The Truth Nobody Could Know

The thunder is really loud again. I woke up to the house shaking. The lightning was so bright that I could see outside clear as day. Maybe a glass of water will calm my nerves. It must’ve worked as I woke in my bed confused. The birds were chirping so beautifully. I stood against my window with my daily coffee when I saw a mysterious man creeping around the neighborhood corner. He was dressed in a murky gray sweatshirt and black skin tight jeans. I didn’t recognize him and tried to get a closer look.

Suddenly he turned towards me, I fell to the floor like I was on fire desperately hoping that he didn’t see me. After a short delay I gathered the courage to peek over the window seal to check. Gone? I couldn’t see him anymore. Wait, there’s a small black book lying on the ground where that mystery man stood. Maybe that book will tell me more about who this man is. I’ve got to grab it before he comes back.

It wasn’t hard to secure the book. After all, the corner was only a few steps across the street from my front door. This book felt ancient like it was a century old. I handled it cautiously to preserve it. As I began to open it, I heard a loud crash and car horns blaring. I rushed to the scene to see if I could help, while hiding the book in my jacket pocket for later. There were a couple cars stacked in the intersection and there appeared to be blood on the pavement. However, my view was obscured by the wreckage so I couldn’t get a complete picture. Wait, a figure emerged from the smoke of the accident.

He didn’t look injured; actually stunning. He had an evil smirk on his face. After a second look, I realized this was the same man from earlier and it’s obvious he saw me this time. I thought he must be coming back for this book. I was filled with dread and was scared of what he would do if he reached me. Logically I quickly ran away. I avoided my home as I didn’t want to indicate where I lived. I wasn’t entirely sure where I was running at first. Then it dawned on me that I could hide away in the busy shopping mall down the street. Surely the man wouldn’t attack me in public.

I had reached the mall panting. While catching my breath I looked around, yet I couldn’t see him anymore. Maybe I’m safe? I decided to sit on a metal bench near the yummy pretzel stand. The curiosity of what’s in the book was starting to get to me so I pulled it out for a quick read. There were several pages filed with names, addresses, pictures, and dollar amounts. At first I was confused, then it dawned on me that man must’ve been some kind of hitman and that this book was filled with his targets. Most of the pages were struck through as if they’d already been “handled”. I flipped through the book until I found an unmarked page. The target was familiar… actually I could recognize him as my neighbor Phil.

I started to wander around the mall trying to digest the information I just learned. My phone started ringing and I quickly learned that my dad was in the hospital and was in bad condition. Apparently he was in a serious car accident near the house. I couldn’t help thinking if that was the same accident that I saw earlier. Was that trail of blood I saw his blood? Was that man that was chasing after me responsible? I was so scared for my dad I rushed to the hospital.

My mom was bent over him sobbing. My dad was unconscious still. The doctors were not sure how long he was going to be out for. With my mom not working I knew that we would get behind our bills if I didn’t do something. Then I remembered the large sum of money that was scribbled in that little black book next to Phil’s picture. As dark as the thought was I felt my mind stuck on that thought. That same terrible, unthinkable, thought. I couldn’t actually kill him for the bounty… could I?

I left the hospital and traveled home. I couldn’t stay there and see my dad like that, I just couldn’t. Some tea and a hot bath will calm these awful nerves of mine. I’m certain soon I’ll be right as rain. While heating the water for my tea, I heard a knock at the door. I jumped, startled. After I caught my breath I peeked through the eye hole on the door to see who was there. Phil? What are the odds that he would be coming by after everything that’s happened today. He was kind and sympathetic, I guess he had heard about my dad’s condition somehow. I let him in and we started talking on the couch in the living room.

He has never been this comforting before. It was really nice while it lasted. Soon after he placed his hand on my leg like he was hitting on me. The timing was way off. I mean I never thought about him in that way. I pushed him back with a look of disgust in my face. He got so mad I could see his cheeks turn ruby red. He struck me and I fell to the floor. He showed no remorse for his actions and turned away like he was leaving. Filled with rage I rose up and threw him face first into the corner of the wall. He fell back onto the end table and shattered it under his weight. His face was covered in blood that seemed to be pooling in his mouth.

At this point I had thought that if I didn’t kill him that I would be facing jail time. After all we did need the money badly. He seemed to be choking on his own blood gasping for air. I picked up one of the broken wooden legs on the floor and hit him with it until he stopped moving. His blood stained the living room rug so I wrapped him in that rug and dragged it into the shed in the backyard. Luckily there wasn’t a huge mess after that. I just thought up a clever story about the rug in case anyone asks. I moved to my room exhausted; drained both mentally and physically from the craziest day of my life.

My mom woke me the next morning screaming bloody murder. I was petrified that she had learned of my terrible act. Cautiously I crept to her in the dining room with a large box on the kitchen table. She was holding her mouth and jumping. This mysterious box was filled with stacks and stacks of cash. I suspected $20,000, as that was the same amount written in that little black book. I am not sure how they found me and knew what I did, yet still they knew and paid me for killing him. Thankfully the box didn’t have any message. My mom took it as a sign from God helping us in this bleak time of need. I pretended with her, knowing the truth that nobody could ever know.