The conversation could stop there. I know that, I see this sort of acceptance in her eyes, or maybe it's some kind of resignation. But the only way to bring this full circle, and the only way I've ever been able to make peace with this whole of my past, is in the words I'm about to say to her. I take a deep breath first, and I don't dare treat this with any of my usual levity.

"I found the real guy, the guy who killed my parents, on an island kinda like this one, that had a whole Lotta crap I couldn't understand. I just wanted to hear a damn apology, like killin' the first guy meant I had to give back to the world somehow. But he just laughed. I dunno if I'm a good person or not, though I'm guessin' no in the grand scheme of things. But I ain't sorry."