{"sf1_id":812890,"sf2_id":"ZmMKjx41","title":"A Thin Line - Part Six: Stop at Nothing","author":"RandallShepherd","words":2394,"posted_at":"2015-01-29T03:46:00.000Z","tags":["A Thin Line","Character Development","Clean","Damien Cole","Death","Doberman","No-Yiff","Sad","Story Progression","Story Series","Violence (Not In Yiff)","Wolf","Wolf Dog","cops","fog"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/812890-a-thin-line-part-six-stop-at-nothing","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/ZmMKjx41","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/bb/e5/bbe5e78c-14e4-421b-a177-ee5c6ec9e47f","description":"#6 of A Thin Line\n\nUh oh. You know what starts hittin' the fan :P Now we get into the true meat of the story. Damien's loss and slow decent into insanity. Part 7 is finished as well and will be posted probably tomrw.","content":"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _\"Keep an eye out for your wife, okay?\u0026nbsp; Keep her safe.\"_\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Keep her safe..._\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;_ Damien became light-headed and had to sit down.\u0026nbsp;\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;_ \"You're going to be a big brother, Damien...\" said his father's voice.\u0026nbsp; Damien shook his head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"And I know from personal experience, you will do anything to keep the ones closest to you safe,\" said Micah during his speech at Damien's wedding.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Don't leave me...\" whispered Alice.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _\"Am I going insane?\"_\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm a wreck... just leave me... I understand...\" said the dying Micah.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _Stop at nothing..._\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;_ The raccoon's sentence triggered something in Damien.\u0026nbsp; He was short of breath.\u0026nbsp; He didn't know what to think.\u0026nbsp; Was it some kind of warning?\u0026nbsp; Maybe he knows something.\u0026nbsp; Why would Alice be in danger?\u0026nbsp; Damien had no enemies, not that he knew of.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _Alice..._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien rushed out of the interrogation room.\u0026nbsp; Walking quickly though the police department, Damien came across Clarence, who was busy talking with some other uniformed officers.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Davis... a word?\" asked Damien.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; They walked away from the group of officers.\u0026nbsp; Davis was confused, \"What's going on, Damien?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I need the police cruiser.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What?\u0026nbsp; Why?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"It's Alice.\u0026nbsp; I think she may be in trouble.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What?\u0026nbsp; What makes you think that?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien and Clarence were good friends, but even so, Clarence probably would not believe some criminal they just took off the street seemingly gave him a hint that his wife was in danger.\u0026nbsp; 'She's fine, he was just fucking with you' Damien could hear Clarence saying.\u0026nbsp; \"I... just have a hunch she could really be in trouble right now.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; That could have been more believable.\u0026nbsp; Telling the truth would have probably been better.\u0026nbsp; Clarence glared at Damien with a look of both suspicion and curiosity.\u0026nbsp; If he denied him, Damien figured he could probably try to get the keys off him by force.\u0026nbsp; Then again, causing a scene in the middle of the police department is not going to get himself home faster, so that may not be the best course of action.\u0026nbsp; While Damien was going through different scenarios and responses in his head, Clarence said something Damien was not expecting, \"Okay... but I'm coming with you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Clarence held out the keys and Damien took them slowly in disbelief.\u0026nbsp; He wondered if this was just a cruel joke.\u0026nbsp; He thought Clarence would yank the keys away when he reached for them, but he didn't.\u0026nbsp; \"Really?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Hey, if I believed my wife was in trouble and I needed to get to her, you'd give me the keys.