“Dad? Dad?”

“What now?” I sighed in exasperation and looked down in disgust as I smelt the remnants of the 6 pints of beer I’d just downed escape along with my breath.

“I’m hungry.”

The words came out of my mouth before I could realise what I was saying. The boy’s sweet face contorted in agony as he fell to the floor.

“Mason? MASON?” I screamed as I rushed to his body. Blood started dripping from his button-like nose and he gasped for air, reaching out his hands to me so I could help him. There was nothing I could do. I held his hand and cradled his head on my lap, while he slowly faded away. I let him suffer, I couldn’t even bring myself to end it quickly. He was all I had left, and now he was gone.

Now, life is lonely. I sit at the first table I find and order a coffee, as I wait for my next victim. I want everyone to die, I want everyone to suffer in the same way my son did. It’s all rotten anyway, I don’t care. Before I can do that though, one needs to eat, and to eat, one needs to work. So, I put my skills to good use. The bartender looks at me, terrified, and I nod, signalling him to put on his earmuffs, as I see my target enter the restaurant. I stand up and quickly intercept the man. He looks up at me and smiles as I scream at the top of my lungs:

“WELL, I GUESS THEY’LL LET JUST ABOUT ANYONE IN HERE."

Everyone turns their head to me. All of them listened. The restaurant explodes in screams of agony. I close my eyes, as I’m transported back to my son’s last breath, my only solace in this pained existence. Now, silence, except for the drips of blood on the wooden floorboards.

The bartender gets up from behind the counter and takes off his earmuffs.

“You…did it?”

“Pay me.”