The black bird flitted along from object to object as Jun followed shortly behind. The bird appeared to be leading him, heading towards the middle of the city. A crackle of thunder sounded above, the storm above looming.

“Where are you taking me?” Jun asked the bird.

“Just follow. You will see.”

As the pair made their way down the streets, the thunder began to turn to lightning. With each bolt, came another flash of memory in Jun’s head. Johnny, flashing that winning smile that Jun loved so much. Another bolt, Jun lying with his head on Johnny’s chest, listening to the beating of his heart, so entwined with Jun’s.

The flashes were beginning to hurt Jun’s head, and he began to stumble as he followed behind the bird. The bird turned now, leading Jun down an alleyway. As Jun began down the alleyway, his body wracked with pain as he had the biggest flash of memory yet.

Jun looked up at Johnny, asking him gently, “Will it always be this way? Will you love me forever?”

Johnny smiled back at Jun. “Forever and always.”

Jun hugged Johnny tightly. “My big, strong man. Standing in front of me, protecting me from the world.”

Johnny reached down, placing his finger under Jun’s chin, lifting it so that their eyes met.

“I would never dream of standing in front of you. If I were standing in front of you, that would mean that we were placing all of the emphasis on me. I would not stand behind you, because that would mean that all the burden was being placed on you. I only ever want to stand beside you, because beside you we can face whatever the world has to put against us, together. By my side, whenever you are weak, you know that you can lean over onto me, and I can make you strong. Borrow my strength when you are weak, and I can do the same for you.”

Johnny leaned down, kissing Jun long and tenderly.

In the present, the pain cause Jun to stumble, falling onto the ground, knocking over some metal trashcans. Jun lay on the ground, holding his head, waiting for the pain to subside. He stares ahead, noticing a faded bloodstain on the ground beside him.

Jun hears footsteps heading down the alleyway. He looks up to see a cop heading towards him, one hand at her waist, the other on her radio.

“10-53, dispatch. Checking on them now.” the cop says into the radio, her voice slightly Hispanic. The cop pulls out her flashlight and points it at Jun, and he raises his hand to shield his eyes.

“Lights a little bright, Officer.” Jun says, hoping that the cop will lower it.

The cop acquiesces, lowering the light enough so that Jun can see her face.

“Are you okay, sir?”

“I’m fine. I just stumbled and fell, is all.”

“Have you been drinking at all tonight, sir?”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Jun squints towards the cop, looking at her badge.

“No, no I haven’t been drinking Officer....Monte.... Montenegro?”

The officer approaches Jun closer, helping him onto his feet.

“Are you sure you haven’t been drinking, sir?”

“I’m sure. Like I said, I just stumbled, and fell. This headache...”

Jun grabs his head again, still suffering the aftereffects of the last flash.

Officer Montenegro looks at Jun closer, a look of slight recognition coming over her face.

“You look kind of familiar.”

“I must have one of those faces,” Jun replies.

Officer Montenegro stares at Jun more, the truth slowly dawning on her.

“No. No, I know you.”

Down the alley, the crow perches on fire escape, watching.

“Officer, you couldn’t. I’ve never been in trouble with the law, there’s no way you c-”

“It was a year ago. We found you, beaten to death, right over there.”

Montenegro points back towards the beginning of the alleyway.

“And right here, an African American male. Also beaten.”

Montenegro points towards the ground, towards the bloodstain that Jun had been staring at earlier.

Jun nods his head, acknowledging that the officer is right. Montenegro locks eyes with him, her eyes narrowing.

“I did the paperwork myself. No next of kin. How can this be possible?”

From its perch, the crow lets out a caw, as if warning Jun not to say too much.

With a sigh, Jun replies. “I’m not really sure myself. All that I know is that I’m here now, for whatever reason.”

Montenegro nods, eyes still wary of Jun.

“You said that you did the paperwork yourself. Is there anything that you can tell me about the case?”

Montenegro eyes Jun suspiciously, wondering if she should divulge the information.

“I really shouldn’t say anything. Police confidentiality and all, you know.”

“Confidentiality? But officer, it’s a case about me.”

Montenegro chews on Jun’s words, carefully considering them.

“What the hell. It’s not every day a corpse comes back asking about their case. Your bodies were found, badly beaten. Assistance was provided, but it was too late. You were both already gone. We searched for months, but leads were scarce.”

“No one was arrested?”

“We had one suspect. A local thug calls himself Viper. Snake tattoo on his arm. Never were able to pin anything solid on him.”

A flash. The four guys above Jun. Punching him. Kicking him. Slurs being hurled at him. Another flash as one of the men leans down, grabbing Jun’s hair and lifting his face. Jun’s eyes fall onto the arm pulling him up, a tattoo of a snake running along it.

“Yeah, you like that, you little faggot?” the man says bitterly to Jun, spitting in his face. “How does it feel being touched by a real man?”

Back in the present, Jun grabs his head, trying to focus on what Montenegro is saying.

“This...Viper. What do you know about him?”

“Just a piss-ant. Rap sheet a mile long. Drunk and disorderly. Domestic violence. Bar fights. Seems to get off on violence. Was he one of the guys that did it?”

“Maybe. There were four of them.”

“How am I supposed to tell my commanding officers this?” Montenegro says to herself under her breath. “Not exactly sure how to submit evidence given to me from a dead man.”

“Is there anything more you can tell me, Officer?”

“Not really.” Montenegro replies. “Like I said, there weren’t many leads to go on, so the case kind of got shuffled to the side.”

“Thanks anyway, Officer. I appreciate you telling me what you could.”

Montenegro places a hand on Jun’s shoulder, looking him square in the eye.

“Look, I’m really sorry about what happened to you. If there’s anything that I can do...”

“It’s okay, Officer. If I need anything, I know how to get in touch with you. Your number is 911, right?” Jun says, jokingly.

“Yep. Most days out of the week, at least.”

Montenegro reaches to her radio, pressing the button to let dispatch know that the situation has been handled. She turns to leave, taking a few steps before looking back at Jun.

“I have heard stories. They sounded like crazy nonsense. Old folklore. Stories of corpses coming back, seeking revenge.”

“Sounds like a bunch of superstition.”

“If that is what this is, I can’t exactly condone any vigilante shit.”

Jun nods, knowing that he may be faced with a possible dilemma with his newfound potential ally.

“But I guess, if you are a dead man. I can’t exactly stop you, either. Can I?”

“Probably not. Thanks again, Officer.”

Montenegro nods, as she walks off, back down the alleyway, disappearing around the corner. Overhead, the clouds finally burst, the rain beginning to fall.