Who Lives?

I love it! It can be read in so many different ways! I mean, I figure out you were saying "I choose to let him live", but if you twist it around, it could have been "whom am I to kill" and the answer is then to kill the other. And who can be "him"? A small child, a tortured grown man, a lover, a father? An enemy?

And the idea of choosing to let the other live - is it a punishment, knowing he'll get on with life (that is, if they don't decide to kill the two after all) knowing someone died for him, or a noble sacrifice to die knowing the other will live? Selfish, selfless?

And the answer?
Both.