[From
this prompt.]
Too slow too slow
too slow
too
slow.
The Bandaged Prince of Knives is very very good isn't he? Good here in this instance not meaning morally sound and shipshape, but crafty and clever and good at killing. Israel is in the process of dying because of that. Him. Because of the thing that he did.
Israel does not, not, not intend to stay irredeemably dead, no matter what the Prince does to him. Yes, the rules say differently, but why would those rules apply to Israel? They're not the voice of God and Grandparents, and so are ashes, ashes, ashes like every other call and law and command that tries to force him into disagreeable movements.
Blood tastes bad.
Abominable, in fact.
The Prince isn't finishing it and him, though. Isn't trying to. He, the bandaged man, walks away, living, leaving Israel to bleed out by himself, Israel's self, all alone and getting colder and
he
will
find
a way back up to Esther again, he will, he will, he will, he will kill The Murderer and then he will go home, he will--
“Sh'ma Yisrael
Adonai Eloheinu
Adonai
Eḥad...”