John Merridew: A Short Story

I sat at my desk, staring out at the city skyline through my floor to ceiling office window. The city was beautiful; the lights danced among the stars, skyscrapers seemed to blend into the night sky, and the people far underneath milled around like ants, scattered, chaotic yet so purposeful.
I sudden knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.
My secretary stated “John Merridew has finally arrived.” as she opened the door.
I heard him enter as I flipped through the file I had received this morning, regarding this man, for the thousandth time. There was just something about him, without a face, had caused me to feel on edge.
Still reviewing the material I said, “You are an hour late. I hope that you realize that I run my firm very strictly, and
My plane came in late. As you know, I was flown in from London for this interview.” I could hear a smile in his tone.
That voice, it was hauntingly familiar.
I looked up to see a tall, toned man with a devious smile plastered on his freckled face. His dark red hair stood out in shocking comparison to his pale face. He would be in all regards handsome if not for his eyes; cracked light blue eyes that seemed to say, “This man is capable of doing everything and anything to get his way, things more evil than one could possibly imagine, unapologetically.” I had nightmares about these eyes, after seeing what they were capable of firsthand. Time has not healed the wound that this man had carved into my soul.
My voice cracked as I struggled to get out the word I dreaded to say.
“Jack.” I moaned as I hit the
My chest felt tight and my vision blurred. The heart rate monitor began to beep louder and more insistently.
“Please Ralph, calm down. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“OH, DON’T YOU PRETEND TO CARE! YOU’D JUST LOVE IT IF I GOT HURT, WOULDN’T YOU? ISN’T THAT WHAT YOU CAME TO DO? FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED ON THE ISLAND!” Hysteria had become my Mistress.
“Shut up! I am not here to hurt you. I am not here to finish anything. I didn’t even know that I was going to see you again. For God’s sake, I’m not as evil as you think I am. I did terrible things and it has taken me years to come to terms with the crimes I committed in that hell. I’m so sorry Ralph, sorrier than you will ever know, but I wish you could realize that did what I did because I was so young and afraid. The Beast had invaded my ill mind.”
I could hear Jack, but hysteria wasn’t allowing me to listen.
“LIAR, LIAR! YOU KILLED PIGGY! YOU KILLED SIMON! YOU KILLED PIGGY! YOU KILLED SIMON! YOU KILLED THEM! YOUKILLEDTHEMYOUKILLEDTHEMYOUKI-”
The monitor was screaming now. The incessant beeping drowned out my hysterics. My chest filled with shooting pain; I couldn’t breathe. My head swished and swirled. Doctors and nurses filled the room as the world began to fade in and out.
“Heart