Celluloid Villains
“Celluloid Villains” Darryl Burrows “May God have mercy on your soul,” rang the disembodied voice; a cold, hollow sound which came from beyond the brightness as the spotlight stared the inmate down like an unblinking Cyclops. The illumination was momentarily blinding as he winced involuntarily into the beam for the author of the voice. “Do you have any final words?” That was the last thing anyone said to Louis Edgar Hanratty, #2647186-2, resident of San Ramos State Prison and convicted mass-murderer, before he was forced through the large doorway by a pair of massively muscled guards armed with batons and cattle-prods. He turned back to look at the figure beyond the light, his feet shuffling with the sound of old boots against concrete, his shackles rattling with each minor movement. His eyes strained against the flickering illumination that was in the foreground, the whole effect reminding him of a poorly-spooled movie reel from some dime theater feature he remembered seeing...
