My entry for the weekly writing challenge: Dialogue, the challenge can be found here: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/category/writing-challenges/
“It’s for the best.” He said, calmly as if it was the most simple thing in the world.
“Yes, but this? Is THIS really necessary?” I looked back at him with what I should imagine was an incredulous look on my face.
“Marie, this man…” he reaches across the table to put his hand over mine. “is going to be the cause of millions of deaths, maybe billions, you know this.”
I look at him, it’s all I can do for now, I mean I know what he says is true. I keep going back to how I got into this in the first place. It’s like my mind won’t let it go. Maybe it’s trying to teach me something. I needed help, some time ago now, the type of help that not many people offer. I had nothing to give in return so this was my payment. It had always crossed my mind that my payment would involve something that I didn’t want to do, but I had always hoped it would not come to this. He gestured to me as I had been quiet for some time, sifting through the thoughts in my head. I cannot renege on this deal. I say
“I know I have to do this, but I don’t have to like it.”
He smiles, he actually smiles, I don’t feel like smiling and instead of it being reassuring it reminds me of the smiling monster luring its prey into its trap.
“You know we don’t have much time.”
I nod and get up from the table. No, WE don’t have much time, that means I don’t have much time.
It’s true, the man I am about to kill is about to be the cause of death to millions of the population. It’s true that this is for the greater good. However, I would ask any of you, if it were you who were to deliver the fatal strike, you who have to watch the death that you have causes, you who has to see the news reports, you who has to remain silent and in fear of being found out, you who has to sleep at night, do you think it would feel like the greater good? Governments fight wars and excuse the deaths of innocents as the greater good, if the risk to a greater population exists and I never felt that good about that.
By now I’ve reached the door that will take me to the upper level of the building, to the ladies bathroom. Each stall has tall windows set behind the toilet, with a section that opens at the top, I know because I’ve been here before. The organisation who has me under their control may be using a complete amateur but they didn’t take any chances with training. I’ve conducted this operation twice in this bar and 5 times in a practice situation. I know the timing, the steps, every movement, I know exactly what i need to do.
Despite that knowledge my heart beats so hard I feel sure someone close could hear it, I’m sweating, all over, I can’t stop thinking that this cannot come to any good. The man in question is a researcher, he’s days away from finding a virus that will kill at least 60% of the population, the organisantion knows this because it already has it, they have kept it a secret for decades, knowing that it cannot be given to those who want to use it. They have a branch that deals with research and development, only it’s employees are actually other firms employees, who work alongside other scientists waiting to see what they might discover. In this case, the virus and the man who needs to die to keep it from being fully “discovered”. I’m in the ladies. It’s too late now, I can’t go back. I make for the 3rd on the left, ready to open my bag and assemble the contents.
Standing on the toilet with the gun in my hands, the window open, watching my watch, nearly time. I go over gain, my disputes that we could just talk to him, there has to be another way. They were useless then and they are useless now.
It’s time.
I raise the gun, as I have been shown, and viewed my target through the sight. A medium height man, with receding hairline, handsome though, if I don’t succeed at this moment, the repercussions could be beyond what I could imagine.
I pull the trigger.
The World in Words 