Sacrifice of Evil

More writing prompts. These are becoming addicting.

[WP] You're at a funeral. The deceased was an evil and terrible person but his last act was one of pure selflessness and good. You are to give his eulogy.

I shuffled the few sheets of paper I had on the podium and stared out at the crowd gathered at St. Uriel's. They stared at me with a mix of loathing and anticipation. A family member or two was crying but they were the only ones. I cleared my throat and began.

"Everyone knew who Nestor was. And anyone who knew Nestor know most of his actions were not becoming."

I heard a snort from someone in the crowd and, though I couldn't see everyone, I imagined there were plenty of eye rolls. Nestor Callen had been a straight up terrible person. Violent and narcissistic, the man hidden in the casket next to him had committed terrible crimes,

"I guess the best way to describe Nestor was as a terrible human being. As a soldier, we thought he was a hero until we learned about his war crimes when he came home. The destruction and murder of innocents was something he had been proud of. And his cycle of violence followed him home.

"Nestor was volatile, hurting those closest to him in unimaginable. But while he is one of the most hated men in the country, his last act was one of sacrifice and selflessness."

I thought back to earlier in the week. I had been there. I had witnessed how Nestor saved a quarter of a million people who had been trapped in a soccer stadium without realizing it. The government, on the other hand, had known and was desperate for a solution.

"Nestor was one of 1,000 military inmates pulled for a lottery to help prevent terrorists from killing 250,000 people attending a soccer game. He was the only one to volunteer. Rather than let chance pick someone's fate, he stood up and said he would be the one to make that sacrifice. Given a jet to take down a missile, Nestor could have taken it and run away. He could have left those people to die. But he didn't. He took the fighter jet and collided with the missile, sacrificing himself so 250,000 other people could live."

I looked up and my voice broke.

"Call him what you will, but Nestor Callen was always brave. He was hated, but he his last actions were that of a hero. Say what you want of him, but I will thank him for saving my wife and daughter."