In From The Cold.

He reckoned it would be about twenty years now

If truth be told it was a place he never ever wanted to go back to

The face of the man opposite was ageless

The coldness still ingrained

He explained the circumstances

How he was being blackmailed

He gave as much information as possible

It’s been a long while

Yes, a long time

He never heard from the blackmailers again

One part of him thought they might have spoken to them

But in reality he knew he was deluding himself

In his mind they were screaming praying for death

But death would only be rewarded when all information was extracted

He was now indebted 

The touch of the gun was strange, almost alien

Yet it seemed to fit like some old raincoat

He managed to stay away for twenty years

For some, that was unthinkable

Those were the good years

He would always remember them.

Reviews

[Eilis]

It's like a rebus puzzle. The images are there and adding up and it is up to the reader to connect them and make them into the walking, talking event. I like that aspect of this because it lets loose the imagination and I can make the unspoken things into a few different scenarios. Is he a guy who did something he regretted as a young person and managed to escape the consequences all these years. Or is he a guy notorious for his deeds who had decided to turn over a new leaf and had managed a little peace.

Either way the reprieve is at an end and what comes next is the long dark hallway in front of us. Maybe we'll explore or maybe we'll turn back. Depending on our curiosity. Regardless, the future is unfolding for him in a way he hoped it wouldn't.

I've read a few of your offerings this morning. I like your style and humor, and will return to read again.

[Paul Bell]

Spot on, I had him in a particular service that he'd managed to leave, sadly, his past caught up with him.

[GrayHalwk]

Ya big ooops. I had not talked to this girl in 15 years and called her one day. Because we was once bestfriends
I never got married before was without a wife for 35 years. So just after I got married I wanted to share it with my bestfriend who was named Kim. Thinking she be married her self. Well then I called her
Well after 15 years she was still hoping that I would forgive her and move back to Tulsa Oklahoma and marry her. So for 15 years she would not see another man. She waited all that time. So like wow what a mess when you contact someone from the past. Nice peace you have a creative mind.

[GrayHalwk]

Ya big ooops. I had not talked to this girl in 15 years and called her one day. Because we was once bestfriends
I never got married before was without a wife for 35 years. So just after I got married I wanted to share it with my bestfriend who was named Kim. Thinking she be married her self. Well then I called her
Well after 15 years she was still hoping that I would forgive her and move back to Tulsa Oklahoma and marry her. So for 15 years she would not see another man. She waited all that time. So like wow what a mess when you contact someone from the past. Nice peace you have a creative mind.

[Paul Bell]

Bet she hated you for that. Definitely a lesson for anyone even thinking of getting in contact with ex friends or just exs.

[GrayHalwk]

Ya her folks said I wrecked her life after that call she went back into the hospital so ya not a good choice. But your words walked through my mind a real nice peace.

[barleygirl]

This message seems to symbolize how a person can take up residency in our minds, even when we haven't seen or heard from them in decades . . . often the case in family estrangements . . . always rehearsing in one's mind how it will be when we finally come face-to-face. In my experience, looking up people we did not care about for twenty years is usually a fool's errand & your message is so correct, that it's better not to open that door again! Unless one has a machete under that raincoat . . . (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Paul Bell]

Definitely, a machete is a must. Watch the fed ex guy for coronavirus now.

[.]

An interesting write, dear Paul. This has a Noir-ish quality to it; a man with a past staring at himself and remembering all that came before. The circumstances are not completely clear but he has done something very wrong and now he is facing up to it many years later. The conscience has a way of haunting us for the rest of our days. I enjoyed the abstract telling here. Makes the reader want to know what exactly he has done. :))

[Paul Bell]

Ah, the past returning to haunt him, what did he do.

[.]

I am pretty sure it was more violent than stealing their Pizzas!:))

[Paul Bell]

got a feeling you're probably right.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

once he could look into the mirror and be comfortable with what he saw...
now he has become someone else...and it hurts...
the older person he is has many secrets...bad secrets...
the conscience no longer clear...he constantly worries that people will figure him out...
he longs to be that person he once was...
when he could look into a mirror and smile.
j.

[Paul Bell]

Age does behold many secrets, and he certainly chose a life far different from others.