Guilt - (Darius Sammer Short Story)

 

My meetings with Sammer were always connected to work. Rarely, he invited me to his place just to chat, but even so we always found ways to talk about work as well. Our boss Manoelle which Sammer prefers to call “the fat cane” once sent both of us on a mission.

- I want you to go to Damien’s house! – he said.

- Why boss? – Sammer asked. – What did the guy do to our lovely thin friend?

- If you don’t shut your mouth Sammer, I’ll do it for ya!

- No need for violence.

- What did Damien do, exactly? – I interfered.

- I sent him to deliver some coke to Flint City two days ago, but I still haven’t been contacted by my people there, so I think something’s wrong. I want you to go there and start asking questions.

- And why do I need to go there, as well? – Sammer asked.

- I need you to be there if there’s a need for some muscle.

- Should I get offended by this? – I said in surprise.

- Get used to it.

We were driving to Damien’s place in my car. Then as if something twitched in Sammer’s head, he changed the radio’s music to disco. He turned the volume so loud that the people outside started looking at us, as if we were a clown car passing by.

- Turn it down, for God’s sake! – I screamed.

- What? You don’t like to have fun?

- No, I just can’t listen to music while I’m thinking about what we’re gonna to do, once we get there.

- Just ask some questions and move on with our day, that’s it. It’s not like that guy Damien has a freaking machine gun to be scared about. Relax.

- Maybe you’re right, I am overthinking it.

- Besides, there’s two of us against one.

- Don’t be so confident, Sammer.

But he just smiled, while he was looking through the window and turned his head to me saying.

- It’s what keeps me going.

I pulled over in front of the house and the disco music finally stopped. We went upstairs and knocked on the front door. Knocked again. Same thing. But my friend thought that he could use plan B, instead. He took a few steps back and I questioned.

- What are you doin..

And I couldn’t even finish my sentence when I saw him running past me, his body ramming through the door, breaking it. His corpse was on the ground and his head was shaking, trying to focus his vision. There was a guy in the living room who was sitting on a couch and jumped up when he saw us brake in. The man was in his forties. He had a bald head, but with little hair on the sides. He wore a white tank top and boxers. He ran to the other room and returned soon after. It turned out that the guy actually had a freaking machine gun and started to shoot at us. I pulled Sammer’s body by the armpits and jumped from the side. We hid behind a wall and the bullets started to fly right beside us.

- What the frakiny frick is happening!? – he shouted once he got back on his senses.

We had to scream just to hear each other.

- We’re under attack, that’s what!

He stopped for a moment to listen and said.

- Is this the freaking machine gun we were talking about, earlier!?

- Now it’s not the time for that, Sammer! What are we gonna do, now?

- His ammo isn’t infinite. Just wait.

We did so and after a couple of seconds his gun stopped working. We revealed ourselves from cover and Sammer started beating him. I was looking through the front door if somebody would come. But when he was throwing punches, Damien reached his hand to a stun gun on the cupboard and electrified Sammer. He fell on his back and right before he was going to continue hurting him I punched Damien’s cheek. He grabbed my neck and quickly electrifying my chest, making me collapse. But he didn’t stop. He continued to send shock waves through my body and I was beginning to lose consciousness. I saw Sammer standing above him with a pistol against his head. But he didn’t shoot. He stood there for a few seconds, his eyes were looking at something, that captured their attention and then Sammer struck Damien’s head with the gun’s handle.

I got back on my feet and needed to lean on the wall so I wouldn’t collapse again. Sammer stood above his unconscious body.

- Why did you hesitate? – I said.

He raised his head to me.

- What?

- Why did you hesitate to shoot him? He was going to kill us!

He went to the cupboard from where Damien took the stun gun and took a picture’s frame. After that he shoved it in my face so I can see it clearly and said.

- Because of this…

On the picture there was a little kid with short dark hair, a school uniform and a big smile on his face. I didn’t say anything. We went out, leaving his body. While we were driving back I couldn’t help, but ask him what will happen after the task isn’t even done.

- We won’t do anything. – he said.

