Killing Jar

I felt my power surging through me. I moved swiftly, drawn toward my victim. I found him quickly. In his apartment, sleeping on his couch, a book open and held limply in his hands. I moved to his side. As I reached a finger toward his cheek, he woke up. He sat up slowly, looking at me in confusion.

"Ava? Is that you?" Ryan asked. "What are you doing here?"

"It's your time," I said. My finger brushed over his cheek. I watched as the life left his eyes before he slumped back onto the couch, his book falling from his hands.

I sat up in my bed, sweating slightly. My breathing came out in quick gasps. I let out a loud sob as I relived the dream. I couldn't do this. I didn't want to. I couldn't stand to be the one to kill Ryan.

I looked at my clock, wiping at the tears on my cheek. It was almost 12. I got up, hoping that my father would stop by. I waited by the door, waiting for him to arrive. I was glad when I heard his knock. I opened the door. He started to smile but stopped when he saw my face. I was still crying.

"Ava," he said, entering my apartment an closing the door. "What's wrong?"

"I can't do this job anymore," I said. "I won't do it."

"Ava honey," he said. "You have to. I'm sorry, but there is no choice in the matter."

I let out a sob.

"This has to do with this Ryan Ross, doesn't it?" my father asked. I nodded my head and wiped at my eyes in a hopeless attempt to stop the flow of tears. My father sighed. "I told you not to get involved. You only make your job harder for yourself."

I looked at him, suddenly angry.

"What about you and mom?" I asked. "You and mom were obviously involved. What if you were assigned to kill her?"

"But I wasn't," he said. "It's different with your mother."

"How?" I asked. My father sighed again.

"I knew when your mother was going to die since before I met her," he said. "And I knew that I wasn't going to be the one to kill her."

"So you knew that I was going to be assigned to her?" I asked.

"Not until after you were born," he said.

"If you knew then, why didn't you try to do something about it?" I asked.

"Because I couldn't," he said. "And I still can't. Ava, once you are assigned to kill someone, it's going to happen no matter what. You can try to fight it, but it's pointless. It's going to happen no matter."

I wiped at my eyes again.

"I wish I was normal, Dad," I cried. "I don't like this life."

"I know it's tough," he said. "In time, you'll learn that not getting involved with people is best."

I was going to respond, but when I looked up, he was gone. I let out yet another sob. There had to be something I could do to save Ryan.