Life is fatal.
It was a day like any other, waking up at the ass crack of dawn. Just to see the gross yellow glow of streetlights through cheap curtains. I let an exaggerated sigh slip from my lips as I slithered out of bed looking like death itself. My jet-black hair defied any attempts I put in to stop it from getting in my eyes. As per my orders from the higher-up ass holes request. I took the fake bottom off my bedside table grabbing the burner phone labeled with today’s date. ”huh" Wondering about the ominous feeling it gave me before deciding I don’t get paid enough to care. “Why does that date seem so off to me?” The light hitting my eyes burned as the phone flickered to life. Making the hangover from my assignment yesterday all the more apparent.
“Ahhhh my eyes!!!!!!”
I put in the number and heard the familiar robotic answering machine ramble on. After the beep, I kept my eyes steady on my watch remaining as silent as possible for fourteen seconds. Not a second more or less, hanging up immediately after with a sigh. “The lengths I have to go to prove that I’m not dead in some ditch somewhere” ... “Those basters can’t even get me something nice.” I grumbled at the darkness of my room. I never even bothered to turn on the lights. Three steps left and five steps straight. Sluggishly lifting my leg over the suitcase full of what used to be my last target. A sweet elderly man sticking his nose in all the wrong places. I might be tired and pissed off but I will always make sure to memorize the layout of the places I stay.
Whether I can see it or not. I flicked on the light and marveled at my handy work not a thing out of place or a drop of blood in sight. “Well, there goes the easy part, now on to the real challenging part of staying in a hotel this shitty.” I grumble at myself as I continued to monologue about my life problems to whatever roaches scurried over my feet.
“Fuck my life... THIS SUCKS!”
“Now I have to mess the place up again and make it believable!” “Alright, the bedroom first.” I untucked the other side of the bed. I grabbed my wallet from the table took out a condom to open and throw it in the trash. walking through the room as everything sparkled I snatched my jacket off the hook and stuck my hand in the inner pocket pulling out two baggies of grayish-brown powder. Chuckling to myself about how easily it could be mistaken for some new drug before sprinkling it all over every surface I literally just wiped clean an hour before.
After all, it would be strange for a guest to leave a hotel cleaner than it was when you got there. Happy with the results I dragged my suitcase of horrors along with me to the front desk and asked if they have a lost and found bin, a gentle smile plastered across my face.
The overworked young woman blinked at me clearly trying not to fall asleep. “Throw it with the rest of them!” I see myself out wondering which one of the people I pass by is are pick up a guy that’s going to get my suitcase. I look at my watch to see how much time I have before my next appointment. The uneasy feeling in my gut became stronger. Then I realized why. It hit me all at once to day is my birthday.
The image of how each one these last couple of years only got more and more dreadful. “I hit my limit.” I stumble on the words and my feet. ”I hit my limit...” “I’ve aged out of this work!” My eyes grew wide as the car pulled up, with my favorite driver that normally greets me happily. He was staring silently as I stood motionless, we both knew...
His gaze of pleading eyes was more than enough for me to get in the car. I cleared my throat. ”Marko..." “I would never put you through that man don’t worry.” “Thanks, I don’t know if I would have it in me to have to hunt you for running.” “Do you still have that flask I gave you?” My hands grasping at the fabric of my pants for some level of comfort.
“I deserve at least that much mercy if you know what I mean.” I could see the corner of his mouth quiver as I asked. “You know what I knew you would say that.” “You want to go out with your signature poison right?” “The straight vodka doesn’t do it justice~ soooo I switched it out with something more fruity.” “I thought you might appreciate that.” We both had a good laugh.
I was dead before I could even taste his drink of choice.
I did a good job on that one. I thought It was faster than this though, did his drink water down the poison? Nooooo, it was a masterpiece. One drop would have been enough. I can feel my body again. It’s heavy and stiff, but that was not the concerning part. What startled me the most was the voices, like nothing I had ever heard. Accents I could not distinguish the origins of for certain.
"Did Marco drug me only to sell me off to another group!?"
"No that must not be what happened!!!” He is like a brother to me after all, but something is clearly wrong.
...???...
