Chattering teeth called for attention. Shaking hands demanded attention. Turning stomach screamed for attention. Pits of dying embers flickered open, staring blankly at the ceiling. A ceiling of smokers’ yellow. Attention.

Ignored gnashing teeth bit down hard on her flat pink muscle. Scared hands fumbled desperately with the edge of the fraying blanket. Unable to bare the wretched twisting and turning the stomach launched the remaining contents up and out. Choking on burning bile, her nose filled with an acrid scent, she rolled clumsily onto your side, finally finding clean air.

Closing her eyes, she begged for reprieve. The memories wouldn’t die peacefully, no they raged in a furious swirling flutter. Recapping forever what she had done, there was no way she could deny what she had done. This was her doing, this would be her downfall. Silently chained by the mind to hell she relived the moment of yesterday. A day that should have been insignificant, a day that turned off the straight and narrow.

You gaze around the small space. No more that four walls, a desk, a chair, and a photo frame. Unremarkable and mundane. Yet each would partake in the crime of the century, an unwilling accomplice. A forfeit of innocence.

“Be there at before sunrise,” they said, “Don’t be late, I am very punctual.”

Here you were at 3am. They weren’t here. Punctual indeed. Pushing yourself off the dull beige wall you began to pace, like a caged beast. Four strides were all it took to reach the other wall. As you continued your short walks, you began to wonder what was taking them so long. Perhaps it was the traffic… not likely in the depths of the morning yawn, the hour before sunrise. Family emergency, no they were a medical recluse. Excuse after excuse built up.

Gathering in your mind, bumping busily against the smooth bony walls. Three hours had slipped by, a ghostly reminder that the world kept on moving even if you were stuck in the same place. You would be patient for a single hour more.

Legs grew stiff, aching with the fizzing build up of lactic acid. There was not even a window, a portal, to the outside realm to keep toxic thoughts at bay. Just as you rose, unexpected like a spring flower, the door at last flew open in a triumphant gesture.

Despite being four hours late, they still had the audacity to stroll in calm as a summer’s day. You stared at them incredulous, your building storm cast an ugly shadow across their sunbeam smile. Whipping up like a startled whisper on the breeze, your slender fingers wrapped around the wooden frame, deadly intent disguised with feigned interest.

Unleashing the pent-up anger, you hurled the frame at their face. Oh, how glorious was the sound of the descending tinkling laugh, and the sickening crunch as the stout frame landed a heavy blow. “What time do you call this? You said you were punctual, now I am very late, and I’ll have you know I don’t like being kept waiting.” Spittle flew from your lips as you hissed.

Clutching their nose unfazed they chuckled lowly, a sound akin to pounding ocean waves caressing the shingle, “I do apologise, you have to understand being the boss of a very lucrative business requires,” the pause shifting the weight on their neck, “Unexpected meetings. As much as I hate keeping clients waiting, sometimes needs must.”

Remaining perched authoritatively on the desk, you forced them to look down on you, “Now, I do understand, but I too have places to be. Don’t forget I have connections to the other mafia cartels, and I won’t be afraid to take my business elsewhere.” Pushing back a lock of icy blonde hair, you fixed them with a stare that could easily wither the dead’s skeletons.

“It seems we are both very busy peop-“ Your frayed patience finally let go of the remaining strand of cold calmness, as you grabbed their throat and shoving them forcefully against one of the walls. Four feet ground down the shatter fragments of ice; a sound that set your teeth on edge.

Leaning your whole slender frame against their soft wasted muscles, “Do you hear a clock ticking?” Silence answered you, despite the panic rising in their dark mahogany eyes and in that instant, you knew that they were trying to think of a quick witted answer. “No, I didn’t think you did. Guess your time is up then.” Pulling your Devil red painted lips back into a condescending smirk, you raised your free hand.

In the lithe fist a short simple blade. Nothing too flashy. It had to be practical, not decorative. Excruciatingly and deliberately, you traced a sharp ‘X’ across their left cheek. You felt the muscles tremble to remain neutrally unfazed, as you delicately mined for seams of scarlet. Hypnotized under your pulsing aura of nuclear power, they let you tie them deftly to the wooden chair.

Rule one always carry rope.

You couldn’t help but notice the flaking chips of splintered hope of the tree, one that had been sacrificed for the greed of humanity. Perhaps one day the soul of the forest will get the burial it deserved. An animalistic stare locked onto you, as you methodically turned the small office upside down.

It wasn’t a necessity, just a game to play as they gradually lost their mind, you knew where they hid the goods. Pretending to be surprised at finding your treasure, you turned to face them once more, “Oh, here is what I wanted all along! How difficult would it have been to just give them to me, we could have avoided all of this drama.” Condescension dripped from every syllable.

“Please! Forgive me… They aren’t for you!” Soulless windows began to water as they grovelled. Arms straining to break free from the confines of the rough papilla that licked at their bare wrists. Your feet planted firmly in the sea of glinting petrified sand, you folded your arms across your chest, with one eyebrow raised you waited.

Seizing their final chance, they gabbled, “They are for the boss a large firm in Russia, he needs the money from selling those drugs. I promise that you will get your share soon… Tomorrow even! I can get my best worker on the case; I can phone them now if you just untie me!”

Studying the alabaster powder through the tiny clear pouch, you ruminated their offer. Seconds turned to minutes. Silence slunk in, hanging in the corners waiting… just waiting. “No.” A final definitive answer, “You have had your chance.”

Amused you chuckled darkly, as you watched their throat bob in fear. They knew their time was up. You witnessed the lightbulb flicker on in their dim mind, as they realised that the cross on their cheek was deliberate, a warning. Nodding slowly, you confirmed their thoughts. Relishing as terror bloomed like a poisoned black rose in their eyes, thorns etched their mark as they dug into the thin flesh.

Spinning on your heel you began to walk away, hips swaying in victory. Just as you reached for the brass handle, you turned back to face them. “Goodbye,” a mournful word of passing as you discharged your pistol.

Following the thunderous crack and faint smell of surprise, the golden bullet whistled, pirouetted, flew straight and true. It buried itself deep into their chest, pulling out hunks of discarded flesh. Desperately, trying to remove the foreign object the body spat droplets of crimson in all directions, convulsing violently to no avail. The flash of fatal tooth sunk into the heart, releasing its venom, bringing a deathly veil over the once rich eyes. A scarlet bloom blossomed elegantly around the site of the grave, a lonely reminder of who once live. Petals darkened by tears reached out and climbed into the cavernous hole, searching for something lost.

Jolting up right she broke free of her reverie. The nausea crept up her throat from the pit of her stomach; the realisation that yesterday was real.