave a start. The numbers flashing.they came before the ones that had shown when she opened it.they were going backwards.she realized that she held in her hands a time bomb, and she had less than two minutes left. She tried to drop it, but Duo stopped her, shoved her down. Pulling out a length of rope he had concealed, he bound her hand and foot with the bomb on her chest.
'It was you, wasn't it?' she asked him. 'You killed Trowa and Wufei.'
'Yup, and it was so.exhilarating. I long ago stopped killing out of necessity. Now its for fun.'
'But why, Duo?'
'Because that's what the God of Death does, kill.'
She looked at the clock on her chest. 10.9.8.7.6.5.4.
'Goodbye, Relena.' He turned away and heard a loud boom. Blood and body parts rained down around him. He began to walk away, and laughed. There in front of him was Relena's head, mouth open in a silent scream. He picked it up and kissed it, savoring the taste of blood on his lips. He carefully wrapped it in the leftover wrapping paper, and headed to Heero's house.
**********
As Duo walked, he thought about how he would kill Heero, then Hilde. He wouldn't bother making it secret, he decided. Just taunt Heero, then shoot him once. He didn't know if he could be strong enough to kill his best friend, even though he was the God of Death and it was his duty.
**********
Heero jumped when he heard Duo's voice. It sounded cold, too cold, and taunting.
'Hello, Heero. Brought you a present.' Heero unwrapped the gift and screamed as Relena's head rolled out onto the floor.
'No, no, NO!!!' he yelled. 'Duo.was it you? Did.did you kill Trowa and Wufei?'
'Yes Heero. I did. And it was so much fun.'
'But why? WHY?'
'Oh, Heero, Heero. I long ago stopped killing out of necessity like you pacifists. Now I kill for sport. That's what I do, Heero. I'm the God of Death. I kill, no matter who it is. I killed Wufei, then Trowa, then Relena. Now I'll kill you, then Hilde. And I'll enjoy doing it.'
'Come on, Duo,' Heero pleaded, voice wavering. 'Duo, buddy.look you made some bad choices, k? You.you killed Quatre, yes, but I'm not gonna hold it against you. None of us did. It was an accident and we all know.knew it. But then, I guess, you just snapped. Too much blood, too much killing. You went crazy.' Heero was down on his knees, sobbing, begging. 'Duo.Duo.please.you.you can end this.'
As he spoke, Duo's eyes changed from an angry purple back to soft, gentle violet. Then they hardened and he pulled out a gun, and aimed it at Heero.
'No. You're all filthy peacekeepers, only killing out of necessity. You never kill if you can help it, and one day, that will be your undoing. In fact, I believe that day is.today.'
'No.Duo.come on, buddy.you can end this, right here, right now. I'm your friend, Duo, I can help you through this, me and Hilde.she loves you, Duo, and I do too, like my own brother. Please.please.' He was sobbing, crying out, pleading for Duo to understand. He held his breath as a tear formed in Duo's eye, which was once again soft violet, then dripped down his cheek.
'Yes.I can end this.too much killing, too much blood, too many goodbyes.but I must kill once more, Heero. I must say.one more goodbye.' With that, he reached up and undid his braid, flinging out his long, soft hair. Then he took the gun's sights off of Heero and pointed it at the side of his head.
'Goodbye, Heero,' he whispered.
Heero's screams of misery and grief almost drowned out the gunshot as a hole appeared in the side of Duo's head and his lifeless body floated down to the floor. The tears flowing freely now, Heero crawled over to the body and cradled Duo's head in his arms, wiping the hair away from the gentle face. His heart-wracking sobs filled the air.
**********
In the adjoining room, Hilde sat on the bed, thinking. Darn you, Heero, she thought savagely. Why won't he let me kill myself? They would be so much better of without me. I've tried three times.but I don't know if I can try again. Then she heard screams, crying, sobbing. She left the room in time to see Duo's finger pull the trigger of the gun that was pointed at his head and his body float to the ground.
'NOOOOO!' she screamed. She flung herself at the body and wrenched the gun out of Duo's hand. Heero, cradling Duo's head in his arms, looked up startled as Hilde handed him the handgun.
'Kill me, Heero,' she said softly.
'No.no.no.'Heero sobbed.
'Listen to me,' she said gently. 'I loved Duo, I love him still. I can't go on without him. Kill me so we can finally be together for eternity. Please, Heero. I can't go on without him.' She lay down beside Duo. Heero raised the handgun with a shaking hand and pointed it at her, pleading, but she shook her head. Heero pulled the trigger, and Hilde's head fell onto Duo's chest. Sobbing, Heero left them there, as they had fallen. He left, locking the door behind him, tears silently falling down his face and walked down the street alone, with no one to hold him, no one to stop the tears.
