The Green Lantern

In the dark, Angelo could still see the flicker of the green lantern at a distance.

It was like the last breath of a dying ember on the verge of being gobbled up by the darkness.

He could not help but feel sad as his mind began its journey to a year ago today...

It was the age of innocence: of pure and true love, of undying faith and devotion. It was the year that he met Jennylie at one of the dance parties at the house of a friend. Their eyes met in the crowd, followed by a warm smile that took his heart away and blew his mind out.

That night, he was smitten by her charm as they danced the night away to the music of Chopin, Strauss, and Bach.

But somewhere among the crowd, in a dark corner of the dance floor, lurked a jealous heart. His eyes were on fire and his emotions running wild as he watched Jenny and Angelo sway to the music of the night. His heart was consumed by intense hatred that was further buoyed by the spirit of the single malt whiskey in his hand as he tried to shake the cobwebs from his mind.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he reached for the concealed gun in his vest and fired two shots at point blank range at the dancing couple.

The music died.

And the crowd was stunned in silence...

Angelo saw his beloved slowly slump and sink to her knees, clutching her chest as she gasped for her last breath. Then he saw the light die in her eyes as she tried to reach for his hand.

Many, many nights have passed but that scene of his beloved Jenny dying in his arms was constantly replayed over and over, like a movie in his mind…

"Life’s been cruel and I can't go on living in a sham," he muttered softly to himself.

He decided that tonight will be the end of all nights for him as he gingerly walked into the darkness, turned around and had his one last look at the solitary green lantern on her beloved’s tomb, as his senses were swallowed completely by an unbelievable lightness and peace.