A New Night Epilogue
Notes from the ethers.
"Dearest Christine
It's been a while since we spoke, but for you I have nothing left to say. You turned your back on me and left me when I needed you most, and even at that I still forgive you. In these beguiling times, I wanted to apologize for the asshole you thought I'd become. Nothing can take back what happened. Nothing I can say will change your heart let alone make you come back to me.
I don't know where you are and what your are doing. Only that this note will somehow find you in the mess the world has become. Truth be told, I thought I was done for the evening before. When the tornado came, I could only think of you. When the dead came, all I could think of was you, hoping against hope that you were still alive somewhere. Hopefully you still are and reading this, so I will make it as quick as I can.
I don't love you anymore.
With great pain as it was to pen those words, they are truth: hard and simple. We've grown apart these last few weeks, and that I understand. I did nothing of the sort with my students, even when one propositioned me. I had many, many younger girls than you flocking to my side, and I enjoyed the attention. But in the weeks prior, I felt your cold hands around me as you began to lose that spark that made you beautiful. You're petty jealously was drving me away and it was tiring. So it's no matter now that I have another. She is sweet and much kinder than you had been. I do believe the guy you were seeing on the side was one of my students.
How ironic.
Now wherever you are, I still wish you all the best. Me and my new girl, we are heading north to find a new home while Nero plays his fiddle and Rome burns to the ground. In many ways I hope you burn with it. And now I must take my leave, we have a long way to the border and many miles before we sleep.
Sincerely,
Ben Rutherford."
Note found in a hotel room near Eerie, Pennsylvania, undated.