The Existential Heist

The guns were loaded, the masks prepared, the safety gloves on, and the pocket knives secured. Ethan reviewed the months of planning, the risks they had taken, and the danger they faced if their plan failed. He glanced at his team�"Jax, Ronny, and Zev�"who were playing a card game to calm their nerves and distract themselves from the looming heist.

“All right, boys,” he said with a grin, “get some sleep. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

Everything was meticulously arranged for the next day. Ethan took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and chanted “Ani Elohim” in his mind. He used this mantra to steady his nerves before such moments, though he couldn't remember the last time he had done so.

The next morning, the team assembled in their hideout, adrenaline already starting to pump. Ethan went over the plan one last time, making sure everyone knew their roles.

"Ready?" he asked, looking each one in the eye.

They nodded; determination etched on their faces.

They arrived at the bank just before closing time, blending in with the last-minute customers. As the signal was given, they sprang into action, masks on, guns drawn.

"Everybody down!" Jax yelled, his voice booming across the marble floors.

Ethan took his position, but as he watched the terrified faces of the customers and staff, a strange feeling began to bubble up inside him. It started as a small, nagging doubt but quickly grew into a full-blown crisis of conscience.

Is this really what I want to do with my life?

He found himself looking at the trembling bank manager, who was trying to open the vault with shaky hands. The sight of the manager’s wedding ring caught Ethan’s eye, and he wondered about the man’s life, his family, his dreams.

As the vault door creaked open, Ethan’s mind raced with thoughts about the pointlessness of their actions. What is the meaning of all this? Are we just endlessly chasing empty goals?

He imagined himself as that Greek guy, pushing a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down each time. Is this heist just another boulder? An endless cycle of futile actions?

What if there's no point to any of this? We're just tiny specks in an indifferent cosmos, grasping for meaning where there is none.

His grip on his gun loosened as he pondered the absurdity of their situation. The money, the risk, the fear�"it all seemed laughably insignificant against the vast backdrop of existence.

"Hey, Ethan! Snap out of it!" Jax barked, noticing his hesitation. "We need to move!"

Ethan’s thoughts whirled. If life is inherently meaningless, then what difference does it make whether I rob this bank or walk away? Maybe true freedom lies in accepting the absurdity and creating my own path.

As the vault door swung fully open, revealing stacks of cash, Ethan found himself at a crossroads. He had to make a choice: continue down this path of crime or take a stand and find a way out.

With the clock ticking, Ethan’s crisis reached its peak. The absurdity of the situation was almost comical. Here he was, in the middle of a bank robbery, questioning the very fabric of existence.

In that moment, he made a decision.

"SHUT UP, JAX," Ethan yelled, his voice cracking. "I can't do it. I can't. Look at them. They are... I can't. Drop your guns. We will surrender and wait for the cops."

Jax's face twisted in anger and confusion. "What the f**k are you talking about, man?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Ethan saw a girl reaching for her phone to call the cops. Zev, noticing the same, cuffed the girl with the back of his gun.

"Stop it!" Ethan shouted, stepping towards Zev.

Jax started shouting, yelling at Ethan, "Are you out of your mind?"

But Ethan stayed adamant. "We surrender, Jax. This is over."

Jax's eyes narrowed with rage. "F**k you," he hissed, raising his gun. "You're gonna get us all killed."

Without another word, Jax pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the bank. Ethan fell to the floor, lifeless, a pool of blood spreading beneath him.

The people in the bank screamed, watching in horror as the remaining three robbers grabbed the money and made for the exit. The sound of sirens grew louder, but Jax, Ronny, and Zev were already disappearing into the chaos outside, leaving behind a scene of panic and tragedy.