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien didn't give himself additional time to thank Clarence for his favor or to even ask why he wanted to tag along.\u0026nbsp; Alice could be in trouble, and Damien has to make sure she's safe and sound.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; He didn't know if driving was such a great idea given his episode he experience just a short time before, but he felt fine, and he just had to get to Alice... no matter what.\u0026nbsp; Actually, driving helped him out a lot.\u0026nbsp; He was able to clear his head and get a grip on the whole situation.\u0026nbsp;_Keep an eye out for your wife... Keep her safe._ \u0026nbsp;It still disturbed Damien that Seth even knew Damien had a wife.\u0026nbsp; He never did get an answer from that raccoon in the short time span between entering the interrogation room and when the detective came back to take him away.\u0026nbsp; But none of that really mattered at this moment.\u0026nbsp; What really mattered was getting back home and making sure Alice was okay.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Images of different variations of gruesome detail flooded Damien's mind of what could possibly happen to his wife.\u0026nbsp; What if he was too late?\u0026nbsp; The thoughts made him loose track of the speed of his driving. \u0026nbsp;He lifted his foot off of the gas petal, letting the momentum wear off.\u0026nbsp; Damien expected Clarence to make a comment on Damien's driving using his trademarked smart-ass humor, but he didn't say anything.\u0026nbsp; He didn't even ask for further explanation on Damien's vague and rash actions.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Pulling up to the house, Damien didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.\u0026nbsp; He and Alice lived in a nice, peaceful neighborhood.\u0026nbsp; The clean sidewalks were lined with trees.\u0026nbsp; Often, the sounds of children playing echoed between the tightly packed, brick buildings.\u0026nbsp; At this time of the night, nothing but the occasional car roamed these streets.\u0026nbsp; Tonight was no different.\u0026nbsp; However, an ominous fog flooded the street.\u0026nbsp; The street lamps gave off a halo as the light made its way through the fog.\u0026nbsp; Damien exited the car.\u0026nbsp; Immediately, the cold air hits Damien, contrasting with the sweat he had on him, sending chills through his body.\u0026nbsp; He walked towards his home.\u0026nbsp; His townhome had the numbers 549 engraved in cement beside the front door.\u0026nbsp; Climbing the few steps that lead to the door, Damien became light headed.\u0026nbsp; The closer he got to the door, the more his vision narrowed, trapping him inside a tunnel that wasn't there.\u0026nbsp; He had to pause to keep himself steady.\u0026nbsp; Clarence was right behind Damien.\u0026nbsp; \"You alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah,\" Damien answered.\u0026nbsp; Looking back at Clarence, it was clear that he was concerned about Damien, even though he was skeptical about anything really going on.\u0026nbsp; 'A waste of time' he probably was thinking.\u0026nbsp; But Clarence understood Damien and respected him.\u0026nbsp; If he had a suspicion something was wrong, Clarence wasn't going to try to suppress those feelings in Damien.\u0026nbsp; Damien reached out for the door knob, turning it, and opening the door with no effort.\u0026nbsp; This made Damien's heart skip a beat.\u0026nbsp; Damien has always instructed Alice to always keep the door locked no matter what.\u0026nbsp; Even in the middle of the day, even when Damien was at work or home, or even if she was expecting somebody.\u0026nbsp; The door always stays locked, that's the deal.\u0026nbsp; Alice followed this rule religiously.\u0026nbsp; She understood, mostly because she's lived in the city longer than Damien has, that despite the virtual safety of a nice neighborhood, this was a dangerous place.\u0026nbsp; Alice moved out to New York City right after high school graduation.\u0026nbsp; She lived in a small house that she shared with some friends up until Damien came home from war.\u0026nbsp; When they married, they moved into this townhome together.\u0026nbsp; Alice has never had a violent crime committed against her.\u0026nbsp; That's because, just like Damien, she is cautious.\u0026nbsp; So when Damien finds the front door to their home unlocked, it concerns him.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The inside of the house was dark and quiet, as it usually is when Damien comes home after a long night on the job.\u0026nbsp; Damien opens his mouth and attempts to say 'Alice?' but his voice fails him and nothing actually comes out.\u0026nbsp; He clears his throat and tries again.