i hired a hitman on myself // joshler [✓]

VIII

almost running about 8 stoplights, getting close to hitting people crossing the street on their light, and nearly getting  t-boned by 3 cars, i still managed to get home in one piece.

i parked in my driveway and made a b-line out of my car and into my house. i shut my front door behind me and ran up my stairs and was ready to run into my room.

something stopped me from running into my room, though. the door to petes room was wide open, and it was completely empty. all that was left was the bed-frame and his desk.

i carefully walked in to exam the empty white room, there was nothing. how could he managed to pack up almost everything and leave within 5 hours?

and why would he leave anyway?

i scanned it over to find a piece of paper that was left on his bed frame. it looked to have writing on it. i quickly walked over and picked up the note.

it read,

"josh,
i know this is really short notice,
but i had to leave.
my mom got sick and
i had to go visit her in oregon.
i don't know when or if i'll be back,
but just know that i am okay.
maybe we'll meet again.
stay safe, josh. and good luck.

-pete"

something didn't seem right. pete seemed fine this morning. plus, why take everything with you if you were going to visit your mom?

this was all too confusing and i couldn't comprehend it right away. but i soon realized why i had to come home anyway. i had to check my computer.

i ran out of petes room and into mine to see my monitor was on, and the deep web browser on full-screened onto my desktop.

it was the same hitman website that had all my information implanted into it that was sent through the link, except now i knew where it came from. it came from my own damn computer.

the cursor was on the "confirm hitman" option on the website. nothing i could do could move it. it seemed like the only option i had was to press it.

and we all know know i'm not doing that.

i wasn't sure what was happening, so i did the only thing i really thought i could do,
"ann? ann?! what's going on?!" i panicked.

there was no response, the website still remained and my mouse on the screen did not move. i was practically staring death in the face.

after what seemed like minutes of nothing happening, a message finally popped up,

"hElLo
joShUA."

this wasn't ann. she said herself she was trying to help prevent anything from hacking my computer. this was something or someone else.

"who are you? and what happened to ann?" i exclaimed at my own monitor. the message deleted itself, and then after shortly waiting again, an answer popped up,

"iTs yOUR
GooD pAL
R
A
Z."

in a way, i should have expected that, but seeing that name made my heart drop and turn in my own stomach. i didn't understand what had happened for him to get in my system.

"raz, tell me where ann is." i firmly demanded, internally knowing he wouldn't give me a valid response.

his response came quicker than expected, though it still wasn't an answer i was looking for,

"LeT uS
pLAy a
gAMe
jOSHUa."

"i'm not playing your game raz just get out of my computer." i declined, though it still didn't do anything to stop him.

"cAN i
mAkE a
dEaL wiTH
yOu joSHUa?"

"no raz," i dismissed, "i need you gone."

"yOU conFIRm
thE hiTmAn
plAcEmenT,
aNd i donT
kiLL anyONe."

"confirming the EXPERT hitman would kill me, and plus, you can't do anything to me from the other side of the screen." i scoffed at him.

"i kNOw
i caNT kILL yOu,
bUt
i cAn KiLL hiM."

"who?" i was now starting to raise suspicion and concern, and his next response proved me right, and now i was terrified.

his next message a picture, it was of pete who was bounded to a chair by his wrists and ankles, he looked to be unconcious but his face was beaten and bruised, his right eye swollen and his mouth trickling blood from being open.

i couldn't make out the place he was in, the background was just a brick wall that was pained over with grey paint.

raz deleted the picture, probably feeding off his own victory as it was clear that i was now terrified for myself and pete. this was so bad.

"dO wE
HaVE a
dEaL?"

i was in a frenzy, i wasn't sure how i would get out of this situation. i either do what he says and pete lives, but i have a chance of dying. or i don't do what he says and pete dies and i probably get killed either way.

i couldn't win.

"can... can i get more time to think?" i asked with worry flooding my tone. there was no right way out of this, but it was the only thing i could think of.

"10
seCoNDS."

all those other times were i was panicked, were nothing compared to what i was feeling right now. the pressure was on, and there was no turning back, no saving myself, i had to make a choice.

but either way one of us was for sure dead.

messages kept popping up that counted down one by one starting from ten. my whole body was now anxious as it was shaking violently, my palms were sweaty and my mind was flooded with possible outcomes.

i couldn't think straight. this wasn't the way i wanted to go, but at least it gave pete a chance, so i did it. i was in agony and close to tears, but i did it.

my pointer finger clicked the left mouse button, confirming the hitman placement. i just did that. i was dead. i was so dead. this wasn't rigid. but i did what i thought i'd never have to do.

i just hired a hitman on myself.