By Lia Kabotoff
Heero, Relena, and all the rest of the Gundam Pilots walked in the door. Somberly, they removed their coats and sat down. Finally, Trowa broke the silence.
' I don't.I don't know how I'll be able.be able to go on. He was my.best friend.'
' I know,' Heero replied. 'Quatre was the only one of us, I think, who.understood what was going on, why we were there. Without him.I don't know.'
Duo buried his face in his hands and soon his quiet sobs echoed throughout the room. He finally raised his tear-stained face and addressed the rest of the pilots.
'I quit,' he said.
Hilde gasped. 'Why, Duo? Why?'
'Because it's my fault. Funny, isn't it? Me, the God of Death. Me, who has killed thousands of people and never even flinched. Now, I'm crying.crying because I killed someone.'
'You couldn't have known Quatre was in that crowd.' Heero tried to comfort Duo, patting his shoulder, but Duo threw him off.
'NO!' he raged, jumping off the couch. 'I should have known, should have realized, should have checked. But I told myself that all I cared about was making sure that mob never reached Hilde. So I killed them.'
'You.you did it for all the right reasons,' came Trowa's quavering voice.
'No I didn't,' Duo said, voice cold as ice. 'That's what I told myself but it's not the truth. I did it because I wanted to kill. I wanted to kill. If Hilde hadn't been there, I still would have killed them.'
Hilde's voice sounded, high and shrill. 'So you don't care about me, then?'
'No, Hilde. Not that way. You are my friend, just like anyone here. But that's all. And, now, I like you even less. Hilde, you are the reason Quatre is dead. Don't you get it?'
Relena's voice rang out like a bullet. 'How.dare.you! How dare you blame Hilde! Especially after you just told us that you wanted to kill those people, and that you would have still done it if she hadn't been there!'
'No Relena. I know how Duo feels. He's delirious, still trying to cope. He doesn't know what he's saying.' To Duo, she said, 'You're right. It was my fault. I always knew I was your handicap. Now, I ended up being Quatre's handicap as well. If I wasn't there, Quatre wouldn't have come to find me, and he wouldn't have been in that mob. You wouldn't have killed them to save me and Quatre.Quatre wouldn't be dead right now.'
Abruptly, Duo stood up and left the room.
'Duo.,' Heero called, then sat back down. 'Oh well.just let him blow off his steam. He's got a couple of issues to deal with.'
*********
Duo walked down the street, his anger boiling up inside. It was his fault, and there was no way around it. Of course, Hilde had a lot to do with it, that baka. The hurt in her eyes, yet the total resolution.it killed him to do that to her. Yet, it was her fault Quatre had died. He needed a way to blow off his steam.he headed towards Wufei's.
**********
Wufei yawned and turned off the T.V. He crawled under the covers and switched off the light, looking forward to a long sleep. In the middle of a dream about Sally Po, he was awakened by a sharp pain in his chest. Opening his eyes, he looked around. He was hanging by his wrists in a deserted alley, Duo in front of him, bloody saber in hand. The unbearable pain again.well, unbearable for anyone but him. Wufei looked down at his chest and saw the thick, red blood pulsing out of more than a dozen deep slashes. Duo smiled a grim smile and turned to go. Knowing he was going to die a long painful death, Wufei let out a blood-curdling scream, bubbles of blood forming at the corners of his mouth, as his soldier attitude finally shattered. But there was no one to hear him.
*********
Satisfied with his job, Duo left the scene. One down, four to go. He fingered the container of gas in his pocket and sat down on the curb to wait. All through the rest of the night he sat there, watching the few cars whizzing by, absentmindedly petting the stray cat that had come and was rubbing against his leg. A dog barked, and the cat darted off into the night, oblivious of the tiny, ticking time bomb buried in its fur. The sun rose, and still Duo waited on the curb. Cars stopped and asked if he needed assistance, but he remained silent. The day passed, and finally the sun began it's descent into the Western sky. And still Duo waited. And waited.
**********
Trowa rode over the hill on his bike, leaving a cloud of exhaust in his wake. As he neared the crest, he saw Duo sitting on the curb, a strange, psychotic smile on his face. Worried, Trowa slowed as he neared the motionless Pilot. 'I suppose even Shinigami, the God of Death, gets tired of killing once in a while' he thought.
'Hey, Duo! What's up?' he called out. Duo stood and reached into his pocket, then pulled out a long, black cylinder. He chucked it at Trowa's bike, where it smashed, leaking a clear fluid all over.
