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Back 55
Chapters (60)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. Acknowledgements
  59. About the author
  60. Copyright

‘So how did he escape?’

‘As we said: he managed to hack through the manacles,’ said Gabriel, stunting a laugh. ‘In a way I admire him; it must have taken a hell of a lot of willpower. He got out of the shack and ran, I caught him and we fell over that ridge. When I woke up all I had was a piece of his shirt. I knew he’d head downhill towards the road but I also knew that it was a long way on foot so I went back and got my car. I intended to run, get out of the state and hide. In those brief moments I forgot what I was tasked to do, as if I was being tested. So I decided to head him off and made for town. Maybe I was a little curious too. About whether God would allow me to get away with pinning the blame on an innocent person. Surely the supreme overlord wouldn’t allow them to be punished? It was like being God: having control of someone’s life – but in a different way to killing them. It was intriguing. New. If I was truly evil and God truly had the ultimate power then I wouldn’t get away with it. So I left it down to fate. If God deemed it, He would allow Heath to escape my justice. Otherwise I would act as the hand of fate.’

‘Fate doesn’t need an executioner. Fate happens. It’s unavoidable,’ said Chandler.

‘In your opinion. I used to be a passenger of fate too, until I realized that both my hand and its are equally as unsteady at the wheel. Why should it steer me, when I can steer it myself? It had already allowed me to escape the car crash.’ Gabriel stared at Chandler. ‘Martin always believed in fate.’

Chandler had no answer to this.

Gabriel continued, ‘And think about it, happiness is never celebrated for as long as sadness is endured, is it? Is that because we anticipate sadness lurking around the corner? Well, I tested it out—’

‘Tested what?’ asked Chandler. He was growing sick of Gabriel’s half-arsed philosophy, the supposed justification for his actions. He wanted his children back and as the gun wavered in Gabriel’s hand and he offered his validations, Chandler began to worry that Nick was going to get impatient or nervous and take the shot before Chandler got the information he needed.