KilBox

Where have all the good people gone?

Where did it go? All the truth and love and happiness. I mean there was a time when people were happy, truly happy. When hearts were as bright as the sun itself. Secrets and lies were unheard of and peace was just a natural thing. Nowadays peoples hearts are as black as the pavement I trudge on.

Distrust is as common as trees discarding leaves. That is if trees were still around.

It's as much of a concrete jungle as you'll find. Alleyways such as this one were littered with trash, rubble and the remains of a fresh kill. Blinking streetlights were commonplace and the city a great deal creepier. 

It's much better to trust no one. Count on only yourself, cause here betrayal is as common as breathing. When walking you don't make contact of any kind with any kind of anyone. Avoid people at all costs pretty much. If you prefer walk at night, midnight. Most people are asleep and if not, then keeping to themselves.

Nightwalking is much better anyway. More productivity fewer distractions. Too many people trying to make their mark during the day. You could argue that something could be out of sight in the shadows but I was well protected. 

Of course, so were others.

Turning the corner something prompted me to look back. Nothing was there but if something in me wanted to check then I should do so carefully.  Stopping mid-strut and turning to face the corner that I just emerged from a sigh escaped my lips. I looked it over again but slower, nothing different.

The blinking streetlight ceased blinking and stayed lit.

I turned on my heel when something fell. Or rather I heard something fall. Which prompted me to pause. On the ground directly behind me was a kitchen knife. The pointed end gleaming in the now light. 

I traced it back to the corner, where someone stood just out of sight. 

"Is someone there, someone's there right." I asked

The body shrank back into shadows.

"Damn it damn it." The shadow spoke

So someone was there. Depending on who they are this day just got good or bad.

"Come out whoever you are."

A shaking hand reached for the knife and pulled it into the shadow. A foot stepped into the light then another and then an arm until a young teenage boy came into view. The knife still in shaking hand.

"Uh kid what are you doing here? It's late." he gave me no answer.

"Okay, well why do you have a knife?" I might've imagined it but I think his hand gripped the knife tighter.

I narrowed my eyes and said  "Alright then go home to your parents if you have any. I'm gonna keep walking."

As soon as I took a step I heard him speak up.

"I'm sorry" he said.

"What was that?" I turned again

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm really sorry." He repeated, like he did something wrong.

What? Is this kid ok? Did he have special needs? Confused by his words they made me ask one final time.

"Kid are you--" the sentence was cut off by the sound of shoes hitting the pavement. The boy was coming at me, the knife now brandished. A simple kitchen knife but it gleamed with killer intent. Right before it connected my eyes leveled with the him. This plain and random kid, could he be my killer? Did he even have upgrades?

On instinct my right arm brought itself forward.

 I could say that time stopped in that moment however that would imply it was even working in the first place. 

Unsurprisingly my eyes did not close. Unblinkingly they stared at the boy and the weapon. A raggedy wail broke the silence. Of course not from me, it was the kid. Unlike me his eyes were shut. 

"I have to! Forgive me please!" He said.

You cant apologize to someone you're trying to kill. Did he even notice where the knife went? 

"What were you going to do if I spilled blood all over your clothes? What then?"

"huh?" Completely confused he then realized the blood that should be trickling out of the wound was in fact, not. The knife was actually bent. He probably also noted that I was not screaming in agony. 

"What?"  His voice was shaky and very much conflicted.

"H-How? I know it went right in so how?" He backed away and the contorted kitchen knife clattered to the ground.  Visibly shaking and probably scared he grasped for more words.

"Sigh." This wouldn't be interesting at all. I'll get back to my walk then and just leave this kid here.

"You can't leave. I have to kill you, I have to." 

The words did little to deter me from stopping strut. The alleys end was just a little further.

"If you're dead then I'll be able to pass my test. I can stop failing, finally. I have to, I have to do it. They told me to. The box told me to." He almost recited in a grave manner.

"Wait did you say the box?"  

Before I turned to face him the sound of footsteps became louder and closer. Moving toward the noise I could see the boy was not giving up in fact he was charging at me.

 Once he was within reach I picked him up by his neck and held him in the air. He began kicking and flailing. It was annoying to see. Reaching into his back pocket he produced another knife and thrust it, hard, into my arm again. 

"Kid!" Where did he get another knife?

It broke. He began clawing wildly at me ripping apart my sleeve in the process. What he saw no doubt petrified him. Wires running along a metal frame snaking and curving like miniature snakes. Various machine parts all clicking and whirring silently, no doubt working together to support his weight. Wrapped neatly and hidden by the rest of my jacket.

"S-so, you are. You are upgraded." he said shakily.   

"And you, what business did you have with the box?" The box was dangerous than anything else alive. Why did this kid need it? No I knew why, it just sickened me that he even had to consider it an option. 

"I have a math final and If I don't pass ... Look I just needed to pass ok! The box told me that if I killed you I'd get an upgrade. A brain implant to help pass the test."

"The box asked for me specifically?" I questioned

"No. Kill anyone, someone and bring back their arm as proof." He said

"If I let you go right now, will you attack me?" I asked devoid of any sympathy.

The boy was silent and his eyes, they told the truth. They also pleaded for mercy. I saw it and I also saw what would become of him If I let him go. He runs away and tries again kills someone else. He gets the implant and passes his test, but then he thinks "I want more". He thinks why should I even go to school. Then he'll turn to the box once more and it'll give him more orders, dangerous ones. Until he's just a pawn doing whatever it tells him to. 

I sighed. A long heavy sigh that I didn't know I was holding. It came up from my feet into my legs and ran from my arms. Circulating through my chest until it reached my entire body. A long heavy sigh for the heavier my heart will become.

I squeezed, one quick motion. No slow build-up like the movies. Fast and relatively painless. His body immediately went limp in my hand. Searching for remorse and a place to deposit his body, I found one of the two. A dumpster open and empty. Sure it wasn't a nice thing to do. But any cemeteries were full. 

Walking over to it and holding the body above it I pretended to drop all my burdens with it. 

No avail.

I had to kill him. Those touched by the box rarely strayed from the path it set for them. I would know, I'm one of them.