"Carry On ..."
The ivory keys sunk down; the hammers softly plunked at the strings within the body of the grand piano, causing the notes to resonate into the silence. The gentle rings filled the troublesome and vicious void with the sweetest sounds -- 'charms to soothe a savage beast.' Idle leather-clad fingers of a single hand traveled down, issuing forth a mournful dirge in the saddest minor key, the melody akin to a nocturne in its haunting sound. How appropriate. The jukebox watched from its usual spot, everything hushed into silence. V walked heavily but purposefully, letting his eyes wander over the familiar room and floor of the Shadow Gallery. Everything had its place, its seat of reverence -- order within the chaos that whimsically embraced it.
Up above, the storm was far from over as lightning cut across the sky and rain stabbed at the streets. Even below, the wrath of the heavens could dimly be heard over the equally wrathful silence. V gazed upward, an act not uncommon but what he felt and thought were vastly different from the innocent musings of yesteryear. In the shaded light, the shadows cast upon the visage caused the jovial grin to smirk maliciously. He had returned only briefly to pinpoint where she would be before he would make his departure. He took great delight in this endeavor, no matter how malignant it was.
The rain beat down and in mere moments, his cloak was drenched and the wide brim of his hat turned the drops into a waterfall before his eyes as they cascaded down in their relentlessness. The wind whipped and clawed at him in its own cruelty. By rooftop, it was almost fluid in its quickness to get from one end of town to the other in a manageable fashion and V did so with as much grace and flow as a black winged raven. His steps were heavy as he raced over the concrete and leapt ethereally to the next platform. Landing with a thud, he fled onward through the curtain of rain, his cloak flapping behind him in the vicious wind.
Keys clinked followed by the clicking of a lock. A door was promptly pushed open, flooding the immediate area with light from the apartment hall outside. The slender form of a woman strode in and shut the door behind her, fervently in conversation on a cell phone. The elaborate apartment mirrored its equally elaborate and theatrical occupant. The front hallway spilled into the middle of the expansive living room. The shadowed dining area and mini hallway, leading to the bedroom, flanked it. A large patio window covered nearly the entire opposite wall, the rain pattering against the glass. She did her usual routine, phone in hand, as lights were flicked on and presentable clothes were changed to something more relaxing -- a white halter top and sweats when she reemerged from the bedroom. The woman ran her fingers through her damp hair as she casually stepped into the living room. His dark eyes watched her as she flitted about in her humble little cage, preening her feathers. The very sight of her exuberantly happy caused his rage to flare up, intoxicating as it was unbearable to hold back as his fingers slowly curled into fists, the leather creaking softly. V stood in the farthest corner of the dining area, unmoving, unwavering in his black gaze. The shadows pressed around him, seeking escape from the scornful light as their master calmly waited until she was done with her aimless wandering. She was so absorbed in herself -- in the recent events -- that nothing else existed as she chatted away in her jovial and merry tone. The usual night at the Kitty Kat Keller must've went as smashing as it always did, he idly assumed. She finally settled down on the sofa, having said goodbye to whomever it was and turned on the telly. Her back was to him. V made his move.
Thunder rumbled loudly over the sounds of the television as he stepped towards her, the cream carpet muffling the soles of his boots. As he drew ever nearer, the lights gradually dimmed and the shadows grew longer, seemingly conjured and fed from the blackness of his intentions. She was completely oblivious, as they always were -- always feeling safe within the confines of their cells; content to walk in on their knees or kick their legs up high should the entertainment not suffice -- never thinking about the consequences that followed, the repercussions to their malignant and unjust actions; believing that ignorance and repression would save them, that the problems of their making would not come back to haunt them. V was not a figment to be forgotten or ignored -- a contradiction to their past. Oh, what a past they shared -- as intricate and saturated with history as everyone else he had paid a personal visit to. For years, it seemed, they had went back and forth in their metaphorical chess game -- dangerous as it was vivacious for them both. A sliver of fear had rooted itself in the back of his mind after a while, fearful that they were on opposite sides all along. She didn't want to get her hands dirty but, unbeknownst to her, they were drenched in blood that she, even now, denied.
