A Job Well Done

Dark Dreams

 

Chapter 1: A job well done

 

          A large man walked briskly down the wet stone path.  He wore thick furs of dark colors, and his breathing was rapid and shallow.  In his hands he carried a large bag of coins and held a bright yellow umbrella over his head. 

          “Idiot,” I thought to myself. “This is going to be easier than I thought.”  He made his way into an ally, away from the street lamps of the main street.  He knocked on what seemed like a wall and a section of the wood slid away to reveal a pair of blue eyes.  The large man whispered something, and the door opened just enough to reveal half of the blue eyed face, which looked as nervous as the fat man’s.  The bag of coins was quickly exchanged for a small black tin, decorated with elegant forest green designs.  I felt my lips curl in a smile when I saw it. 

          Once the exchange was made he made a conscious (and very obvious) effort not to appear nonchalant as he resisted running back the way he came.  I followed him, rolling my feet to keep them silent.  Not that it was necessary, his breathing would have kept him from noticing me if I ran after him screaming his name.  He soon made his way to the hill just outside the little village, atop which was a mansion easily five times the size of the ragged wooden building I stood on.  The hill was kept free of vegetation, in order to insure no one had a place to hide, except for the wall that was about to wobble up the hill.  I jumped down as he cleared the village, crouched, and walked inches behind him.  I kept my movements silent despite his breathing, and kept close watch of him so I moved as he did.  I also wrinkled my nose, the man needed to bathe.  There were two guards watching the door to the mansion, and nodded at the fat man as he went inside.  The guards didn't notice me until I was right on top of them; but I persuaded them not to say anything…ever again.

          I clipped the wire as the door shut behind us, and slid into the shadows moments before the man turned and looked around him, fear now obvious on his face.  He then made his way noisily down to the end of hall, constantly running into his many knickknacks along the wall.  He opened the door to a room at the end and looked around again, and when his head was turned the other way I slipped into the room and leapt up into the rafters.   The room appeared to be the maid’s quarters.  He locked the door behind him and looked around yet again before sitting down on one of the beds, holding the tin tightly to his chest.  I could hear his heart beating quickly, see his hands shaking, smell the sweat from his brow; seriously, doesn't a lord ever bathe?  Such a pathetic waste of flesh, I doubt he’ll be missed, and the maids will be down right thrilled.  I jumped down behind him and covered his mouth with a gloved hand.

          “Scream, and it will be the last thing you ever do” I hissed in his ear.  He jumped out of his skin and almost screamed into my hand already, but he forced himself silent and nodded in submission.  I moved back away from him, not wanting to be any closer to him then need be.  He turned to look at me and his eyes widened in surprise.  I felt a strong urge to finish him now as his eyes lingered on my chest.

          “Yes, I am a woman” I said acidly.  His eyes jumped up to my face and then down to the floor. 

          “S-so I see…so you are the one who left me this note?” He said and held up a piece of paper with a dagger seal.  I smirked as I saw my trade mark, and thought of the people who have learned not to imitate it anymore. 

          “Yes, I am.” I said simply.

          “So you’re…really Sokaru then?” His eyes bugged out of his head as he looked at me, as if hoping me to tell him it was some kind of joke.  God he was pathetic.

          “Yes, I am,” I said impatiently. “Did you bring what I asked?”

          “Yes yes of course!” He fumbled around a bit and held out the tin at arm’s length toward me.  I took the tin and smiled as I opened it.  Inside were thinly sliced and candied oranges, my one sweet tooth weakness.

          “Very good,” I said, replacing the lid and putting the tin on the table. 

          “And there’s lots more where that came from,” He said, excited that I was pleased.

          “I don’t need anymore,” I said simply, and the excitement was instantly gone from his face.  “and I don’t need you anymore.”

          “W-what do you mean? You said that if I brought you these you would l-let me go.” He said, fearful again.

          “Hmmm, did I?” I said in an uncaring tone.  “I recall simply saying to bring the candied oranges and that we should talk.  Well we've talked, and I have my oranges.”  I smiled and watched as the last of the color drain from his face.

          “And because you were so cooperative,” suddenly, I was on the other side of the bed, snapping the fluid off a wire stretched between my hands. “I made it quick,” and there was a thud as his head hit the floor.  With that I moved to look in the mirror by one of the beds.  Staring back at me was a girl of small, but powerful stature, and a young face, about 17 years old.  She had shoulder length black hair with a stripe of white going down bother sides of her head, which was a natural trait, as were her red eyes and a red jewel embedded in the center of her forehead.  She wore a black stealth suit, which also had bits of white around the collar and her wrists and ankles.  Around her neck was a blue version of the gem on her forehead on a thin black chain.  She and I touched the gem with our fingers and sighed gently.  I closed my eyes and focused on the stealth suit against my skin.  I soon felt it wriggle and move, and I molded it in my mind.  I opened my eyes and smirked as I now looked in the mirror.  Now there was a girl dressed in a damp yellow maids dress with a bland blue bandanna in her pocket.  I took the bandanna and wrapped it around my head, taking care to cover the white stripe in my hair and the gem on my forehead.  I double checked my appearance, opened the door, and took a deep breath.

          I screamed a shrill, high pitched scream full of fear and disgust.

          “HELP!! Help, help the lord has been murdered!!!” I screamed, and soon guards from all over came rushing to the room. I stepped outside of the room and collapsed in fake tears, telling them how I had returned to grab a blanket when I found him like that.  It wasn't long before they were off to search for his murderer.  I told them I just couldn't bear to say anymore and ran into a bathroom and changed my suit again to look like that of a guard’s uniform, basically a reinforced leather shirt and dark brown pants, complete with a helmet of hide.  I blended right in as I went out of the castle and ran into the woods nearby and made my escape.  It works every time.  

Author's Note

Critique always welcome

Reviews

[Gretchen Clarke]

This was a very good chapter, piqued my interest at the gem imbedded in her forehead. Can you please write another chapter soon?
Keep up the great work!