299 Days: The Restoration

Chapter 329 Remembered for a Hundred Years

Warden Jason Wallace walked onto the second floor of the old Olympia High School prison.

“I need to speak with Eric Benson,” he told the guard.

“Yes, sir,” the guard said.

The warden was let into the classroom housing Eric.

“You’re dismissed,” he said to the guard. The guard left.

“We need to talk,” the warden said to Eric.

“Whatever,” Eric said. He was still stunned that the Patriots were holding him as a prisoner when his only crime was working too hard to help them. He could not understand why they didn’t give him a medal for killing so many Limas.

“You know who Grant Matson is?” Jason asked him.

“Yes,” Eric said. “He’s the guy who isn’t giving me a pardon.”

“Grant asked me give you a message,” Jason said. Eric was silent. He could care less what Grant Matson had to say. “Don’t you want to know what he said?” Jason asked.

“Okay,” Eric said sarcastically, “What did he say?”

Jason whispered, “Nice work at the carwash.”

Eric smiled and briefly relived the thrill of killing Bart Sellerman. He could see the blood and the sudsy carwash foam on the cement when he was done with Sellarman.

“He wanted to ask you a favor,” Jason said. “And I know you’re gonna love doing it.”

Eric’s curiosity was piqued. “Yes?” he said.

Jason told him the plan.

“I’m in,” said Eric. “Let’s go.”

“Okay” Jason said as he took a knife wrapped in cloth out of his suit jacket.

“How do you know you can trust me?” Eric asked.

“Because you asked that question,” Jason said. “If you were going to kill me, you’d enjoy it more by surprising me.”

“Excellent point,” Eric said with a laugh.

“Besides,” Jason said, “you want to be a Patriot hero. I’m giving you the chance, and if you kill me, you won’t be a hero. You want to be a hero, don’t you, Eric?”

Eric nodded like a child.

“Remembered for a hundred years as a man who did a great, great thing?”

Eric nodded again and let out a slight guttural sound.

“Okay,” Jason said, “make it good.”

Eric, feeling like a giddy child, gave Jason the thumbs up.

Jason handed Eric the knife, careful not to touch it so his fingerprints wouldn’t get on it. The only fingerprints on it would be Eric’s.

“Oh God!” Jason screamed. “He’s got a knife! Help! Guards!”

The guard came running to the door but was afraid to open it.

“Open that door or I kill him!” Eric screamed. He felt a rush of pleasure just screaming those words. He felt alive again, like he hadn’t felt in months. He was going to get to kill someone. And not just anyone.

The guard unlocked the door and watched in horror as Eric held the knife up to Jason’s throat and slowly walked out of his classroom cell.

Eric took Jason down the hall. By now, several guards stood petrified, unable to believe that a prisoner had taken the warden hostage. When he came to classroom 210, Eric screamed, “Open the door!”

The guards were still frozen.

“Open the damned door!” Jason screamed.

A guard slowly came up and opened the door. The prisoner in room 210 started to scream, too.

A second or two later, the screams turned to shrieks of agony, shock, and slaughter. The shrieks got quieter and quieter as the slashing sounds got louder and louder. Eric was started to cry out with pleasure and Jason cried out in horror.

And Nancy Ringman lay dead.