Prompt: An escaped convict
From: mrspencil
….
His fingers shook as he lit up a cigarette- his last one. He cursed as his stomach growled.
He felt his sister was taking too goddamn long to prepare supper for him, and he planned to give her a piece of his mind when he next saw her.
He took three puffs of his cigarette, before the lantern flickered on.
Grinning greedily, he started the walk. He had to admit, it was nice getting around the moor in comfortable, but still very nice clothing. Not that it would be much appreciated by anyone, for if anyone did see in this suit, nay, at all, he'd likely be marched off to prison again, and locked up.
He walked, stopping to take puffs of his cigarette, savouring each one, till he eventually let it drop to the ground, and extinguished it with his heel.
He continued on, relishing in the comfort of the boots his brother-in-law had left him… something of Sir Henry's that he no longer needed… but something he himself could not live without.
A breeze blew around him, making him shiver…
… and a howl echoed around him.
Puzzled, he slowed. Had someone lost their sheepdog on the moor? Or a beloved pet, perhaps?
'Hm, good luck tonight, little fella," he said, darkly.
Then, the howl came again… only, it was much closer this time.
"What the hell?" He thought, now angry and bemused. He whirled around to perhaps kick the dog into submission… and, from the bushes, sprang a fierce, glowing beast from hell as he had never seen in his life.
He screamed, as though he had finally received the fear of God. And then, he bolted. The hound pursued him, howling fiercely, and gnashing its hellish jaws at his heels. He swore he could feel it's hot, meaty breath cling to the back of his legs.
"GOD, FORGIVE ME, PLEASE!" He screamed into the wind, his plea carried to the heavens, but going unheard.
"ELIZA!" He begged, seeing the Baskerville Hall in the distance. "Help me, sister, please!"
Memories flashed before his eyes… and most were, to his shame, the unkindness he had demonstrated to his elder sister, an angel on Earth, one who had deserved a better brother than he… and yet, she continued to help him, despite the risk of her losing her job, if not her life.
Dear God, how could he ever have exploited her so?
He did not deserve to join her in Heaven, but he silently entreated that, whether he lived or died this night, all he wanted was to be clasped in her loving embrace, and weep on her shoulder, and make amends to her, for failing to be the brother and friend she deserved.
For taking her kind nature for granted, for endangering her and her beloved husband.
"Liz, forgive me," he pleaded, tears pouring form his eyes. Whether they were from fear, or from guilt, he did not know for certain.
Nor would he ever find out… for, in the darkness, addled further by his terror, he became disoriented, and ran straight off the edge of a cliff. If only it had been Eliza's voice he heard for the last time, forgiving his sins as her brother, her confidant and as a fellow human being, then he could have died in peace.
Instead, the last thing he felt was his body hitting the ground… the last thing he heard was his own neck snapping on impact.
And then, nothing.