Essence

Chapter 1: Badman

The light shone into the abandoned warehouse where I was so patiently waiting at, for the drop off. It was the middle of the night, nice and secluded like I always had it. After a few moments of tapping my foot impatiently standing beneath the shadows, a vehicle pulled into the massive warehouse doors. A massive man steps out of the car, he wore a nice black suit with a white shirt underneath, he also wore one of those flat caps that a newspaper boy might wear in the 1930s.

    I emerged from the shadows wearing the nice business suit and large trench coat that I always wore during my drop offs. The large man yelled at me, "De-tective! You got that candy?"

    "Yeah.... You got the money?" I kept it short and sweet, keeping my voice hoarse and disguised.

    The man nods and motions two fingers towards the car. Three bulk sized men wearing identical suits as their leader stepped out, one of them carried a large black briefcase. The one with the briefcase walked carefully up to me and unlatched the buckles of the case revealing a large amount of money. I gave him a nod, he sat the case on the ground and slid it towards my direction. I pulled a parcel from the inside of my trench coat and threw it to the large man. He caught it and began laughing in a low tone. "Thanks you know it's very cliché and ironic that a detective like you is selling drugs to criminals. If I didn't know any better I would think that you are trying to set us up. But considering we have been doing business for months, I suppose I am safe."

    As he spoke i began looking at the money. Fake, all of them fake, I have been in the business for a while and knew the difference between real money and fake. My anger took over and I threw the briefcase towards them. "These bills are fake. I don't deal business with men like you that waste my time." I pulled a long hand gun out from my coat. Even though the fake money fluttered through the air, I was an excellent shot and killed all four of them. Four shots is all I needed.

    I was about to head out of the warehouse when I heard one of the car doors open. A small child appeared, he couldn't be older then about eight or nine. "Daddy, no!" He shouted, crouching over his fathers dead corpse he whimpered. Tears flooded from his eyes mixing with the blood. "You killed my dad, you are a very bad man, very bad."

    I remained silent as I left the abandoned building. I left the fake currency, the parcel full of drugs, and the weeping child behind. I left everything behind without a care in the world.

   

    A women's voice echoed through the room, "Dan, Dan. Wake up, Dan. Wake up" I forced myself awake still wearing the large trench coat. "Are you going to get up?"

    I threw a pillow at her, "I guess I'll drag my ass out of bed Layla." I chuckled getting out of bed.

    "So, Mr. husband of mine, another long night at the office?" She asked her eyebrows raised.

    I immediately responded with lies, "It was a very long night, I was swamped with tons paperwork. I finally sorted it all out last night and came home." I adjusted myself and sat up on the edge of the bed and continued, "We also have this new serial killer on the loose. They nicknamed him the Grim Reaper. I have to continue through my paperwork tonight, hopefully catch this man, and place this asshole behind bars."

    "You will, Dan. You will. You are the best detective since Sherlock Holmes." We both chuckled jokingly. I shook myself awake and changed, so I wouldn't be in my trench coat anymore. A simple t-shirt and jeans. I spent the rest of the day with my wife and kid. I took my son Jeffery to his favorite park pushing him on his favorite swing. We ate a delicious pot roast, mashed potatoes, and carrots. After that we spent the rest of the day watching old black and white movies.