The Daunting Tasks

Malachi was sitting in his favorite café. He pushed his glasses up from the brim of his nose, sat straight up, and took a deep breath. On the exhale, he closed his eyes for the couple seconds, but it felt like an eternity. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked around the busy café. 13 people inside including employees and none of them knew what he was about to do. Malachi has never been the one to draw attention to himself, he was shy and normally kept to himself. At the same time, he has never had more than $500 in his name, much less $20,000! He opened the little black book, read the contents on the first page one more time to make sure he understood the directions for the tasks given. He then shut the book, put it in his backpack, and stood up.

Three hours earlier……

Malachi only met his father three times his entire 19 years of living. Once when he was born, another time when him and his mother accidently ran into him in the mall seven years ago, and the last time was the day he graduated high school. Malachi was the only family member to show up to the funeral service held at Southern Baptist Churh, the other three people he didn’t know. They all said he looked just like his father. Hearing those words upset Malachi because he didn’t want to be, or look like, the man who abandoned him and his mother when she told him she was pregnant. The man laying in the casket didn’t even show up to Malachi’s mothers funeral last year. After the service, a bearded chubby man approached Malachi, gave his condolences, and then handed him a bill for the service. Malachi was in disbelief! The man, George, explained that Malachi was the only next of kin listed on his father’s paperwork and therefore was responsible for the bill. Malachi started laughing hysterically while proclaiming this is the only thing his dad has ever given him! George gave a nervous chuckle, and slowly walked away. When Malachi stopped laughing, he was approached by another man. A tall, slender, gray haired man. He was wearing glasses but Malachi could not stop staring his eyes. His pupils were solid black and large. Malachi was frozen and did not dare to speak. Without saying a word, the man gave Malachi a large envelope and then walked away. The envelope was heavy, contained more than just papers. With a funeral bill in one hand and a mysterious envelope in the other, Malachi walked out of the church while putting the two items in his backpack. He got on a city bus and traveled towards his favorite café, he was ready to enjoy his daily coffee and pecan pie.

Malachi stood up slowly and looked around café one more time. Who was watching him? Was it the older gentleman who gave him the envelope? Would they really know if he completed the task that were written down in the little black book? Would he get his $20,000 upon completion? How did they know so much about him? Though knew his full name, address, bus route, and favorite café. Unlike most teenagers, he did not post his entire life on social media. He mainly used Facebook just to keep track of news happening around the world and football. He did not remember his Instagram password and refused to get Snapchat. His stomach starting turning, his breathing get faster, and his legs felt like they were tied down with cylinder blocks. Malachi closed his eyes again, took a couple deep breathes, and remembered the last words written for his first task, “We are watching, we are waiting, you are ready.” Malachi opened his eyes, grinned, and started on his first task.