3 Pay and Repay (1/2)

A few hours later, Allen dejectedly returned to the Three Heads Tavern through the door at the back after killing the man.

As soon as he entered, he saw the back of Mr. Sanchez, who was standing beside the counter.

Mr. Sanchez turned around and looked at Allen, ”Good, you're back. Have you completed the job?”

Allen removed his mask, revealing a somewhat pale face; he lowered his head down, ”Yes, but... who did I just kill?”

”The son of the chief of the guards in the town.”, Mr. Sanchez answered.

”W... what?! Then I'd be hunted down endlessly!”, Allen bitterly complained.

Mr. Sanchez ignored Allen's complaint and told him to just follow.

Afterwards, Allen saw an old man sitting down beside one of the tables in the tavern. The old man looked at Mr. Sanchez and asked, ”Is it done?”

”Yes.”, Mr. Sanchez nodded.

After which the old man left the tavern while leaving behind a pouch at the top of the table.

”You don't know him, kid?”, Mr. Sanchez suddenly asked.

”N... no.”, Allen answered.

”That old man's the chief of the guards.”, Mr. Sanchez said.

”W... what?!”, Allen widened his eyes and looked at Mr. Sanchez.

”His son got an incurable disease, he knew that his son won't live much longer, however, he can't kill his own son but he still wanted him to die in advance so he won't suffer any longer under the sickness.”, Mr. Sanchez explained.

”Hais, now the man's son is all alone, his mother have already died long ago but the child doesn't know about it. Luckily, he still has his grandfather.”, Mr. Sanchez paused. ”A parent would do anything for their child if they see them suffering, ironically even to the point of killing them.”

Allen lowered his head and thought, 'A parent would do anything for their child? Then what about my father?'

”Come to think of it, won't your parents be worried sick about you if you're not home?”, Mr. Sanchez suddenly asked.

”No, not really.”, Allen said and thought, 'After all, I was suppose to sleep outside.'

”You can go home now, there's a location devoid of guards down at southeast of the town prepared by the chief guard, don't worry, that old man won't have any thoughts of catching you, in fact, he would feel indebted instead.”, Mr. Sanchez said as he gave Allen 20 bronze coins from the pouch. ”And come back tomorrow night or else...”

Mr. Sanchez didn't finish the sentence and just walked up the stairs, because he knew that Allen already knows what words would come next. The latter gave back his dagger and mask and left through the back door again and went to the said location where he could exit the town.

When he exited the town, Allen immediately walked towards the foot of the hill while looking towards the starry sky.

'A parent would do anything for their child...'

'A parent would do anything for their child...'

'A parent would do anything for their child...'

The voice of the tavern owner kept echoing in his mind during his walk, he didn't pay attention whether the path he was walking on was muddy or not due to the heavy rain earlier.

After a few minutes of walking, he finally saw a familiar house, he didn't immediately go to the shed but washed his muddy feet from the water in the well first. After washing he looked at an opened window at the second floor of the house, thinking of his little brother William.

'Tomorrow, I'd get you a gift.', Allen thought and added. 'Probably father too so that he won't be mad anymore, at least.'

Afterwards, he went to the shed and climbed up to the same spot where his blanket still was and started sleeping.

...

Next morning...

Allen sneaked in the house through the door of the kitchen at the back of the house.

He checked the table if there was any food.

”Big brother.”, a voice suddenly came from behind him.

Allen turned around in fright but heaved a sigh of relief to see that it was only William.

”Father left a while ago.”, William said. ”Don't worry you can eat now.”

”Did you eat already?”

”Yes.”

”Oh.”, Allen continued checking food on the table and saw that there was a leftover porrage. He immediately sat down and started eating the porrage.

”You look tired big brother.”, William said.

”Uhh... I didn't sleep well.”, Allen scratched the back of his head.

”Really?”

”Yes!”, Allen said.

He wasn't lying, he wasn't able to sleep well due to getting nightmares about that man he killed last night, it was as if the ghost of the man was haunting him.

'Why me?!'

'Why me?!'

'Why me?!'

He could still hear the grieving shouts of the man while choking him to death in his dream.