A Life Through Negatives

I saw my life in a sequence of negatives,
As the masked man held a gun to my head,
Unknown to me, was his identity,
But he stated he knew me in a cold chilling voice,
He made me get on my knees and kneel,
Where he threw pictures and negatives of my entire life.

I saw my life through negatives;
I saw myself as a child, barely a day old,
I glanced upon my first day at school,
I saw my happy face in one picture, smiling assuredly,
Into an unknown future,
That was looking to be fast completing.

The man silently bade me continue with the gun
Viewing pictures of my teenage years,
Where life was one big adventure,
I then saw my life continue through the years,
Long lost memories and events swarmed in front of me

I looked up at the man and asked "Why?"
The man hits me with the gun and says in a choked voice –
"You never appreciated her life, as you did not yours".
I look at him uncomprehending for a moment,
With his free hand he takes out a tattered picture
And that picture brings back the saddest memory –
Of my wrong doing and my own guilt.
And I understand then and there
That what I did to her had returned to me with karma.

"She loved you. She worshiped you. She died for you."
I cast my eyes to the floor where her picture drops
In the midst of many of mine,
And a salty warm tear flows freely, as I realize;
That a life viewed through negatives;
Was to be my final eulogy.

"I am sorry. Sorry for killing her."
I hear the man shudder and sigh deeply.
He cocks the trigger and with his free hand
He takes off the mask.
It is the brother of the woman I killed.
Memories flood my mind,
I remember that night when I ran her over;

And more tears flow and I look up to him –
Her avenging angel and I whisper;
"I cannot undo the past, if my life is to be taken –
Know one thing – I am truly sorry"

As he presses the trigger,
I look down awaiting death to come claim me;
My eyes look upon my family;
The very last negative I see is the faces –
Of my sister, mother and father all smiling.

I hear the deafening sound and expect to be lifeless,
My eyes close seeking a painless and quick death.
A million points of light erupt in my head,
And like a vortex they expand –
Engulfing me...taking me over;
Ahead of me I see the woman I have killed;
She is dressed all in white and with a smile;
She beckons me and as I float closer;
She whispers; "You are forgiven."