'What're you doing?' Trowa asked nervously. But Duo just turned and walked away, flinging his long braid behind him. Trowa shrugged and revved up his bike.and the fluid burst into flames. 'Kisama' he thought. 'That baka put gas on my bike.' That was his last thought before the heat and the stench of burning flesh drove him wild. He raced down the street, picking up speed as he went, flames licking his body, burning him, so hot.so hot. He raised a hand to his face, and screamed. The flesh was burnt straight through to the bone, and was black, and his bone was burnt black, almost reduced to ash. Blood spurted from the fiery veins, brownish black, gooey blood, boiling and bubbling. Before the flames totally engulfed him, he thought to himself that the smile Duo had been wearing wasn't psychotic at all.it was the smile only the true God of Death would wear.
**********
Heero paced up and down the floor while Hilde sobbed into her hands. The poor girl. She was worried sick about Duo, and so was he. That stupid baka, he just couldn't see how much Hilde loved him, loved him with all her heart, and now she was so scared for Duo, and Heero could do nothing about it. The poor chick seemed to think she was the Pilots' handicap, always getting in the way, and no matter how many times he tried to remind her of those missions where she had saved all of their lives, she just wouldn't stop crying. She had already tried to kill herself three times, for Shinigami's sake, and though he had been able to stop her, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stop her the next time. Then all of a sudden, Relena burst through the door.
'Trowa.and Wufei.are.DEAD!' she screamed before falling to the floor. Heero knelt to help her up, and held her in his arms until she stopped shivering.
'Tell me everything,' he asked her soothingly.
'I.I was walking down the road and I saw a lump of what looked like ashes. You know how curious I am, so I walked over and I saw.it was Trowa, Heero, Trowa, burnt all over, all his flesh was burnt off and black, his bones were mostly piles of ashes, there was this brown blood all over the place.his bike was all twisted and melted and.and just.mangled.' She shuddered again and Heero held her tighter. Then she continued.
'I saw a trail of dried blood, where a trickle must have been earlier. So I followed it, and I came to a deserted alley. I saw Wufei, hanging by his wrists, blood all over his body. The pacifist doctor I used to be rose within me, so I wet a cloth and wiped it off. The blood.it came from one- inch deep slashes in his chest, cut with a knife or a sword. The slashes.they spelt out 'death.'
'Why death?' Heero asked rhetorically. 'There is nothing in that scene that doesn't scream out death. Why cut something so obvious?' Hilde just sobbed harder.
**********
Duo picked up the phone and dialed Relena's number. She was next on his list, that stupid pacifist princess. Relena's voice answered, quavery and sad. Duo felt a pang of guilt. He knew she had seen the bodies of the two dead Gundam Pilots. But she still had to die.
'He.Hello?'
'Hey Relena. It's me, Duo.'
'Duo? Oh, thank God you're all right!'
'Why wouldn't I be? Relena, what's happened? Is it Heero?' Best to play ignorant.
'Oh god, don't you know, haven't you heard?'
'Heard what?'
'Duo.Wufei and Trowa are dead. Murdered.'
'Oh god.'
'Yeah. Well, at least you're all right. We've been worried sick.'
'Well, I've an idea that'll cheer you up. Meet me at the abandoned warehouse, k?'
'All right.' Click. She hung up, and Duo smiled diabolically. It was going to be a.blast.
**********
As Relena walked, she thought about what had happened so far. So many of her best friends, dead. Dorothy Catalonia, Lady Une, Catherine, and now three of the five Pilots were gone. She wondered what would happen to Mercurius, Vayeate, Heavyarms, Sandrock, and Shenlong. And if Duo and Heero died, if whoever was killing the Pilots found them, the earth was as good as dead, and the Sank Kingdom would become just another OZ base. But as she neared the warehouse, her heart lightened. Seeing Duo again, her next best friend after Heero.though if she loved Heero, was he more than a friend? Anyway, she saw Duo waiting for her, and she ran to him. He put a blindfold around her eyes, and said, 'I'm gonna lead you to somewhere else, k?'
Trusting him absolutely, she followed, Duo gently holding her hand. Then he took off the blindfold. They were in the middle of a barren field. Duo handed her a present and said, 'Open it.' She tore off the paper and found that in her hands, she held a digital clock, flashing numbers at her in red. Red.she was reminded of the blood shed by so many of her best friends, and started to cry. Duo held her close and murmured into her hair, 'Oh Relena, I'm so sorry.'
