He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Kill me? Tabitha, it was an accident. A horrible, horrible accident, but do you really believe I killed your mother on purpose?!”

“ I DON ’T CARE !” she screamed, her voice bordering on hysteria. “All that matters is that you took away my mother, my brother, my sight, and…” She paused, drawing a deep, shuddering breath, calming herself. “And then you left and took away the last of my family. How could you do that? How could you do that to a twelve year old girl who needed you?” The tears started flowing freely now.

Her voice took on the tone of the child she once was. “How could you abandon your precious Tabi Cat?”

His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the floor. “Oh, god, Tabitha. I’m so sorry. I thought you were dead. I panicked, and ran.” He knelt before her, eyes closed. “One request. If there’s anything left of the little girl I raised, please, make it quick.”

He waited for the strike to come.