The Assassin

Chapter One

Hello, I'm known as Shadow. My real name you ask? Doesn't exist. It was lost long ago. I go by Shadow now. I sat staring at the spider sitting on my coffee table. It almost seemed like it was staring back. The spider had not moved for awhile. I sipped my cold beer and continued staring. The spider moved an inch or so and I sat still watching the way the spider's legs moved up and then down onto the flat surface. It entertained me, and I can take any right now. I have had my doors locked for weeks. I've been sitting alone day after day. Regulars are disgusting. They surround themselves with others and claim it makes them happy. How stupid of them. Feelings? Love? It all kills you in the end. Me? I've locked myself off from it, but just like everyone else I have a story. A past you could say. I loved once, only once, and it hurt me to the point of...well, my life now. What's my life now you ask? Well, I can sum it up in one word. Death. That's right. I kill for a living. I'm not effected by it. It's doesn't bother me one bit. It's my life. I survive off of killing. Anyone who is offended by my way of living...well, you could say they don't live to be offended. I rarely see Regulars. They live together in small towns and cities. I live alone in the woods. I like it out here, it's just me and my horse. Why do I have a horse you ask? I live 11.6 miles from the nearest town. Trust me, a horse comes in handy. I'm not stupid though, I didn't name the creature. It's horse to me. I don't give things names. It's stupid. I mean, you get attached and then feelings happen. I feel sometimes, I feel hate all the time. It's the only emotion I allow myself to feel. I leaned down over to the table and blew on the spider. It didn't move. It just sat still. I rubbed my arm through my sleeve. My black cotton shirt was irritating my wounds. Yeah, I said it. I have wounds, but they were caused by myself. That's what happens when I feel any other emotion other than hate. I punish myself. I sipped my beer again. I stared at the spider. It still sat there, almost lifeless. Just like me. I sit around alone all day everyday. I locked my doors weeks ago; not allowing anyone to give me jobs. I don't know why, I just needed a break. However, now I'm ready again. I stood and with my empty beer bottle smashed the little black spider. It had entertained me enough.  I walked over to the door and reached out to unlock it, and literally as soon as I did I heard a loud knock. I opened the door slowly. My door always has chains on it. God, even my windows are all boarded. What can I say? Some people think Assassin's deserve to be killed. I looked out and found myself staring into piercing blue eyes. I closed the door and removed the chains then reopened it to see a tall man in a black robe standing in the darkness. His blue eyes stared at me. He didn't move while I stood there just staring at him. I saw him smile before he attempted to walk into my cabin. I pulled my knife that I keep in my pants on my back and held it to his throat. 

"Not so fast, pretty boy." I spoke deeply into his ear. I felt him release a deep sigh onto my neck. I couldn't exlpain the feeling that rushed through my body in that moment. I pushed the dagger to his throat and forced him to back out and stand on my stairs again outside my door. "What do you want?"

"I need your assistance, Shadow." The man spoke with a rusty deep voice.

"Speak." I gave him permission to continue and tell me his job. People who come to me know the deal. I ask the questions and they are to speak when spoken to. I watched as he reached for his robe's pocket. I held up my dagger and let him know I wouldn't hesitate to slit his throat. He got the message and continued slowly. he pulled out a picture.

"I need this man murdered." He handed me the photo. I glanced at it, but then put it in my bra to glance over later. 

"I need your name and your target's name. I also need your number." I spoke and the man nodded.

"Of course." He pulled out a pen and a small note tablet. He wrote down a number and two names and handed it to me. I also slid it down into my bra. The man stared. He acted as if there was more to be done.

"Um," I death stared the man. "Leave." I said firmly. He nodded and walked down the steps and back off into the rain. I walked back inside and chained my door back up.

I walked over to my couch and took a seat. I stared at my empty beer bottle on the table, I leaned over to pick it up and look at the dead spider. However, the little black spider was no where to be seen. When I leaned back into my couch I noticed the little spider on the couch cusion beside me. I looked at it for a moment, then at my beer bottle, then back to the little spider. I smiled at it then used my hand to pick it up and place it on the table. I said 'stay there' and then resumed leaning back and pulled out the photo and the note. The man in the photo was tall and thin. He had black hair and kept it short and styled. I reached over with my right hand to rub my wounds on my arm. Then continued examining the photo. The man had a nice look to him, but I never ask questions. I do what I am told and then I disappear. I placed the photo down on the couch next to me and realized the spider was sitting where my hand was resting. Now annoyed, I picked it back up and placed it back on the table. I looked at the names and the number. The target's name was Nick, and the man who was hiring me is called 'Ryan' I placed it on the couch with the photo and saw the spider had returned to the location by the photo. I leaned down to look a the little spider. I blew on it a little bit, but the little creature didn't move. It sat still and didn't move an inch. I leaned back up and just stared at it for a moment before picking it back up gently and taking over to my window. I reached my hand through a space between the boards and unlocked the window, then opened it. I reached my left hand, the one who was holding the little black spider, and held it out of the window. I then dropped the little creature out onto the wet cold ground. I watched the rain pour, and then I slid my window shut and locked it up again. I turned and headed for my bedroom. It was late, somewhere around midnight. I don't keep clocks or anything. I learned to judge the time by the sun, but being indoors so much makes it hard. I stripped down, since I sleep nude, and crawled into bed. I got comfortable and reached over to my side table to turn off my lamp and noticed a little black spider sitting on the lamp's base. I froze and then leaned closer. It was the same spider, I'm sure of it. I shrugged and pormised myself I would handle it in the morning; that is if the creature is still around. I clicked my lamp off and went to sleep.