Relena looked down at the clock she held in her hands and gave a start. The numbers flashing.they came before the ones that had shown when she opened it.they were going backwards.she realized that she held in her hands a time bomb, and she had less than two minutes left. She tried to drop it, but Duo stopped her, shoved her down. Pulling out a length of rope he had concealed, he bound her hand and foot with the bomb on her chest.
'It was you, wasn't it?' she asked him. 'You killed Trowa and Wufei.'
'Yup, and it was so.exhilarating. I long ago stopped killing out of necessity. Now its for fun.'
'But why, Duo?'
'Because that's what the God of Death does, kill.'
She looked at the clock on her chest. 10.9.8.7.6.5.4.
'Goodbye, Relena.' He turned away and heard a loud boom. Blood and body parts rained down around him. He began to walk away, and laughed. There in front of him was Relena's head, mouth open in a silent scream. He picked it up and kissed it, savoring the taste of blood on his lips. He carefully wrapped it in the leftover wrapping paper, and headed to Heero's house.
**********
As Duo walked, he thought about how he would kill Heero, then Hilde. He wouldn't bother making it secret, he decided. Just taunt Heero, then shoot him once. He didn't know if he could be strong enough to kill his best friend, even though he was the God of Death and it was his duty.
**********
Heero jumped when he heard Duo's voice. It sounded cold, too cold, and taunting.
'Hello, Heero. Brought you a present.' Heero unwrapped the gift and screamed as Relena's head rolled out onto the floor.
'No, no, NO!!!' he yelled. 'Duo.was it you? Did.did you kill Trowa and Wufei?'
'Yes Heero. I did. And it was so much fun.'
'But why? WHY?'
'Oh, Heero, Heero. I long ago stopped killing out of necessity like you pacifists. Now I kill for sport. That's what I do, Heero. I'm the God of Death. I kill, no matter who it is. I killed Wufei, then Trowa, then Relena. Now I'll kill you, then Hilde. And I'll enjoy doing it.'
'Come on, Duo,' Heero pleaded, voice wavering. 'Duo, buddy.look you made some bad choices, k? You.you killed Quatre, yes, but I'm not gonna hold it against you. None of us did. It was an accident and we all know.knew it. But then, I guess, you just snapped. Too much blood, too much killing. You went crazy.' Heero was down on his knees, sobbing, begging. 'Duo.Duo.please.you.you can end this.'
As he spoke, Duo's eyes changed from an angry purple back to soft, gentle violet. Then they hardened and he pulled out a gun, and aimed it at Heero.
'No. You're all filthy peacekeepers, only killing out of necessity. You never kill if you can help it, and one day, that will be your undoing. In fact, I believe that day is.today.'
'No.Duo.come on, buddy.you can end this, right here, right now. I'm your friend, Duo, I can help you through this, me and Hilde.she loves you, Duo, and I do too, like my own brother. Please.please.' He was sobbing, crying out, pleading for Duo to understand. He held his breath as a tear formed in Duo's eye, which was once again soft violet, then dripped down his cheek.
'Yes.I can end this.too much killing, too much blood, too many goodbyes.but I must kill once more, Heero. I must say.one more goodbye.' With that, he reached up and undid his braid, flinging out his long, soft hair. Then he took the gun's sights off of Heero and pointed it at the side of his head.
'Goodbye, Heero,' he whispered.
Heero's screams of misery and grief almost drowned out the gunshot as a hole appeared in the side of Duo's head and his lifeless body floated down to the floor. The tears flowing freely now, Heero crawled over to the body and cradled Duo's head in his arms, wiping the hair away from the gentle face. His heart-wracking sobs filled the air.
**********
In the adjoining room, Hilde sat on the bed, thinking. Darn you, Heero, she thought savagely. Why won't he let me kill myself? They would be so much better of without me. I've tried three times.but I don't know if I can try again. Then she heard screams, crying, sobbing. She left the room in time to see Duo's finger pull the trigger of the gun that was pointed at his head and his body float to the ground.
'NOOOOO!' she screamed. She flung herself at the body and wrenched the gun out of Duo's hand. Heero, cradling Duo's head in his arms, looked up startled as Hilde handed him the handgun.
'Kill me, Heero,' she said softly.
'No.no.no.'Heero sobbed.
'Listen to me,' she said gently. 'I loved Duo, I love him still. I can't go on without him. Kill me so we can finally be together for eternity. Please, Heero. I can't go on without him.' She lay down beside Duo. Heero raised the handgun with a shaking hand and pointed it at her, pleading, but she shook her head. Heero pulled the trigger, and Hilde's head fell onto Duo's chest. Sobbing, Heero left them there, as they had fallen. He left, locking the door behind him, tears silently falling down his face and walked down the street alone, with no one to hold him, no one to stop the tears.