[ WP ] - `` Many died to bring you this information ''


 ``... that's it?'' Barry stared at the messenger incredulously. 
 
 `` That's it.'' 
 
 He stared at the envelope, hands shaking as they reached out to take them from the old woman. She peered at him, her finger pointing at him accusingly. 
 
 `` Now you listen, buddy boy - they knew what they were doing.'' 
 
 `` Yeah... I know, but shit, lady...'' He tugged at the stubborn envelope edge until it tore, then slid his finger down the length to pry it open. `` I mean, why?'' 
 
 She poked her cane at him. `` You talk too much. Read it.'' 
 
 Barry slid the letter out and gave her one last puzzling glance before opening it. Each line was a knife that dragged through his heart, and by the time he'd reached the bottom of the second paragraph he was on his knees. Tears were making it harder and harder to read, but he could n't stop himself. The painful ache in his chest made him wince at every letter. 
 
 `` You get it now?'' The old woman scoffed, prodding his back with the knob at the end. `` You see? Do you understand, or are you still too stupid to see?'' 
 
 `` I...'' The words caught in his throat, no matter how hard he tried to clear it. He felt the letter slip from his grasp, his arm too weak to hold it any longer. After a moment of quiet sorrow, he tried again, a raspy effort. ``... what have I done...'' 
 
 `` You screwed up bad, Barry. You screwed up real bad. But it ai n't the end, never was. Not for you, or them. You got a chance now. A second chance. You have any idea how many would kill for that?'' She chuckled darkly at her own joke. 
 
 `` Can... I do n't... can it be done? Is it too late?'' The last glimmer of hope suddenly shot through his body light a lightning bolt, and he grabbed the old woman by the arms. `` There's so much I have to do, and I do n't have time-!'' 
 
 She looked down at him, shaking her head sympathetically. `` If I were you, Barry, I'd be headin' over to the Millers and talking to her dad. That is of course, unless you still want him to be floating in the middle of the ocean until they find his stinkin' corpse again.'' 
 
 `` No! I did n't mean- I have to go.'' With that, he turned and ran as fast as he could, his footsteps clattering at the end of the walkway. The old woman smiled to herself as she pulled out a small black book. There were several faces that earlier had had red x's marked on them, but now shone brightly as Barry's face did. And there were several new pages added to the end, which she made note of. Perhaps there was hope for some of them after all, she mused. 
 
 `` Maybe there's still hope fer me too, Barry.'' 
 
 The old woman pulled her shawl closer and hobbled down the street.
