Agony, previously unknown to him, seared itself into his brain, unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. He felt faint, brain foggy, dazed, as he remained in place, stuck, a metal bar stabbing through his flesh.

Eddie cursed in his mind, cursed that blasted whore for doing this to him. It hurt. God, it hurt. The only pain he could compare it to was–

don't think about it don't think about it don't–

Suspended among all the corpses of all his failed brides and other intruders, Eddie Gluskin felt despair settle over him like a shroud. It was quiet, dreadfully so, except for the drip, drip, drip of his blood onto the rotten ground. There was no one else around to hear him, to help him, to comfort him.

Eddie was going to die alone.

Perhaps he deserved it, he thought, senses blurring, feeling cold, faint. But he also felt an overwhelming sadness. All he'd ever wanted was a wife and family, something to… to…

Head lolling forward, the last thing Eddie saw before he fell unconscious was an unfamiliar figure approaching him.

Beautiful. An angel.

—

When Eddie returned to wakefulness, he had no idea how much time had passed, nor did he know where he was. His memories were murky, but they slowly returned. As they did, he became more aware of his surroundings.

The clear, fresh air. The soft bed under him. The distant sounds of… actually, there were no sounds. No screams or groans of inmates. No creaks of an old building settling. Just… blissful nothingness.

When Eddie cracked his eyes open, he saw an unfamiliar room surrounding him. It was light and nicely decorated. Which was odd as his last memory was of bleeding out in the Vocational Block and you–

You!

Gasping, the man tried sitting up, only to groan in pain, slumping back. Panting as the pain ebbed away to a dull throb, Eddie lifted the covers to see bandages wrapped around his middle. Your face flashed through his mind, and his heart leapt.

"An angel…" He whispers, recalling he'd thought you looked like one, appearing to him in his final moments as a comfort. And you had been, saving him from his fate and taking him someplace else!

Lost in thought, Eddie didn't notice the bedroom door opening or you entering until you were standing closer to him, and when he did, he drank you in greedily, hungrily, desperately.

"Y-you! You saved me! Oh, my darling, you are the most wonderful… oh, you're an angel, my darling." He smiled, feeling warm and in love. You were… perfect. You were what he was looking for all this time– his perfect bride!