Fahrenheit 451: A Short Story

“Can I kill him? Can this be the end? No, it’s not going to work.”

Montag hesitated. His house was going down to flames. Books were being burned. And he was going to be arrested by the betrayal of his wife. After all, it had been her who had turned him into the fireman for having books hidden away in the house. There was no use. He had no choice but to abide the law. A fireman pulled him aside. “Come with me, you rotten man!” Montag had nothing to say. Two hours pass. Beatty finishes the job and the house is nothing but ashes.
Beatty leisurely walks and strokes, “Montag, my dear child, I understand that you have tried to go in depth of books, but you do see what has happened now? Your house? Gone. Your wife? Gone. Your job? Gone. What a tragic life you are about to live.”

There was nothing left to live or to fight for. He had no one left. Clarisse. Mildred. Faber. They were all gone. There was no one left. Montag said nothing. Beatty continues to walk. “Now now. You are a man, are you not? I understand that you are nothing but trash. But there is something I can do for you.”
Beatty approaches Montag and puts his arm over him.
“Let him go. I’ll take it from here.”
Beatty laughs. “There are things I do, but no one understands. Let’s just say I am a graceful man.”
Montag jerks his head up. “Why are you sparing me?”
“How about this, Montag. You will continue to work as a fireman. You will study under me. Everything you do will be under me. I will teach you discipline and how this job works. Now what do you say? A good life under me, or death?”
Montag lifts his head quickly, tears covering his face and yells, “Never! I will never follow your corrupt ways!”
The firemen position their guns.
Beatty laughs pitifully. “I think I asked the wrong question.”
Beatty slams Montag’s head to the ground. “Do you want to die?”
With no other choice, Montag agrees