Shadowed Truth

As the saying goes, everybody has a price. I know this now first hand.

If I were to argue my integrity in some way, then I would first mention that it’s truly an awful feeling to be so ambitious, yet so consumed in debt that any ideas for a better future have no chance at life.

A perfect candidate I suppose.

Present moment and the streets that I have grown up in are no longer childhood reflections but a labyrinth of daunting corners and unfamiliar faces.

Despite my elegant gown I am running as fast as I can with my heels in hand. My eyes are clouded with tears, my brow soaked with sweat and still with every step I take the gravity of my situation doubles.

I am not sure if this final destination will resolve the error in my judgment but with the consequences of my actions looming, it is the only choice that I have.

I can trace it all back to a single morning just a few days ago.

My daily routine starting periodically with a mindless scroll through which ever platform held my attention the longest.

It was the usual ad brought forward by a flawless algorithm created in order to grab my fleeting attention, ‘GET PAID TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE’.

Intrigued, I mindlessly clicked the info tab and signed my name away to receive more details.

Only 3 short hours later and a package had arrived at my door. A little wooden box that was neatly wrapped in floral paper.

How pretty, I thought.

Placed inside had been an envelope with my name written delicately in the middle and a small glass vile of clear liquid.

“Congratulations” the letter read, “you have been recognised as a potential ally for a better society. Below you will find all the necessary steps for improving your own quality of life and of those around you.”

“Although we have not given you every piece of the puzzle, we do promise that upon completion you too will be able to view the bigger picture. Whether you agree with our methods or not is up to you to decide.”

A strange message indeed followed by an even stranger set of instructions.

The when, the how, even the who. Yet not a single mention as to why, but despite the oddness there was seemingly no room for error.

Almost immediately after reading the letter, my phone had buzzed to life with an alert notifying me that money had been placed into my account.

‘$20,000’ to be exact.

Now although I was and always had been incredibly book smart, I was known from time to time for being quite street ignorant. Yet even so, at that moment I was instantly sure that something was wrong.

But I suppose they accounted for that too.

The message included on the transfer was clear, ‘You have 3 days. More money will follow.’

A wave of panic, desire and intrigue all simultaneously flooded my system. So much so that it was almost hard to breath, but in the end it did not take me long to make my decision.

Those were the defining moments, the rest until now was a blur.

1.

I proceeded to purchase a ticket for an event that was meant only for the elite.

2.

The outfit was arranged in preparation for the night.

3.

I made my entrance and found myself in conversation with the man who’s name had been listed.

4.

I poured the liquid into his drink.

I stand by the statement that ignorance is bliss. I had every right to question what had been in that vile but not once did I let myself believe that what was about to happen could become a question of mortality.

An address was sent to me as soon as the man had stopped breathing and become motionless on the floor.

A building only a few blocks away from here followed by a word I was already thinking, ‘Run’.

Current moment and I am only a few short turns away.

My mind hopelessly wondering if my actions had been truly ruled by untameable desire or if deep down, I had always been a heedless idiot bound for misfortune.

The destination finally loomed and after having exerted myself on the last stretch, I essentially fell through the doorway only to stare directly at an eerie staircase that perfectly matched the grungy exterior of the building.

Nothing about this felt safe but who else was I to turn to?

I was in no position to seek out law authority seeing as I was the one who had committed the crime, so down the stairs I went until eventually I came to a locked door.

I banged my fists as hard as I could manage and after what felt like a lifetime a click sounded from within.

Without a moment’s hesitation I barged my way through the door and found myself in the middle of a pristine white room with only a single metal desk right in the centre.

Sitting behind the desk was a woman.

With her robotic posture and an expensive looking pantsuit, I couldn’t help but feel completely intimidated by her presence.

“Congratulations” She smiled.

A choked laugh immediately slipped out of my throat at the inappropriate use of the word.

“I’m sure you have plenty of question’s” she said tilting her head to the side “but rest assured we have enclosed everything you need to know within this little black book.”

Without hesitating she opened the draw to her left, placed a book on the desk and slowly slid it towards me.

Speechless due mostly to the absurdity of this all but also because I was still trying hard to catch my breath, I picked up the book and turned to the first page.

‘Vernon Webb’ it read.

The man I had killed.

A corrupt, narcissistic tycoon who had been in a place of power his entire life. This book was a detailed recollection of every awful thing he had done to date.

5 Pages in and it was abundantly clear that this man had been a stain on society and evidently, I had been tasked with wiping him away. Chosen partly due to my poor quality of life but also for my ambitious ideas for an improved society.

This scheme that I had fallen into was a sort of movement I suppose. A rebellion that was taking its members from a place of unsatisfied comfort and thrusting them into the apex of change.

I don’t know how long I spent reading over that book but once it all started to slowly sink in I looked up at the woman once again and struggled over the many questions battling in my mind.

“What now” I whispered.

“Now, you return home and begin a new life. True to our word you will find that more money has been deposited directly from the late Mr Webb here and that your tracks have been covered.”

Blood money I thought, but in the end my actions till this point had been ignorant and rash so why stop now.

After more questions and a warranted breakdown I eventually found my feet and left that room for a new life. With a now burdened conscious and limitless wealth, I am finally able to carve a path in the right direction.