One Fine Day

I can’t believe this is happening to me! I thought for sure this was my lucky day, but it has gone to become one giant nightmare. It started when I found that suitcase full of money. $20,000 just laying out in the open. Why did I grab it? Such a stupid move. It was just sitting there in the hotel lobby. A nice blue coloured suitcase that had been sitting in a chair, for what I could swear had been my entire shift. Not a soul seemed to notice it. I should have just took it to the lost and found area. As if I know where that is? Do we even have one? Been working there for so many years and yet I barely even know the place.

You were dumb to open it. It doesn’t belong to you but you just had to be curious. Had to know the content just incase. Incase what? Someone comes up to ask if you had seen their blue suitcase? You were gonna reply with what? ‘I may have seen the one blue suitcase sitting on that one chair in our lobby. Describe what was inside for me? Oh $20,000, are you sure it’s yours?’ So stupid of me. No, you shouldn’t have opened the damn thing to begin with.

Now look at where you are. Running! Where are we running to? You just got smoked by that car. How the hell am I still running? That hurt so bad. Should have looked both ways but I mean how does one comprehend logic while carrying a suitcase with $20,000 in it? I need to find cover. I know! My place. That guy will never find me there. Just need to make it to my apartment.

That guy has to be the owner of the suitcase. Why else would he follow me? The creep showed up out of nowhere. Has to be the owner of the suitcase. I should just drop it and run. Maybe he will just take it and be on his way. Is he still following me? I assume so. Why would he not be? I have his money. Oh this is bad. I’m sure if I just tell him that this has been all just one big misunderstanding then he’ll just be on his way. Because that works so well in the movies. This isn’t the movies though. This is real life.

I didn’t even notice the guy until after that idiot in the car nailed me! All I saw was that black Sedan out of the blue as I tried to catch that green light. I should have just took the bus. I dunno what I was thinking?! Was I really that naive to think I could run from the hotel to my place. That’s 2 miles at least. My out of shape ass can barely jog to the main door of the apartment.

I just don’t get where the guy came from? It had to be his little black book I saw after that jerk hit me. No one even bothered to help me after. Everyone just looked at me as if I meant nothing. Maybe that's what people think of me.

All I remember is getting up and seeing that guy. He was so intimidating. I knew it was his suitcase just off the eerie vibe he gave. You could pick him out of a crowd instantly. The man dressed so dark. Like something out of a horror film. I saw him pick up the black book as I ran off. It was so weird. Laying on the road, half out of it, I looked over and saw the book just laying there. Reading all those names as it blew in the wind. I thought for sure my name was in it but I know for a fact that, that is impossible. This guy doesn’t know me from Adam. What if he was a person checking in? That still don’t make sense. I’m a custodian. As if some random guy would bother with someone like me. Unless, did he maybe need something? I don’t recall anyone asking me for anything while I was working. Then again I don’t recall much after getting hit by that car so it is possible.

Is he still chasing me I wonder. I should look and see. Yup! He is still behind me. He’s so black. The man in black. Maybe I should just confront this asshole and get it over with! I can take him! Probably just some loser. I took martial arts as a kid. Just foot sweep him and arm bar him and be done with this all. What if he is a mob guy though? What if he is stronger than me and snaps my neck like a twig in Autumn? I should just drop the suitcase and be done with it all.

My place has gotta be getting close. Been running for what seems like hours now. I just realized that! I’ve been running for miles now and I’m not exhausted. Must be adrenaline. Wow! I hope I can do this everyday. Work on that six pack I been wanting to get. I don’t even know where I am now. Been in my own thoughts since that car. I see the streets but there doesn’t seem to be many cars on them. Have I even seen one drive by me? With the exception of jerk off behind me, I am yet to see anyone even walking by. I wanna just stop and look around. Is buddy still behind me I wonder? I should check but I don’t wanna. Just gotta keep running to my place. It has to be close by.

I can’t wait to get this suitcase home. I should really call the cops. This could be mob related. Drug money. If this guy behind me is that persistent then I feel like it must be of some importance. I’ll just get this suitcase home, call the fuzz, and let them worry about it. $20,000 is not worth dying over.

Wait a minute? Where is the suitcase? I’ve been in such deep thought I think I dropped it! Ah, you stupid idiot! How in the hell did you manage to lose the suitcase? You had it on you when you left the hotel. You were carrying it with you out of there and tried to run that green light. Oh my God! The car! You hit the car and must have dropped the damn thing! But, I could swear I was holding it when that guy showed up?!

What does he want then? I’ve been chased by this guy forever over nothing. Now I’m pissed! You, mister man in black have been chasing me for nothing. Does he have the suitcase? Maybe he thinks the suitcase is mine. Have I been approaching this all wrong? Have I been letting this guy chase me for what seems like hours for nothing? I should stop this madness! But, I mean, who chases someone over a suitcase this long? What if he’s some deranged psychopath? I should keep moving. Home isn’t far I’m sure.

I can’t keep doing this. I need to stop. Besides, I think I have been running in circles as that stop sign keeps popping up. Actually this whole section of road feels awfully familiar. The buildings look familiar. The traffic lights do as well. Oh my God! It’s the spot where I was hit by that car! I keep running in circles. I need to stop and rethink this. It makes no sense. Wait, is that the little black book on the ground? It is! I need to pick it up but I don’t want the man in black to catch up. He can’t be too close by though, can he? Holy shit! He is really close. I better keep running but I need to see that book. Let’s see if I can put my moves to the test here. And drop down, swoop, and grab. Got it! Such a small book. Read and run I guess.

It’s just got names in it. No title or anything. Just names. I thought my name was in here. So many names. Oh wow I recognize some of these. My grandmother is in here. Jesus! She died like 10 years ago. My uncle too. What is this? How does this guy know my family? There’s my name. It’s the last damn name in this book! Why? Why are there so many familiar names in this book? I don’t wanna stop but I gotta know. Stop running. You can do this. Face this man! Maybe he knows what’s going on.

Wow! I can’t believe how long I’ve been going yet I’m not out of breath at all. Here he comes. He doesn’t look as frightening now that I see him. He’s got on a hoody. So hard to make out his face. I gotta know what this book means. I don’t see the suitcase. Did he not grab it? Maybe it wasn’t his? So all this running has been for nothing then. Well this has been one fine day to say the least.

What should I say to this guy? He creeps me out. Oh my god! His face! He has no skin! He’s just a... This is impossible! You can’t exist! You’re not real! That car that hit me. Did it really? Am I? No! I had so much to do. I can’t be... This guy that’s been following me all this time. He didn’t want the suitcase. He didn’t want the money. He is death. He wanted me. Where are you gonna take me Grim Reaper? Where are you gonna take this lowly custodian? Why did I have to die? I can read it on my tombstone now. Jasper Gates, lowly custodian. No wife or child to speak of. Died alone. No money. No $20,000. Just death. Do I regret anything? I suppose it doesn’t matter now. I guess this is it. No regrets. No more worries. This is it. Thank you reaper. I am at peace now.