The Assassin - A Story By Me

[gryphon]

The night was dark and calm, not the kind of calm you like, but the kind that makes you feel uneasy. The two men were walking down the dimly lit street looking for the bar on that twisting road. They would not talk to each other, look at each other or even acknowledge the other until they were safely within the bar.

One walked with an awkward limp, and was wearing a trench coat and black hat. He was an albino, and had chalk-white snow-like skin, light blonde hair like a pale shade of gold, and a short body. He wore a sharp set of glasses, as his sight was impaired due to his albinism.

The other, in contrast, jogged with a graceful pride that was earning him the ire of the former. He was Asian, with dark brown hair, lightly tanned regal-looking skin, red eyes that seemed to blaze with fires of hell itself, and was notably tall. He wore a most unusual combination of clothes, including a buttoned-downed white dress shirt and fisherman’s cap. He had been hired in order to ensure nothing would happen to the albino gentleman.

They arrived at the bar at the corner of the street. The rest of the street was alive with people in its stores and clubs, but this bar was deserted and devoid of life - all the better for what they needed. Inside the bar the two surveyed their surroundings. There were a few pool tables at the side near the windows, haphazardly patched, broken so many times the owner had given up trying to fix them. There was a microphone for “open-mike” nights and there were several dartboards on the wall. These, with the few TV’s and the general atmosphere, were a reminder that the bar could have once been a popular place.

The hit man was waiting for them at the bar, drinking a martini and smoking a strange-looking cigar. He was wearing jeans, white T-shirt, a denim jacket, and a baseball cap, and had dirty blonde hair. He was really one of those people you just look past on the street. A nobody, an average Joe, the perfect disguise. The bar was empty, strange for that time, but the hit man had rented it for the night.

“Do you like my smoke?” he asked as they came by. “It’s a weird new type of cigar.”

“It's nice,” answered Mr. Silas, the albino, “but that’s not why we are here.”

“No it isn’t,” responded the hit man, “so let’s get down to business.”

Mr. Silas explained that he wanted his business rival Mr. Titan eliminated. Titan was his only competitor for a lucrative job as the head of a software corporation, a job that would make him one of the most powerful men in the country.

As Silas spoke, his bodyguard was quiet, carefully observing the hit man. He moved uneasily in his seat, nervous about the whole affair.

As for the hit man, he kept puffing his cigar, and proceeded to drain and then refill his martini. It was really interesting to watch that man, an assassin who had a reputation for success. In fact, it might even have truly been a sort of morbid honor to meet this legendary tradesman, who would have inspired legends, if the circumstances had been different. Everything about the man simply shouted “professional”, and he knew the two newcomers could not help but admire him.

Finally after digesting Silas' words, the hit man spoke. “Let me tell you about a little known story of mine, involving another case just like this one. I was paid to kill a man named Emil Johnston, a man who was head of a large firm. All I had to do was lure him into a false sense of security and he fell like a fly. It was very funny.”

“What does this have to do with what we are discussing?” piped in Mr. Silas, who had himself become visibly agitated.

“Calm down and listen,” he said. “Oh! Now I have lost my place, and I had better start again.” Anyone could tell that the hit man was enjoying this game of his.

Mr. Silas and his bodyguard realized something was wrong. There was a strange odour in the air. Soon their breathing became laboured. Their nerves were even more fragile than ever.

“You probably can’t breathe all that easily right now, but that’s just ‘cause of the smoke from all the cigarettes people always smoke here. That’s all,” the assassin said quietly, as if to ease the men’s concerns.

“All right,” said Silas “let’s finish up your story.”

The hit man then went on into the telling of a long story about how he gained Mr. Johnston’s trust by posing as his friend, and how he then killed him at a dinner with a poisoned martini. Since Mr. Johnston was known as a big drinker, and had already had a lot to drink that night, his death had been attributed to alcohol poisoning, which was true in a sort of way.

While he was explaining this, the air was getting thicker, until the two arrivals could barely see or breathe. It was getting worse and worse when they finally realized what was happening. The cigar that the hot man kept puffing contained poison, and it was the smoke that was killing them; his martini, which he was careful to keep draining and refilling, must have contained the antidote. The Asian man attempted to get up and shoot him, but it was too late. They couldn’t move, and just sort of sat there, until they slumped down. It wasn't long before they were both dead.

It was then that the hit man delivered the ultimate insult to them. “Mr. Titan sends you both his best regards, and wishes you to know, Mr. Silas, that he agrees with you in that he is more qualified to run the company.”

The hit man checked the bodies, then went over to the window and opened it up to release the remainder of the poison gas, not particularly caring about anyone who was outside the bar and would breathe it in. When it was all out and dissipated he reached for his cell phone to call and thank the owner of the bar, and then to report back to Mr. Titan.

“Mr. Titan, the job is done. And if I may, I'd like to be the first to congratulate you on your new job”.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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[gryphon]

i should add that this is one of my stories from my days in high school and my current prose writing is different

[Littlemoe0]

Very cool story gryphon, I really enjoyed it.

[bargain_hunter_lola]

Great short story, it really kept my interest!

[Litesandsirens911]

Yes, I liked it alot too...definately keeps your imagination going, and I like these types of stories...you should write a book Gryphon!

[Litesandsirens911]

oops, double post!

[gryphon]

wow, i didnt expect this good a response to it

[DaveP]

You wrote that in high school? You've got talent, friend. Seriously.

[Litesandsirens911]

You wrote that in high school? You've got talent, friend. Seriously.

Maybe your long lost talent lies in these short stories...or you can write a book even....I think that you might want to start writing these types of stories again, even if it's just to share with us on here

[gryphon]

i have others i can post( though some have a bit explicit language)

[Litesandsirens911]

i have others i can post( though some have a bit explicit language)

maybe you can ask the MODS first and just put a warning on it that it might contain language not appropriate for some...? It would be a nice thing to share with us...if you want to.

[gryphon]

ill do that then

[bargain_hunter_lola]

You could always try and get a book of short stories published! I know a lot of readers who love short stories, myself included. Could be a great career choice.

[gryphon]

oh im still writing short stories

just finished one tonight

[DaveP]

oh im still writing short stories

just finished one tonight

Do share.

You mentioned your style is different now, I'd love to read your new work.