\u0026nbsp; \"Alice?\" \u0026nbsp;This time, his voice comes through, ringing through the house.\u0026nbsp; Damien begins to panic when there is no response.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe she's asleep?\" says Clarence as he tries to discreetly assure Damien that nothing is wrong.\u0026nbsp; But something is wrong.\u0026nbsp; Even if she is asleep, Alice is a very light sleeper.\u0026nbsp; Usually, when Damien comes home in the early hours of the morning, he tries his best to move through the house quietly to avoid waking her up.\u0026nbsp; And just about every time, he fails.\u0026nbsp; When there's no response to her name being called out, it's extremely unusual.\u0026nbsp; Something is wrong, and Damien knows it.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Alice!\" he says again in a louder voice.\u0026nbsp; Still, nothing.\u0026nbsp; Damien goes for his gun, which is in his holster.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What are you doing?\" asks Clarence in a panicked tone.\u0026nbsp; Damien moves further into his own home.\u0026nbsp; Clarence, quietly cursing under his breath, follows.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The bedroom is up on the second story.\u0026nbsp; On top of the stairs, Damien is frozen in his tracks when a squeal rings out, \"Damien!\"\u0026nbsp; It's Alice.\u0026nbsp; No doubt about it.\u0026nbsp; Clarence is now convinced.\u0026nbsp; He, too, pulls out his handgun, and both Damien and Clarence rush down the hallway leading to the bedroom.\u0026nbsp; The corridor seems to extend before Damien's eyes as he runs towards the end of it.\u0026nbsp; With each step, the hallway gets longer, and Damien is further away than he was previously.\u0026nbsp; An open window with the light from a street lamp outside is on the far wall.\u0026nbsp; From its light, a strange shadow appears.\u0026nbsp; It doesn't look humanoid.\u0026nbsp; But Damien can clearly see the handgun is it is raised, and the muzzle flash briefly reveals his worst nightmare.\u0026nbsp; Somebody has Alice.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien was unaware of where the bullet that was fired went until he saw his partner drop to the floor.\u0026nbsp; Clarence was hit.\u0026nbsp; Blood was spattered on the wall and Clarence was lying on the floor, gripping his chest as his blue police uniform turned red.\u0026nbsp; Damien flung himself out of the hallway into a bathroom on his right in anticipation for another shot.\u0026nbsp; The gun in the shadow's hand was put away and was replaced with a knife.\u0026nbsp; Damien saw as the light reflected off the cold steel.\u0026nbsp; He ran down the hallway, gun at the ready, as the knife was lifted up to Alice's throat.\u0026nbsp; Damien stopped, and so did the knife.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You see how this works,\" said the shadow.\u0026nbsp; It was clear now.\u0026nbsp; This guy was dressed in all black, even his face obscured.\u0026nbsp; This was a more hellish reliving on the standoff Damien found himself in earlier that night.\u0026nbsp; Only this time, the shadow wasn't standing down at the sight of Damien.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Who are you?\" Damien demanded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"It does not matter who I am.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Why are you after Alice?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"It's not your dear Alice I'm after.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What do you want then?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"You... out of the way!\" screamed the shadow.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The knife made a quick movement, finding its way through Alice's throat.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"ALICE!\" screamed Damien in horror, pulling the trigger on his gun.\u0026nbsp; The shadow dropped Alice to the floor.\u0026nbsp; He grabbed his arm where the bullet Damien shot hit him.\u0026nbsp; He shouted in pain, cursed, but managed to throw himself out the open window behind him.\u0026nbsp; A loud clank was heard when the shadow hit the garbage below.\u0026nbsp; Damien ran towards the window, but only in time to see the shadow's tail turn the corner of the building next door.\u0026nbsp; He was gone.\u0026nbsp; Damien flung himself down on the floor next to his wife.\u0026nbsp; Blood was gushing out of her neck wound.\u0026nbsp; Damien lifted her up into his arms, trying hard to hold the wound close.\u0026nbsp; Sirens was heard from down the street.\u0026nbsp; Somebody undoubtedly heard the gunshot that took out Clarence and notified the police. \u0026nbsp;At least Damien hoped so.