Feeling The Presure

• Jaekob Foley, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2013

I had to do it; business is business I explained to George: It was good money, the time was right and it couldn’t be more easy to pull off. “So how did he come to approach you?” George asked.

“I was in my office and Brent came in, he needed a favour, he was a guy that owed him money and I had to take care of business”.

“And just as I thought you got clean from all this crap,” George belched as he was walking out.

I sat there for a moment more and thought to myself “if this is who I still wanted to be, do I want to be a hitman or a dad, do I want to be a murderer or do I want to be able to live my life freely?”

As I was sleeping that thought was in my head all night never leaving, never forgiving. Its like it was a message telling me to stop while I’m ahead. I’ve never taken that advice and I probably shouldn’t start now.

The next day I’m in my office, Brent knocks on the door and helps himself in, I begin to tell him.

“That man owes you money no more, He is gone” Brent begins to open a brief case with the money he promised, it was more money that I expected, more then $10 000 I began to feel flattered but Brent goes on to explain.

“There’s another job I need done, this man is black mailing me” As Brent turned the photo to show the mans face. My heart sank, It was someone I knew, a guy I went to school with, really good mates.

Yet again I sat here reminding my self “Business is business, business is business” I began to ask Brent, the mans name, where I can find him. Brent answers all of my questions, It turns out luckily the man wasn’t the guy I knew.

I went out later on and sat my self up on the roof opposite the mans house looking through the scope of my 50 cal. I see him laying on the couch with his wife, I sat there still waiting for a clear shot, time passed and he got up and went up stairs, I see a room light turn on which lit up half of his front yard. I see him lean over and reach for something; I can’t quite see what it is he is reaching for.

STUPID WALLS I thought to my self, He stood upright again this time holding a small child no older then 2, I had a sudden change of heart. I started to feel really light headed and sick, I fell back and landed on my bottom I layed down catching my breath and my mind started throwing me flash backs of when I was a child and growing up without a dad. I packed up my rifle and went back to my office; I called up Brent to explain.

“Hello?” said Brent.
“Hey Brent its me, can you come to my office?” I said.
“Sure mate see ya in 5” Brent said as he hanged up the phone.

Brent came in to my office and sat down I went on to explain to him that I could no longer do that job and would no longer be excepting any jobs, I told him I’m a changed man, I handed back the extra money to Brent as he walked out slamming the door.