The Life of the Mind
Ch. 5: The Life of the Mind
A/n: This is the last chapter!
Six months had passed since Barton Fink had been locked away. He'd been convicted, tried and found guilty of the murders of Audrey Taylor, W.P Mayhew and Benjamin Geisler, as well as the deaths of his own family back in New York. The insanity defense had failed and Barton had been sentenced to death.
"Come on, Mr. Fink," said Dr. Gressman quietly. "It's time to go."
Fink nodded solemnly. Before his trial, he'd protested his innocence, but no one listened. After the first few weeks of pleading his case, he stopped talking all together. He didn't care anymore. Maybe, he thought, maybe I am crazy…
Barton couldn't recall the murders, but he couldn't help but wonder 'what if…?'. Perhaps he was a killer. It didn't really matter now, either way. He was damned as it was. Fink was silent as he walked up the narrow wooden steps to the gallows waiting for him. A large crowd of people had gathered to view the spectacle and Barton was unperturbed. An elderly man read aloud from a sheaf of papers in his hands.
"Barton Fink, you have been found guilty of a series of heinous murders. The state of California has ordered that you are to be hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul."
Barton sighed, wincing at the tightness of the noose around his neck.
"Any last words?" asked the hangman in a gruff voice.
Fink was silent. The hangman stood a foot away from him, his hand on the handle to the trapdoor beneath Barton's feet.
"You know," the executioner went on. "This reminds me of my death."
Barton turned in horror and saw Chet LaRouie standing in the hangman's place. The demon grinned, showing off his pointed teeth.
"G'bye, Mr. Fink."
"Chet—!" Barton cried.
The trapdoor fell and Fink fell into a permanent silence.