He wasn't a nice man...and I was even worse.

   " I'll never forget it as long as I live. The shriek met my ears the moment my foot fell to the faded wood of the front porch. Only one woman in my life screams like that...only one woman in my life, period. It wasn't that hard to guess what was coming, I'd been expecting it for too long. My only regret is that I didn't act sooner. 

    "Well, I was through the screen door and up the stairs like I had wings attached to my boots. I don't even remember feeling them touch the ground. She was outside the second bedroom, the small nursery for her baby girl. Bruises and blood covered every inch of skin I could see. And over her he stood. He was dressed in white. His knuckle were white. His hair was so blond it was almost white. The sunlight hit him as he turned to me and all I saw was the fallen angel Lucifer standing over my battered sister.

    "When they speak of the red veil of fury, they're not wrong. It was there over my vision as I gave as good as I had. I think she screamed again. I didn't really pay attention to it. It's hard to remember the details. I know I hit him a lot because my shoulder's sore. I also remember feeling the life drain from him as I squeezed his pretty, perfect throat. It's a feeling all it's own. I can see why some men get addicted to it.

    "I'm not a bad person. I'm not a good person, either. I'm just a human being, though I can see in your face that you don't believe me. Yes, I killed my sister's husband. I plead completely guilty. It was the least I could do after what he'd done to her. You can say that they might be reunited in Heaven someday, but he's not getting there. Not this time. I made sure of that. Made sure of myself, too. And when I get to Hell I hope to shake him by the hand before I take whatever eternal life he's got left.

   "Now you've heard my story. Go on, then. Judge me, Your Honor. Sentence me.

    "Please.

    "Just get it over with."