Choice Apartment

A Story by MUTE

A man has to make a choice between two great risks each with the own consequences.

Choice Apartment

The weather was bleak. My eyes were heavy, yet I couldn't close them. The curtains were illuminated by the golden glow of the flickering street lights. I looked at my blue rimmed clock. It slowly ticked, not aware of the world around it. It read 12:17am.

I sat in my old battered arm chair, that was held up on one side by law books. The life had been taken from the bulb a long time ago and it was always gloomy because of it. The only light in the room was the burning glow at the end of my crooked cigarette. I cocked my head back onto the groaning chair, mulling over my thoughts. A thick plume of smoke rose up into the fans blades.

There was a flash of light that lit up the dim room; a slight buzzing sound came from the corner. Like a bear waking from hibernation, I calmly left my seat, which moaned loudly, and walked over to my cell phone. It was a voice message. A girl's voice filled the apartment with sound; "It's me ... I just wanted to say, I saw you in the park today and you walked away with three men. Can you tell me about them?"

I froze, blood pumping through my head. Gasping through my dew dropped nose, I slowly came to my senses and calmed myself. I stumbled over to the shattered cabinet in which I kept alcohol; I desperately grabbed the closest bottle. Shaking, I poured a large unit of Russian water into a chipped glass that I was given, in better times, by my Captain.

In one swift motion, I let the poison slip down my aching throat.

Memories spun in my head like a greedy slot machine stealing my attention. I let my mind slowly fall to a stop and thought back to my weary past...

Standing under the halo of the dim street lamp, listening to the sound of silence, when an old friend stepped up. I looked at him with drowsy eyes.
"Captain," I said softly yet firmly.
"So we meet on the street as usual. Let's..."
A dark blue motor bike roared past, cutting the Captain's sentence in half, totally oblivious to the racket that it was making in the silent night.
The Captain coughed, "As I was saying, let's get down to the our very important business." He took a breath. "As you may know, you are the best shot we have of getting the job done."
"What calibre?"
"Thirty, ... and I believe you already know what I'm going to say, so I'll spare you the lecture." He took another deep breath and announced, "Tomorrow 0900. Three men in old brown leather will give it to you." The Captain turned his collar to the cold and damp, "Oh, and think before you shoot". He walk back to where he came from. I considered what he had said and turned to go as well.

I woke early. Entering the park at the agreed time, I immediately saw the men in question. The one in the middle, who had a bent noise and was much taller than the other to men, who looked like dwarfs in comparison. He was holding a large black briefcase that was handcuffed to his wrist. approaching them, I immediately recognised me as the person that they had to meet.
"Please follow us Mr Oswald".
I immediately followed at the word.
They brought me to a back alley and in through an old wooden door. He laid the briefcase onto the chipped table. He unlocked it, one lock at a time. It opened. Within a sniper rifle lay silently.
One of the other men grabbed a file out of the briefcase and handed it to me. I flicked through it; numbers here, words there.
"You fail Mr Oswald, to take out Hagel, you know what happens."
I shuddered at the thought. Re-locking the case, I started to leave.
"Not you...her"
I stopped...shaking all over. I wanted to shout but that would do nothing. I eventually put one foot in front of the other and made my way to my apartment.

I opened the door with my uneasy hand. Then out of the blue I burst into a rage that filled my entire body. My face painted red with fear. I screamed at the floor in desperation. I picked up the half empty glass and threw it. It hit the drinks cabinet, crafting one jagged crack down the centre. I slumped into my chair, one thought going throw my brain: "What if I fail, what if I fail?". My eyes welled up, head in hands, breathing hard, I sat scared of what was to come.