Read The Black Lake: Tales of Melancholic Horror for Free Online

windows on the wall across the foot of the gurney – impenetrable glass barriers leading into the observation room.
    Cain whispered, “This is it, Troy. You going to do this the easy way?” Troy intensively stared at the gurney and nodded. Cain swayed his head into the lethal injection chamber and said, “Alright, go ahead and jump up on there. We'll strap you in.”
    Troy slothfully trudged into the room, dragging his feet towards the gurney. He hopped onto the mobile bed, then rested his head at a 45-degree angle. He squinted as the blinding light dawned onto him. Cain walked to Troy's side, then tightly restrained his ankles, thighs, stomach, wrists, and chest with black straps.
    Troy was apathetic to the procedure. He glanced at the neighboring observation room. Men in suits and women in dresses sat and watched. Troy's forehead creased – he did not recognize anyone in the crowd. The spectators resembled a crowd of people awaiting a shirt-and-tie theater play. Cain stood at Troy's side as the physician and medical staff scurried into the room. Troy's arms were swabbed with alcohol as the staff prepared the IVs for each arm.
    Cain whispered, “You still have an opportunity to repent, Troy. You can still apologize for everything. You don't have to end your life like this, you don't have to die with your sins. You don't have to die lonely.”
    Troy smirked and asked, “I won't be lonely if I repent? Is that what you really believe?”
    “Sure. If we truly live hand-in-hand with a spiritual realm, maybe they'll forgive you. Maybe they'll be waiting for you on the other side. Maybe it won't be so lonely, Troy. What do say? Huh? Will you apologize for your actions?”
    Troy gazed into Cain's sincere eyes, then glanced around the chamber. He stopped as he spotted his wife and daughter in the observation room. Gloria and Cathy donned their bloodied nighttime attire as they watched Troy with derisive sneers plastered on their faces. Their eyes were empty voids and their bodies were pale and icy.
    Troy turned towards Cain and said, “What good does that really do me? Believe me, I know the spiritual realm very well. I know an apology won't quench their thirst. I've known that very well for a very long time. They want this, they love this. I won't give them the pleasure of repentance on top of my execution.” Troy turned his head towards the ceiling and whispered, “I do not repent. I do not repent. I do not repent...”
    As Troy continued to mutter, Cain leaned away from him and ran his fingers through his hair. He slowly shook his head, lost in thoughts of regret and sorrow for another man. Warden Stone's polished dress shoes clicked and clacked as he entered the room. He grabbed a microphone from the wall, then brought the device towards Troy.
    Stone said, “Before we proceed with the execution, it's only fair to give you one final opportunity to speak your mind, Troy Walker. With that said, be wary of your final words. Do you have a final statement?”
    Troy nodded as Stone held the microphone to his mouth. Troy grunted, then said, “My victims suffered violent deaths at my hands. There's no doubt about that. My victims wish to torment me. They want to haunt me, but I will not suffer.” He gazed at the apparitions in the observation room and continued, “Mine will be a painless death. You lost and I won. I am unrepentant. When I see you in Hell, I'll kill you again and again. Now, let's get this over with.”
    Stone furrowed his brow as he slowly strolled away. Troy planted his head on the elevated gurney as he stared into the crowd. He deviously grinned as he watched his wife and daughter. The smirk on Gloria's face had changed into a seething scowl. Stone signaled towards Cain – begin the execution. Cain inhaled deeply, then sighed as he began the process with the assistance of the medical staff.
    As he stared at the ceiling, Troy whispered, “I am unrepentant. I am unrepentant. I am...” The first drug