Macbeth

You’re either in or out. There is no turning back. The die are cast. The Rubicon is crossed. Chance of success: none. Aftermath? Ugly. What would Chris say? Don’t! But…

Focus. Can you do this?

Done.

Yes.

No regrets.

            I stood up, pushing the rickety chair squeaking backwards, and reached across the desk. My boss, who was in no condition to refuse me, watched helplessly as my right hand closed around his windpipe.

            “Chuck, I am very sorry,” I said. The poor man was bleeding from a bullet wound through his lungs and had lost a lot of blood. His eyes were glazed over almost before I began strangling him. He did manage to hit the call button on his desk phone before he slumped unconscious in his over stuffed chair.   

            Mary burst through the door, a large .357 Magnum pointing shakily at me.

            “What in the hell are you doing?” she choked. She was afraid.

            “What I have to,” I said. I ignored her and the gun and removed a small key from around Chuck’s neck.

            “You can’t do that.” Mary almost sobbed. I ignored her still. Time was running out. She wouldn’t shoot me.

Boom!

            My heart stopped. Big miscalculation there. Without really thinking I was behind the desk rolling left out of her line of sight. I couldn’t feel where or if she had hit me but that didn’t matter. She had taken this to the next level. I came around the left side of the mahogany monster and threw my self at her. She was trying to re-cock her pistol.

            I like Mary. Especially because she actually pulled the trigger. That is why I didn’t kill her. In fact, I didn’t really hurt her either; just her hand. I knocked the pistol from her hand catching it as it fell. She looked really scared.

            “Mary. Call a doctor before Chuck dies,” I said. Her lip trembled but she didn’t move. Mechanically I unloaded the remaining rounds in the revolver, the bullets bouncing and rolling across the wooden floor. I handed the empty gun back to her and walked quickly back to the desk. Mary dropped the gun, spun around and ran out of the office.

            I flipped through files and files. Looking for…

            There. First problem solved. I set my finding on Chuck’s desk and then turned to examine the dying man. He had lost a lot of blood. His face and hands were paper white. I opened his bloody coat and tore open his shirt.

            Good news and bad. The bullet was a 9mm and had passed completely through him. Probably missed most of his vital organs. Thank God. But he was still bleeding. I grabbed a first aid kit which he kept in his desk and quickly found what I needed. Two minutes later I was out the door, a roll of paper under my arm.