Don't Kill The Messenger

Phew!

 I thought these five flights of stairs would get easier. Now where did I put my keys?

Putting down my bags I begin to pat my pockets to feel for my keys. You can hear the echo of Metallica in my building hallways from my iPod headphones. I finally dig into my right pocket and dig out my keys. The hallway was covered in the aroma of seasoned chicken. I proceed to open my door, hold it open with one foot, pick up my bags and continue into my apartment. Once I get inside I put down the bags, while turning around my headphones drop.

These damn headphones never seem to stay on my ears.

Being in the darkness only guided by the rays of the moonlight, I then begin to feel down my pants for my dangling headphones. I get back up to close the door…

“Don’t scream!” a grunged deep voice commanded me. My heart dropped, my hands started to shake and my knees turned weak. You could smell the menthol of his breath just taint the air. I then felt a cold metal object to my head. I still had the iPod headphones in my hand.

“Turn that shit off” he pulled the headphones out of my hand and pulled them from the socket of my iPod which was in my pocket. I started to sweat in fear. My stomach was turning and my feet were so heavy. I just wanted to turn around and punch this man but my arms were so heavy I don’t know if they were capable of doing just that.

“Ta-ta-take what… whatever ju want.” I try to force the words out. CLICK! He cocks the hammer back.

Why me? What have I done? What does he want? I wish someone would come in right now and help me. What am I going to do? I’m so scared. Is this it? Is this how it’s going to end?

He then grabs me by the arm turns me around only to reveal a woman?

I was in total shock but before I had a chance to even say anything…

BANG!

I jumped up from my bed in cold sweats. The ceiling fan spinning slow and you can hear Metallica in the distance. I got up and went to the window to close it, when a gust of seasoned chicken hit my nose. Still kind of jumpy from that dream I just laid my head against the window and let the air calm me down.

What the FUCK was that about?

I went over to sit on my bed, looking at the clock it was 3:24 in the morning. I then laid down and stared at the ceiling. I was then afraid to even close my eyes, in fear that the dream or nightmare might reoccur. I grabbed a cigarette from my night stand, lit it up and just smoked till morning.

URRRRRRRRRRRRR! I then swing my arm over and turn off the clock.

Time for work. Already?

Peeling myself off the bed, I then proceed to the bathroom. Flushing the toilet, I go over to the sink and brush my teeth. Looking at my reflection with the toothbrush in my teeth and the Colgate suds dripping from my mouth I reassure myself.

It was just a dream.

Bend over to spit the suds out, I cup some of the water running from the faucet and drink some to wish wash the remainders of toothpaste from my mouth. I spit that out, look up to see my pearly whites when this time in the reflection it was her holding the gun.

I jump up, turn around and put my hands over my face. “No! Don’t shoot!”

Silence. I take my hands away and peek my eyes open to the wall.

I’m losing it. I then chuckle a little to myself. This is retarded, it was only a dream. I’m going crazy. Man up.

Turn the water on in the shower and get in. Letting the water fall on to my head trying to wash away the fear.

Put on my work clothes and off to work I go. In front of the door, I look at my wrist watch. I still have time. I can make it. I open the door to leave but as I turn around to clothes it, I forgot where I put my keys. Where did I put those keys? I begin to pat my pockets to feel for my keys. I finally dig into my right pocket and dig out my keys. I felt a hover over my shoulder; I just lock the door and turn around confident. Nothing there. Off to work!

At the train station waiting for my train to arrive the opposite side train pulls into the station. I glace at one of the windows and see the woman again. My jaw drops, I look side to side and then look hard again. It’s her, the killer from my dreams. But it can’t be .Without me noticing my train pulls in and I lose eye contact. I step into the cart and immediately go to the window to see if I can get another glance at her. But she was gone.  I must be going crazy. This can’t be happening.

I catch a seat right next to this old man who smelled just like menthol. Just kind of jittery from that whole situation.

”This train will be running express from 168 to 59th street. If you want to go local go down to 59th street, cross the platform and catch the train going back up.”

All you heard after that announcement was a lot of disappointed early morning train riders. Me on the other hand was happy cause my job is pass  59th street.

Might just make it a little earlier to work.

The train pulled out and my journey to work began. Making the seat warm, I cross my arms over my chest and decided to get some minutes of shut eye since I didn’t have any last night.

I opened my eyes and it was rector street. Shit my stop. The doors closed right in front of my face. “Fuck!” I yelled out. I turned around to lay on the doors and then noticed the cart was empty.

The train made that noise when its about to pull out from a station. It slowly started to pick up speed and off to South ferry I go. The train passed the tunnel, “This is the final and last stop. South Ferry.” the conductor announced. The train completely stopped and the doors opened.  I turned around to step out the train, “Don’t scream!” She said to me with that menthol breath, she then pointed the gun to my face.

“I got something for you.”

BANG!

I jumped up in my seat and screamed.

“Sonny, are you alright?” the old man next to me said with the same smell of menthol breath. I fell off my

seat, on the floor looking at the old man. “Get away from me!” I yelled at him. I looked up it and it was 59th street. Everyone was looking at me, I got myself up and jumped out the cart. At the station I was leaning against one of the pillars just trying to pull myself together.

What the fuck is wrong with me? Looked at my wrist watch. So much for being to work early.

Another express train pulled into the station but it was full of commuters. I squeezed in and was forced to stand near the train door entrance. I stood there and was on my way to Rector Street, off to work.

Walking through the hectic streets of downtown, I made it to my work building. I flashed my work ID to the security guard and he opened the turnstile for me. I ran towards the elevator right before it closed. My heart was still racing from the little quick sprint I had to take to the elevator and the events that were so oddly happening.  I get to my floor and proceeded to walk to my desk but noticed there was somebody sitting in my chair.

“What you doing?” I asked. The chair turned around and it was her. My eyes opened with astonishment and rage.

“I have something for you.” She said to me.

“No you don’t !” I answered back. I then grabbed my letter opener on the desk and jabbed it right into her ribs. The whole office was in shock, and started screaming. “Someone call nine one one!”

“He has gone crazy!”

“We need help call an ambulance!”

Her head rolled back into my chair, her eyes were dead and blood was still flowing from her ribs. The knife was still lodged and you can just see the life slowly leave her body. But I then noticed something drop from her hand into the pool of blood below the seat.

I picked it up only to read in big read letters on top the page PROMOTION LETTER.