A monumental roar of thunder shook the window, causing shelves with various trinkets on it to shudder. The woman gasped, trembling herself from the storm's rage. Standing behind the sofa, V raised his hands and just as soft leather touched warm flesh, everything plunged into darkness. "Check mate," his deep voice resonated in the sudden terrible ambiance. His fingers wrapped gently around her swiftly tightening shoulders, watched her stark silhouette straighten and stiffen in horror. A suffocating fear, he thought in relish, the kind that forces the heart into a near premature heart attack, chilling the blood and constricting the lungs -- completely caught off guard. "Did you miss me," he cooed. Every syllable dripped with disdain. The silence was all consuming. The blackness vanished with an instant's flash of lightning and V beheld her terror-stricken face through the reflection of the television screen. A dark smirk pulled at his lips beneath the mask. "V ..." He dipped his head near her ear and breathed softly, "I know I've missed you."
*****
A candle, set between them on a coffee table, cast ominous and warped shadows over the room and making V's mask look demonic as he stood at the end of the table in the semi darkness. She sat on the couch, staring up at him through large eyes, penetrating the black cavities as they more than penetrated into hers. "Let's dismantle this puerile costume that you're ever so passionate about wearing. You know well why I am here and I've no intentions of leaving without retribution." He towered over her, the darkness appearing to drip and pool from him. " 'Such providence in the fall of a sparrow,' " he continued, "Judgment day heralds us all to its white throne and black book." She gazed up at the ivory mask disconcertingly before she slowly stood up, moving to the other end of the coffee table. Gloved fingers automatically curled and tightened around the hilt of a dagger beneath the heavy layered cloak. "I understand if you hate me ..." "I abominate you most vehemently, Madam, "for sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds. Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds." " Her tone altered, a hint of indignation bleeding through. "You and your damned quotes. Is that all you know what to say, dusty words from equally dusty, insignificant individuals? I've done nothing wrong!" "I shall be quoting you ere the end," he smirked darkly."What do you want me to do? I'm sorry, Codename: V. I am so sorry for what happened, but I've never lied to you." "You shouldn't be apologizing to me. You should be apologizing to the people. You stood aside when action was wiser." He paused for a long while, the candle continuing to flicker between them before he spoke again. "You always were fond of masquerades," he said unhappily. "I have a gift for you ere I take my leave, but before I give it to you, you'll have to stick out your tongue." She stared incredulously. "What? You can't be serious." "I am anything but jesting, I assure you." His words were a contradiction to the mask that grinned before her in the dim firelight. She frowned at his request. Both remained unmoving.
Finally, V stepped near, closing the gap between them as he spoke softly. "You took such kind and careful steps; your sanctified words able to kiss the seats of Heaven and make the angels livid with envy of thy grace. But your teeth decayed and your soul grew foul." He stopped right in front of her, peering down as he made a personal conclusion. "The ugliest hag, if I ever saw one." Her expression was dark with fear. "Stick out your tongue," he commanded. Having no choice, she reluctantly obeyed and slid her tongue out from between her lips. "You want to speak like a viper -- you need the tongue of one!" Without hesitation, he shot his arm up. The dagger impaled straight through and with a hard jerk, it was severed right down the middle. Blood flung from the force and splattered upon the floor and onto the coffee table. The candle flickered as crimson drops fell around it. Her eyes as wide as plates, the silence was ripped asunder with her high pitched scream, the meat hanging limp from her bloody mouth. V quickly sheathed the blade, staring unremorsefully at her as she wailed, red spilling from the laceration and staining her front. "The Devil is, no doubt, very proud," he told her. V calmly strode for the door, leaving that wretched and bleeding mess behind him as thunder rumbled far off in the distance, a sign that the storm was finally over. The dawn would be here soon enough and oh, what a glorious sight it would be.