A Tale Once Told [2020 Edition]

Chapter 1

A warm breeze swept through the streets as a young man walked down them, his dark hair messily pushed to one side. His boots made a satisfying click each time they hit the cobblestone of the road as the man turned into a seemingly vacant alleyway. How ever the man was not overheating in the 75-degree weather while wearing a sweater, it was not sure, but perhaps he was just always cold.

He stopped in his tracks about halfway in, lowering one knee to the ground and lowering his head in respect.

"I'm here now boss. Sorry for the delay, but I await your orders." He spoke into the darkness as if expecting a reply.

And a reply did come.

"Don't be late again, Illias, or you will face the consequences." said a deep voice from the shadows, sighing before continuing, "Either way. I'd like it if you could try to be the babysitter of a girl named Liris Lemming. She's about six years old I think, but her parents have gotten into some suspicious stuff, and it's interfering with our work."

As Illias nodded in agreement, the moonlight made its way into the alley and illuminated the other man present. His face was still not visible, but he was wearing a bright purple jacket and had short, dark hair. He was seated in a chair in front of a blocked-off building at the end of the alley. His sweet-smelling perfume could be smelt even from where Ilias was kneeling, a few feet away.

The man began again, "In order to disrupt what they're doing, I'd like it if you could kill their daughter. Any way that you please, it doesn't matter, but I must say one thing, Illias. Do not kill the parents. Competition is always a nice thing but I would like them to be warned. Can you do this? You're really the only man I trust for the job."

"Of course, Devon. I'll try my best to fulfill your wishes.," Illias said without hesitation, "Do you have an address or a phone number I could use to contact them?"

A smile crept on Devon's face as he started to give Illias the details he asked for.

------

After a few days of planning with the girl's parents, they decided to let him babysit that coming Saturday. They wanted to go out together, and as Illias wasn't asking for much money to watch Liris, they accepted him with very little hesitation or questioning.

He knocked on the door to their house, every inch of the exterior a nearly spotless white. Her parents answered, already dressed up for their night on the town.

"Oh! Are you dressed for the occasion as well?" asked her mother.

"..No miss, this is what I usually wear," replied Illias, pondering if his clothing was really too formal. It's just what he wore to meetings with Devon, and his red sweater was the only one he had. And red was the best to wear that night if he were to be committing murder.

"Well," said her dad, finally appearing in the doorway, "Are we all set? Do you have everything you need?"

Illias nodded and pointed to the backpack on his back containing what he claimed to be "emergency first aid items". The dad laughed, said that they had those items in the house already. They all shook hands and then the girl's parents were on their way and locked the door behind them.

All of the furniture in the house had plastic covers on it, which would make it very uncomfortable to sit. But, Illias thought, it would make it much easier to clean up blood if I had to kill her out here.

As if on a queue, a short girl bounded out from the kitchen and towards him, her shoulder-length brown hair bouncing as she ran.

"What's that smile on your face for, mister? Are you thinking about something nice?" she said, looking up at him. Her question broke him out of his murder planning.