The Edge
All's Well...
2004
He groaned as he was thrown to the floor for the fifth time.
“You are making to much noise my boy.”
“I’m barely making noise. You’re hearing is too well. You are far more experienced father.”
“One day you shall be just as good as I my son. Now, why don’t we go for some ice cream.”
“We don’t eat ice cream,” the boy said.
“Last I recall you are still young and young people eat ice cream. Don’t worry about the family business. It is not yet your time. Just enjoy your youth.”
“But I want to be a legend, like you dad.”
“I don’t think your mother would like that,” the grown man laughed.
“Does mom care that you do?”
“Yes. The nights I work are hard on her. She doesn’t want you to pursue this but…”
“I have no choice.”
“Now to happier topics my boy. Shall we go to the race track or the ice cream parlor?”
“Race track! Ice cream is for girls anyway.”
2011
He patiently waited for the man to leave the building. It was passed his shift, and he was getting impatient. Nothing was worse than a late client. It annoyed him actually. He wanted nothing more than to drag him out of the building but that would compromise all that’s been prepared. He didn’t have much longer of a wait though. To his content, the old man exited the corporate building. Once the man was out in the open, he attacked. With the deed done, he left the body and returned to headquarters.
“Well done boy.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
“Come. Join me for a drink.”
“I’m fine. I think I’ll just go to bed.”
“Okay but before you go, I have another assignment.”
He took the folder from off the desk. Opening it he saw the next clients. Two adults, one teen. Name: Creed. This was a test. The boss was trying to see if he was as good as his father. Nodding he went to his room. Along the way, he ran into an old acquaintance.
“A promotion huh?”
“A test.”
“Good luck then.”
Reaching his room he threw the folder on the cluttered desk, changed to shorts, and went to sleep.
~*~*~
When she entered the house her parents were watching the news.
“Oh Aspen. I’m so glad you made it home. It’s just horrible.”
“What happened now mom?”
“A man was murdered out in the open over by your school.”
“It’s ten o’clock. School isn’t even in session.”
“It doesn’t matter. Anything could have happened. You’re a special girl you know.”
“Sure mom. What’s for dinner?”
“I left some chicken and potatoes on the stove for you. Everything else was put away.”
“Thanks,” she said as she darted to the kitchen, quick to warm up her food.
The stove on and everything heating up, she went to dump her thing in her room. After putting her hair in a ponytail and changing to sweats, Aspen returned to the kitchen. Her food ready, she dished her plate and shoveled everything on the plate. Once finished, she poked around in the fridge and found some watermelon. Finishing that and finally filled, Aspen washed her dishes, kissed her folks goodnight and went to her room. There she fell into a fitful sleep.
He groaned as he was thrown to the floor for the fifth time.
“You are making to much noise my boy.”
“I’m barely making noise. You’re hearing is too well. You are far more experienced father.”
“One day you shall be just as good as I my son. Now, why don’t we go for some ice cream.”
“We don’t eat ice cream,” the boy said.
“Last I recall you are still young and young people eat ice cream. Don’t worry about the family business. It is not yet your time. Just enjoy your youth.”
“But I want to be a legend, like you dad.”
“I don’t think your mother would like that,” the grown man laughed.
“Does mom care that you do?”
“Yes. The nights I work are hard on her. She doesn’t want you to pursue this but…”
“I have no choice.”
“Now to happier topics my boy. Shall we go to the race track or the ice cream parlor?”
“Race track! Ice cream is for girls anyway.”
2011
He patiently waited for the man to leave the building. It was passed his shift, and he was getting impatient. Nothing was worse than a late client. It annoyed him actually. He wanted nothing more than to drag him out of the building but that would compromise all that’s been prepared. He didn’t have much longer of a wait though. To his content, the old man exited the corporate building. Once the man was out in the open, he attacked. With the deed done, he left the body and returned to headquarters.
“Well done boy.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
“Come. Join me for a drink.”
“I’m fine. I think I’ll just go to bed.”
“Okay but before you go, I have another assignment.”
He took the folder from off the desk. Opening it he saw the next clients. Two adults, one teen. Name: Creed. This was a test. The boss was trying to see if he was as good as his father. Nodding he went to his room. Along the way, he ran into an old acquaintance.
“A promotion huh?”
“A test.”
“Good luck then.”
Reaching his room he threw the folder on the cluttered desk, changed to shorts, and went to sleep.
~*~*~
When she entered the house her parents were watching the news.
“Oh Aspen. I’m so glad you made it home. It’s just horrible.”
“What happened now mom?”
“A man was murdered out in the open over by your school.”
“It’s ten o’clock. School isn’t even in session.”
“It doesn’t matter. Anything could have happened. You’re a special girl you know.”
“Sure mom. What’s for dinner?”
“I left some chicken and potatoes on the stove for you. Everything else was put away.”
“Thanks,” she said as she darted to the kitchen, quick to warm up her food.
The stove on and everything heating up, she went to dump her thing in her room. After putting her hair in a ponytail and changing to sweats, Aspen returned to the kitchen. Her food ready, she dished her plate and shoveled everything on the plate. Once finished, she poked around in the fridge and found some watermelon. Finishing that and finally filled, Aspen washed her dishes, kissed her folks goodnight and went to her room. There she fell into a fitful sleep.