Page 150 - The Houseguest

Rachel spoke quietly looking down at the floor, “I have read the entire book, over and over. I feel like I know your wife, how she thought, what she believed. I take full responsibility for removing from this earth such a positive force, full of goodness and light. But I do have something to say, and yet I fear my honesty will cause you anger, and thus more harm to me.” “Speak your mind,” I told her. And she did: “You must see the contradiction yourself...perhaps you don’t need me to point it out. The love and kindness your wife lived by...is completely opposite from what you are doing to me. You must feel that conflict inside.”
I felt the anger welling up inside of me: “Shut up, bitch. You are the one who should be feeling conflict inside. Your whole being is in stark contract from the woman you are learning about.”
“And yet we have something in common,” she said now staring me in the eyes with sadness and hope. She continued, “I told you when you brought me here that I didn’t want to live. But now I know I have a reason to – I am certain now that I have a baby inside of me. I must plead and beg you now to spare my life and the life of my child.” Shocked and bewildered, my first instinct was to think “an eye for an eye...means two eyes for two eyes, etc.” She took my child and justice dictates that I should take hers, too. What does it matter to me? Ravenge would be even sweeter if two lives were taken in exchange for two lives. Fair is fair.
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The Houseguest by Linda Ellis www.LindaEllis.life