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They say that when you die your entire life flashes before your eyes. Tiziano’s life had not begun until he met Squalo then, because it was his days with his beloved shark to play out for him as he shoved his lover aside and put himself in the path of searing bullets that ripped into his flesh.
“I’m sorry, my love. This was not the plan...”
One last time — one last turn of the old wheel, and then they were getting out. Tiziano hadn’t gotten the chance to share his plan with Squalo, but he had known that he would agree. The writing was on the wall. It was time for them to disappear.
But things had come to this - a decision made, without hesitation, to die as he had lived, not by the sword, but by the brutal force of another’s will. In life, he would rather die than see harm come to Squalo. In death, his soul would bare witness to the realization of his worst nightmare, perhaps as penance for the unjust life that they had lived.
His very soul screamed in anguish as he was forced to see that it was not enough. His own blood was not enough to pay for their victory and for the life that he loved more than his own. He would witness in spirit as his love, with the last of his breath, crawled to the lifeless body once known as Tiziano. He would hear the desperate pleas and weep as the empty shell was pulled into Squalo’s dying arms.
Why is fate so cruel as to give lives of broken dreams and then to punish for living them?
As a spirit, he touched the head of the man he loved and called to him...
“I’m not there anymore, my dear Squalo. I’m waiting for you. It’s time to go, my love. We’ll go together to what awaits us...”
This is how they would be found — the dead and dying, embracing each other one last time before their journey.
Save yourself a penny for the ferryman
Save yourself and let them suffer
In hope
In love
Mankind works in mysterious ways