Chapter 20

Last Cigar

Malcolm walked slowly and took his time with each and every step he took, even though time was running out. He saw the Eternal Hunters not too long ago and it was a sign that his death was about to be. The sewers was the only place to escape as the factory was filled with the police, the route of it was in a secret entrance but the police would've followed the blood trail that he left .

Graves stopped and leaned at the wall besides him, tired and in pain. Gingerly he slide down and tremble to the ground. He touches his body with his right hand trying to endure the pain that was caused by Vi, Graves himself didn't want to see the result that she inflict to him. It was too bloody and too horrendous for the eye to view.

She sure packs a punch... Graves grunted.

The sewers were empty - with exception of the rats and cockroaches - he was totally alone. It somewhat gave a feeling to Graves heart, a feeling of emptiness. But not hopeless empty, somewhat peaceful emptiness. Graves have never felt such feeling and he welcomed it, oddly.

The flow of the water at the sewerage and the droplets from the mould infested wall made the place peaceful, even though it was dirty and smelly. Each time he closed his eyes, it reminded him about the peaceful seas that he once venture during his younger years.

Then he reminded something, he searched his pockets and found his last cigar. He observed and chuckled for awhile, he saved it for later but suddenly it became his last.

Ain't I'm lucky...

Graves looked away from the cigar and saw the Eternal Hunters right in front of him, a few centimeters away from his boot. Both of them stand firm and look at Graves unemotionally. But Wolf was eager to rip the soul of Malcolm Graves as his mouth widens. Wolf then smoothly float towards Graves and stops in front of his face while Lamb stands idle. Graves look at Wolf dark eyes with no fear at all. Graves could feel the very spirit breath hitting his face.

"What do you want pup?" Graves asked. "You seem to be a bit thin. Didn't eat for a while?"

"You don't fear death, do you Graves?" said a soft voice.

Graves glanced behind Wolf and saw Lamb in pure clarity. Lamb was something oddly beautiful for its purpose, the mask was dark purple and her body was mostly white with smooth fur. With eyes fill with mystery and no emotion, he had never seen such thing in his life.

"But you certainly don't welcome it as well." Wolf floats to the side and give space for Lamb. "I could not help but question, why?"

Graves looked at Lamb and did not said anything. Lamb was surprised with the sudden silence between the two. She was expecting a reaction at the very least. She could feel that the man in front of her was relieved.

"Do you fear us now?" asked Lamb. "Graves?"

"She's dead?" Graves suddenly ask.

"Who?" Lamb turn her head a bit.

"The Sheriff with the skirt, is she dead?"

"It seem you have no worry about your condition. And no, she's not."

"I just wanted to know."he moved a bit and grunt at the same time, knowing the pain. "She was stronger than I thought, for a girl her type"

"Most human when they die, the only thing they care was themselves and the afterlife that awaits. But you seem to care about others, even though there were your enemy." Lamb became more curious about Graves, he seem to defy human nature.

"The world is cruel, what makes the afterlife any different."Graves cough a bit. "I don't fear death, it brings no benefit to me. Weird, I don't know why but you seem familiar."

"So you have encountered us before even though we meet the first time?"

"I can't remember it clearly but if you see the eyes of a dying human, you see something." Graves eyelids starting to become heavy with his breath becoming weaker. " It ain't clear but still the same regardless of who they are."

"What was it?" she ask softly. "What did you see?"

"Those who dies fast seem havin'... these white marks. While the opposite... got the darker ones" he paused a bit wanting to take a breath, each one took more effort than the previous."Just like the pup beside ya'"

"Are you fascinated by it?"

"Curious. Nuthin' more. I've seen a lot of the dark ones but the white ones were... rare. Now I could see it crystal clear.." Graves finally closes his eyes and smiles. "Quite grateful to see it…"

With the remaining energy that he had, he put the cigar to his mouth and bites it, making sure it stayed put. Then he took out a match and grinds to the floor, the friction creates a spark and burn the match. Slowly the weak fire burns the cigar, leaving an orange ember to the tip. His hand then falls weakly to the ground, he had no energy left.

Slowly, Graves couldn't feel his body no more. He couldn't feel his two legs, his mid body and just a moment ago his two arms.

Guess this is death...Graves thought. Finally…

"It is time." Lamb walks back leaving Wolf to his prey.

Wolf was excited, his mouth suddenly gape because of it. Finally a soul that deserve to chew by his sharp teeth. But as he wanted to rip the soul of the Outlaw, he felt something that forces him to stop. Wolf then turn back and floats beside Lamb, seeming to give the task to Lamb.

"I felt that this is not for me to take, Dear Lamb" Lamb look at Wolf with curious eyes. "Take it for yourself."

Without a word, Lamb nears towards Graves while Wolf float still, observing what will happen. Lamb then aims her arrow at Graves that sat weak with his cigar. An arrow suddenly appears as Lamb puts her fine fingers at the string of the bow, she stress the string and ask. "Do you have any regrets?"

"No" Graves answered.

Graves inhales his last cigar, taking every single pleasure that he could with his last breath. The taste of the cigar flooded his mind with memories of his life, some were painful while others were fill with joy.

Looks like you won the game, TF. Graves smiled.

Lamb released the arrow and it swiftly hits the heart. He exhaled and smoke came out from his mouth, the cigar then fall to the ground. Malcolm Graves life was no longer, his end has finally met as color faded from his face.

After the task was done, Lamb and Wolf stand together and looked at the body of Graves. Silence filled the place as no words came out from the mouths of the Eternal Hunters.

Lamb knelt down to the ground and pick the cigar, she observe it with full focus and curiosity as she stands up. Lamb was rarely questioned and curious. It made Wolf wondered about Lamb. What could she'd be thinking now?

"What is it Lamb?" Wolf asked. "Is there something intriguing?"

"Most human confess about their life while some denies and shout words of denial." Lamb shifted her focus to Graves and turn her head a bit. "Yet he smoke with his last breath, very odd."

"Humans are very intriguing beings. Aren't they? Dear Wolf." Lamb continued

Wolf also change his focus towards Graves and concludes. "Yes, certainly. Dear Lamb."

Lamb looked at Graves then she realized that there were two figures standing beside her. Two figures that were common in folklore and myth. The Chain Warden and the Spear of Vengeance, Thresh and Kalista.