This is such a good ending, his anxiety and hesistance comes across, and on the first read, he seems afraid, uncertain, but then when it all comes together at the end, it was not fear for himself. He had his plan in place,it comes across as a more tender caring, in not wanting it to come to that. The way you bring in his memories of visiting the place as a child give the character a sense of depth and consideration, and adds to the power of her having chose this place to meet.

There is so much great language here, the way you describe the lock, tying it into asking for forgiveness, and the foreshadowing of the owl, but this line really got me

The moon tried to leave, struggling against the great clouds that surrounded and covered

gives a sense of his feelings, reflected in the moon. This just perfectly captures how people project, and see themselves in the world around them., Benjamin, equally trapped, surrounded, knowing he cannot leave, looks to the moon and sees it fleeing where he knows he cannot. His sense of honour comes through so well.

The moment he asked for a smoke before he died, I knew something had to be coming, but I had no idea what, and you kept me waiting right up until the fuse was lit, a great ending, and then how it pulls on Melinda asking him if he knows about sacrifice, unaware he was there, steeling himself to make the great sacrifice of all.

~ Calluna