Mom's in the living room, waiting for the door. She came home a few hours ago and ordered pizza. She watches me for a brief moment, she fixes her glasses adjusting them on her face, "Are you okay?" she ask me, "You were probably home when Lukas died."

I want to tell her I think he got what he deserved and I don't think she would disagree either with me, but I also know that's not the most appropriate response. I don't know how to feel about the situation, if the Pen or the journal or my mind is truly magical in a way that allows the reality of terrible people suffering for their misconduct, then the truth is I feel -elated, excited about the possibilities.

"I didn't know him well enough," I tell her.

"That's true," Mom pauses, she frowns, and looks at the coffee table, "He really wasn't a nice man, was he?"

I wonder what she would say, "Do you think he deserved to die?"

Mom takes a second, she studies me briefly. She folds her hands in her lap before smiling, "I won't answer that I assign people to death, but for whatever reason the universe was kind and set Elaine free."

I'm glad Elaine is free. Maybe now she will find someone who can support her and truly love her. I think I can agree with my Mom's point of view, while I do believe he deserved death, I do think the universe might be kind to give me some power to stop people like Lukas. I don't think I can tell her that, even if I confirm whether or not that is true.

"I can agree with-

-what has the world come to," Mom interjects suddenly, looking at her phone, she seems taken aback.

"What's going on?" I ask her.

"Hayes Bentley has been announced dead," Mom frowns, "He was found dead in his cell."

"What does the article say?" I ask her.

"He was complaining of chest pain that evening," Mom tells me, "and they thought he was just trying to get out of his trial. He was found collapsed on the ground in his cell, with blood in his mouth. They had to investigate whether the death was suspicious or not. Turns out it was natural because, being a smoker for years, it was only natural a blood clot formed in his lungs."

So. If Micheal hasn't been confirmed dead yet, and neither has Vincent. Then it might be the Pen. I should wait a day before finalizing my conclusion. It's just as I wrote. Making him taste the same blood those women must have tasted after he beat them near to death.

"Does it upset you that he's dead?" I ask her.

"No, not entirely, he was a piece of shit, that my female coworkers were concerned about as well. Afraid to go out at night when he wasn't locked up," Mom smiles at me warmly, "Honestly it seems the universe is working in some profoundly kind ways today."

"So, it's okay he's dead?"

"I am not going to complain that he is," Mom shrugs, there is a knock on the door, "Pizza is here."

"Should we watch a movie too?" I ask her turning on the TV to our streaming service.

"Of course," Mom smiles, "and you'll be okay dear?"

"I didn't know Lukas, it doesn't bother me," she gets up to open the door, "and Hayes Bentley, is definitely a stranger."

"I'm off work tomorrow, do you want to do something?" she opens the door, greeting the pizza delivery woman with a smile, "here is a tip." Mom hands her a five dollar bill. They exchange their goodbyes. Hayes and Lukas got what they deserved. No one will mourn their deaths and the people that do, are the ones who enable their behavior.

I think it's good that they are dead.

What killed them? Hayes' death narrows it down to the Pen or more own will. Maybe Vincent didn't die because I don't feel he's done anything to deserve death, maybe the same is with Micheal. I should wait until tomorrow.

"It just seems like there has been so much death as of late," Mom continues placing the pizza on the coffee table, "The other day they found an old woman, she had no identification, no family claimed her, she stumbled out onto the road and a passing car struck her."

"That's sad,"

"Very," Mom stares at me, "I would be very sad if I lost you."

I've already lost Dad. To be fairly honest, I'm partially numb to his loss. I don't really know how to feel about his death. He wasn't entirely a nice person either, nowhere near the levels of Lukas, I simply know that he made Mom very unhappy when he became a bitter person. There was a lot of tension in the house when he was alive. He wasn't always that way.

I have memories of good times, or really knowledge of good times. But the man he was and the man he became were two different people. And it's a mix of feelings, the man he was is the man I mourn and the man I grieved, but the man he became who died, I feel impartial to.

I don't know how I would react to losing Mom, until I lost her. I think though I have a very similar sentiment, "I would be too if I lost you." I respond.