\u0026nbsp; Maybe they could help, maybe Alice would be okay.\u0026nbsp; But deep down, he knew that was false hope.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Damien...\" Alice tried to speak, but her words were distorted by the blood in her mouth.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Don't talk... don't talk, honey.\u0026nbsp; Everything's... everything's going to be okay.\u0026nbsp; I mean it.\"\u0026nbsp; Damien could hardly speak himself.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm... sorry.\" Whispered Alice.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"No... no! Don't say that, Alice.\u0026nbsp; You're going to be fine.\"\u0026nbsp; Alice was still able to speak so she must be able to breathe to a certain degree.\u0026nbsp; None of that mattered though because Damien could not stop the bleeding.\u0026nbsp; It was a stationary race against time.\u0026nbsp; The sirens outside were getting closer, but not close enough.\u0026nbsp; Damien held one hand under Alice's head, the other on her throat, covered in blood.\u0026nbsp; Her deep, blue eyes were becoming grey.\u0026nbsp; A pool of blood was forming underneath them.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Damien...\" her voice was weak, but still there.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"What is it, honey?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"...Live... on...\" she was choking on her word, but their meaning was clear.\u0026nbsp; Damien held Alice as close as possible, sitting on the floor in her blood, covered with the red liquid, as she reluctantly accepted death.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien held the lifeless body of his wife, the one person he truly loved.\u0026nbsp; The blood squirting from her neck seemed to subside, signifying that her heart has stopped.\u0026nbsp; Damien gazed upon his wife's open, lifeless eyes in disbelief.\u0026nbsp; \"No....\"\u0026nbsp; That's all he could say.\u0026nbsp; His blood-covered hand touched Alice's face, cold as ice.\u0026nbsp; The deepest sleep Damien has ever seen her in.\u0026nbsp; One she would never awake from.\u0026nbsp; Sirens grew louder, but it no longer mattered.\u0026nbsp; She was gone.\u0026nbsp; With his free hand, shaking uncontrollably, Damien closed his wife's eyes.\u0026nbsp; He could no longer look into what used to be bright blue eyes, full of life and optimism, full of plans.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"Let's grow old together,\" she would say.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll be like those couples who live their entire life together, holding hands, with grey hair, loving each other just as much as we do now.\u0026nbsp; That's what I want, Damien....\"\u0026nbsp; And that's what Damien wanted too.\u0026nbsp; More than anything.\u0026nbsp; And after their life here on Earth was over, they would be buried, side by side, to spend the rest of time together.\u0026nbsp; Together forever... in life and death.\u0026nbsp; Forever together.\u0026nbsp; But no more.\u0026nbsp; Sitting in the light that shown through the window, Damien's dead wife in his arms and his dead partner down the hallway, life would never be the same.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien's handgun, which he dropped on the floor when he kneeled down next to his wife, reflected light in his eyes.\u0026nbsp; Maybe... maybe they could still spend forever together... in the afterlife.\u0026nbsp; 'We could haunt this house,' Damien thought.\u0026nbsp; 'Two ghosts, side by side, until they tear down this place.'\u0026nbsp; Their bodies would be found together, hand in hand.\u0026nbsp; Buried together.\u0026nbsp; Together forever, just like we wanted.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; _\"Live on...\"_ Alice's voice echoed in Damien's head.\u0026nbsp; Alice knew Damien better than anyone.\u0026nbsp; She knew that Damien might kill himself after she was gone.\u0026nbsp; He would do anything for her.\u0026nbsp; And he would do anything to stay with her, even if it meant leaving.\u0026nbsp; Her last wishes were the only thing keep Damien from picking up the handgun.\u0026nbsp;\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Damien promised to stop at nothing to protect the ones he loved and do nothing to hurt them..._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \"I'm sorry Alice...\" tears fell from Damien's green eyes, washing away some of the blood where it landed, \"I have failed.\"\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"A Thin Line","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/809167-a-thin-line-part-five-homecoming.json"}}