Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The Professional - A Haunting October Blogfest Story

Time for a Haunting October Blogfest Story! 

"The Professional" 



I take my job seriously.

While I find it arguably important, many might not agree, but I have never been someone whom cared too much what others thought of my activities. Trust me, that does not make me heartless, but I do know how to separate my personal feelings from my professional life.
After all I am a professional.

Sipping on my cappuccino, I watch her closely. She seems nervous, anxious for the same reason that I was watching her.
She is meeting him.
For the third time this week.

Usually I prefer not to do surveillance, I find the long hours of spying upon the deep secrets everyone keeps redundant and painstaking, but I did it this time. For this special client.
He was important after all.
And I owed him gratitude.
Not sure watching his wife cheat on him was the preferred way to pay him back, but if that is what he asked of me, and paid good money for, I would do it.
After all, I am a professional.

And there he is again, the well build young lover of hers, greeting her with the same smile, that seems to turn her from a serious woman in her mid 30’s  into a giddy teenager in love for the first time.

Stolen moments together.

They have no idea what is in store for them.

*


They had taken their time, as usual, in his small condo on the other side of town. The place was private and hidden, a perfect lovers nest.
A perfect place to hide from unseen eyes.
And a perfect place for me to hide from them.

Their routine was predicable, the time when lights when on and off in his bedroom coincided with the love making that occurred, then the light in in the open kitchen, living room area was illuminated to its fullest.
Sex and dinner.
Cheating makes hungry, so it seems.
I know, she was not expecting to having to leave this time, just like two weeks ago, her husband expected to travel half way around the world. She would relax after their meal, and fall asleep in his bed.

Perfect.

*

The darkness hides me well as I move smoothly around the quiet condo, but it does not slow me down. I know every inch of his place, know every placement of his furniture, just like I know his habits.
After all, I am a professional.

No one expects me to be here, their deaths quiet and efficient, no time for them to wake from their deep slumber, one last time.
One, two.
Shots, no sounds, the silencer doing its job as it is meant to.
Fast, clean, easy.

As I turn away from their bodies, I feel a deep sense of satisfaction. Another job well done. Another act fulfilled, in a methodical and efficient manner.

Some people need killers.
I provide that service.

I am a professional, after all.

© Claudia H. Blanton 2013


For more info on this blogfest, follow this link: http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/




23 comments:

  1. "Your cheatin' heart..."
    Fun piece.

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  2. Oh boy! I wasn't expecting that ending! I thought for sure it would go as all cheating stories go: the husband finds out from the P.I. what his wife is doing and then he has his revenge. But this ending is better! I especially love the last few lines. ;)

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    1. thank you Chrys, love when I can surprise my readers - happy Halloween!

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  3. Oh my gosh...you got me! I thought he was a private detective shooting photos of them! Great twist! :)

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  4. Chilled to the bone on that one. Ugh. Reminds me of the dis-association Matt Damon characterized in The Talented Mr. Ripley... Good job!!! Clean, classic and sharp.

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    1. thank you Lisa, I am honored by that comparison, dear! Blessings and Happy Halloween!

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  5. After reading, 'They have no idea what is in store for them,' I felt queasy!

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    1. cool, lol - perfect for this time of year - Happy Halloween Suze!

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  6. Like your style Claudia. No wasted words. Very compact. I love that I almost empathize with the Professional (is that wrong?) even while I'm shocked. This is the kind of story that gives me bad dreams! Happy Halloween.

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  7. Ah, the professional. You used these words to great effect. Creepy. Cold. Professional. The poor lovers, but after all, he was just doing his job. Your telling was sparse, which suited the voice. The ending was carried out with great aplomb. I must admit I expected it, which is not surprising, as I wrote a similar character.

    Great entry for the HAUNTING blogfest. Thanks so much for participating!

    Denise

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    1. great to hear, that you felt exactly what I was going for with this story, thanks, Denise, have a great day!

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  8. "I am a professional." Love that. Nice and cold. He does his job flawlessly and without remorse.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

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  9. Oh dear, that poor, poor cheating woman! Serious 30 year old, to a love sick teenager to a very dead body! So well told!

    Trick or Treat and Happy Halloween!

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  10. One group of people who "need killers" - writers!

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  11. Great story, leading us in and then hitting us hard with the ending, after all he is a professional. Great line.

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  12. LOL, creepy. At least they died happily fulfilled in their sleep.

    .......dhole

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  13. I was expecting just a P.I. but not an assassin! Nice story, but of course I don't mean that it's actually "nice" like puppies and rainbows. :P

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