12.43 AM

12:43AM, the sun set hours ago.

The clouds covered the moon and the stars.

It was a dark and cold December night,

a few days before Christmas.

The gunshots echoed in my head,

the sound wouldn’t leave.

There was four gunshots to the chest, one to the head.

I was sure one would kill him but I was angry, or scared.

Maybe both. He was innocent, he didn’t do anything.

All he said was, “Are you OK?”

12:44AM, sirens blare from multiple cars, looking for where the shots were fired.

I didn’t know what to do,

I stood there with the gun on the ground to the right of me.

I was still angry.

Not at anyone or anything but myself.

What have I done? Why aren’t I scared?

I have to hide the body.

12:45AM, I grabbed him by his feet, dragging him into the woods by the road.

I thought

Maybe he has a family,

Maybe he went to purchase Christmas gifts.

12:50AM,

I finished hiding his lifeless body.

Before hiding, I dug through his pockets.

I found a wallet.

$32. ID card. License. A picture of him, two beautiful kids with heartwarming smiles, and a wife.

12:52AM

I was still staring at the picture.

Two long minutes.

He did have children, a wife.

A family.

What have I done?

12:58AM

The sirens got closer,

There they were,

men in uniforms asked if I’ve seen anyone.

They think I’m innocent.

Should I turn myself in?

Should I find his family and tell them that their daddy and husband have gotten killed?

No. I can’t ruin my life.

But I ruined theirs.

I told the police no.

1:29AM

The police have brought me home,

I cried into the pillow laying on the couch.

I stayed still.

My mind was a mess.

What have I done?

Will this be the first and only time I killed an innocent man?