He had lived in this shadow for ten years now, and it was slowly eating away at him. Each day He would come to work and be consumed by the shadow. He would slip away, unnoticed, unspoken to. Until one day He decided to make a change, a change that would change their lives forever.
He stepped out into the sunshine and smelt the fresh air; it felt somehow different to Him, different than before. He pushed down his sunglasses so He wouldn’t be noticed and walked on. He headed down the steps and down to the hidden cove where He was to meet the others.
He smiled as He walked, knowing that today His destiny would change forever. He looked down the beach and saw two other men signalling Him to join them. He picked up his pace and walked quicker, eager to get the plan into motion.
He reached the two men and they smiled at him. “So what’s the plan?’ The taller of the two asked, and He smiled an evil smile.
“It begins tonight,” He replied and the other two nodded. “Have you got everything I asked for?”
“Yes,” said the shorter of the two.
“And you’re sure we won’t be caught?” He asked, and again they nodded. “Good.” He smiled at looked up to the fading sun, only a few more hours and His destiny would change.
“When exactly does it begin?” Asked the taller one and He looked at him.
“When the time is right we will know,” He replied, and the other two smiled. “Tonight boys, tonight is the day we take back our lives.”
The night air was humid, and He walked out onto the balcony and overlooked the sea. He smiled to himself, as He thought of the next few hours. Even though the lives of two people would be ruined, at least He would get His life back.
There was a knock on the door, and He turned to face it. He hadn’t expected it to be so soon. He realized that He wanted more time, more time to say He was sorry for what had to be done. But there was no time, not now anyways.
He sighed and walked towards the door, walking slower and slower with each step. Wondering with each stride whether He was making the right decision. He nodded, as He agreed to himself that he was. He was going to make a difference, a difference to two other people. He smiled at this reassurance as He opened the door.
“Hey buddy,” the baby blue eyes said to Him as the door opened. He smiled at his friend and said nothing; He just stood aside and let him enter the room. “Why so quiet?”
He shrugged, and looked at his friend. “Nothing just thinking,” He replied and opened up the mini-bar. He tossed his friend a beer.
“Thinking, about what?” his friend asked and nodded in thanks for the beer. He opened it and took a sip.
“About how much we have changed,” He said and took a sip of his own beer. His friend nodded in reply, agreeing with Him.
“Yeah, we have,” his friend said and smiled sadly. They had grown so distant lately. “Anyway, let’s go or we’ll be late.” His friend finished his beer and headed out the door.
“I’m right behind you,” He replied finishing His own beer and slowly walking behind his friend out the door. As He did so he realized, that would be the last beer they would ever share again.
He looked around him, looking for his accomplices but didn’t see them, He was alone he realized. They had not wanted this as much as He. He frowned, knowing that he was alone and made his way back into the crowd.
It was hot, and there were too many people. He forged forward, still looking, looking for something different. He reached down into his jacket to make sure it was there. It was, the sharp blade ran smoothly under his fingers as he touched it. He was able to smile again and he walked on, still. He looked to his left, and to his right, then noticed them.
They stood there, acting like kings. As if the world could not touch them. He knew he would have to get one of them, and leave the other for later. He nodded to himself, and headed up the glass steps to them.
He reached them, each drinking a higher paid beer than the next and as he reached them they smiled as if they had just found a long lost brother.
“Hey dude,” the older one said and He nodded reply.
“Hey,” He replied back, sounding calm and collected. They looked at Him and smiled.
“Where’ve you been?” The one with baby-blue eyes asked Him, and He shrugged.
“Here and there,” He replied, and ordered himself a beer from a passing waiter. There was an eerie silence between them, as if they knew.
The one with baby-blue eyes checked his watch and frowned, “Gosh, look how later it is I better get going. See ya buddy.” He smiled at his older friend and then back at Him.
“Wait, I’ll come with you,” He replied and the baby-blue eyed guy nodded. “We need to talk,” He added in reply to the older friend’s look.
“See you guys,” the older friend said as they walked away. He walked slowly behind his baby-blue eyed friend, not making a sound as he did so.
They walked though the crowds, pushing and shoving trying to free themselves from the heat. They were being pushed here and there, like rag dolls in a puppet show, but finally they came out. They reached the doors, and his friend pushed opened the door, the street was dark and gloomy as they entered it. Dark and gloomy as the night was about to become.
They stopped into a darkened alley a few blocks away, and His friend looked back at Him quizzically. “What are we doing?” his friend asked, but He just smiled and stepped closer to his friend. His smile remained as His hand reached into His jacket, touching the coldness that greeted it. The other man laughed uneasily, “Man, what are you reaching for?” His questions were left unanswered as cold metal glistened in the night air.
One, the knife plunged deep. Two, even deeper this time. Three, a final deepness that He swore He could hear Himself. As blood seeped though the beige jacket that his friend wore, the screams rose. He did not hesitate so he could help, he just turned and walked away. Further and further from his dying friend, whose screams filled the night with a coldness that had never been seen before.
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