- How?

- We’ll say to Manoelle that we couldn’t find Damien in his home. That saves our asses, but not his.

- And if he realizes we’re lying? I mean, we did broke through the guy’s front door.

- He won’t, I’ll make sure of it.

- About that boy, I’ve never seen you think twice about killing someone.

Sammer didn’t answer immediately. He took some time and after we went past a few street lights he said.

- When I was in the CIA few years back I was sent on a mission to kill a guy who’s been selling drugs and killing cops to cover his business. When I went to his place I did the same thing as today. I rammed the door. Started punching the guy and just when I pulled the trigger, a little boy was standing on the door. His father’s blood was reaching for his feet and I will never forget the cry it made that day. His scream is still echoing in my head. Psychologists worked with him, trying to cure his sanity. The CIA never let the world know that someone from their organization killed the future of a child. They just made a cover up for it. I once visited the same kid just to be sure if he’s getting okay. The moment he saw me he started screaming: KILLER! KILLER! That’s the last time I saw him. I’ve seen it with my own eyes what it’s like to lose someone precious in front of you. But to be the one responsible for that someone’s death is just….dooming.

We told Manoelle we couldn’t find Damien in his home, but we did find the cocain in one of the closets. He stated that he will find that motherfucker and make him pay. Even burn his entire family if he has to. I noticed Sammer was holding his fists tightly, and his veins were pulsing so much I thought he will jump into him, any moment.

Few days later Sammer called me saying Damien’s family is safe.

- How do you know? – I asked.

- I fixed the front door and I also gave him some cash. Told him to move to a different city and also change his job for the sake of his son, because if he doesn’t next time I won’t hesitate to kill him.

- I know you would.

- Shut up.

10 Years later

The sun was going to sleep, letting the moon shine into the sky. My car was busted, so I had to walk. Coming home from work, I went to one of the street lights and leaned my back. It was a long day and I needed a rest. Just when I was putting a cigarette in my mouth, a voice asked in the darkness.

- Wanna light?

I laughed and immediately realized who was talking to me.

- How many times are you gonna to show up like this, Sammer? – I asked.

He stood on the other side of the street light, where it was dark and I couldn’t see him.

- As soon as it’s original, I will.

A little flame appeared in the air and lightened my cigarette.

- Aren’t you gonna invite me for a little drink? – he said.

- You still drink? I thought you would give up on it.

- Give up on wine? It’s like giving up on life. Anyway, how’s the family.

- It’s like you don’t know already. Carla’s probably making dinner.

- And your son?

- You know, you became quite the fairy tale for my son, Sammer.

- Really?

- Yeah, he can’t fall asleep without listening about one of your adventures.

- Just don’t tell me he has passion for shooting bullets.

- No, but he has a passion for the pen. He wants to become a writer.

- I hope so, Gale.

I was breathing out the smoke and my eyes were in the skies. There was a question I was thinking about for a while and now’s the time to ask it.

- You told me that you’ve been in prison, right? And that you’ve actually broke out from it.

- Yeah, so?

- Well doesn’t that mean that you’ve been nationally wanted since then and you’ve changed your name to hide yourself?

He laughed in the dark and took his time to answer.

- You will always know me by Darius Sammer, Gale. No matter what.

- So do the people you work with now, know your real name?

- What made you think I work with somebody?

- You don’t?

- I’m tired of being a hitman, but I’ll always have a passion for shooting bullets.

- So you’re a lone wolf know, huh?

He revealed himself under the street light and its lens flare was casting a shadow over his face.

- I’ve always been. - he said and walked down the street. I didn’t follow. Our paths were separated a long time ago. My phone rang and I saw that Carla was calling.

- Honey, aren’t you coming for dinner? Mark is starving.

- Oh right, I’m on my way, dear.

- Please hurry, he can’t stop talking about what story you’re going to tell him, about his uncle Darius, tonight.

- I will Carla, I will.

I hung up the phone and started walking. Now my mind was circling around what story should I tell my son. Maybe about how Sammer joined the CIA. I don’t know.