Memoirs of an Assassin #4 – Ignorance is Bliss

Written by Walt in Writing

Throughout the course of my professional career, I have adopted a mantra of sorts. Before undergoing any job, I would tell myself “Ignorance is Bliss”. In the broad scope of things this is a terrible way to view life, but it my case it was the only way to remain focused. By remaining ignorant to the demented thoughts of twisted individuals, I had risen to the top of my field.

There comes a time in life when morals are tested. In the profession of assassination, this time typically leads to retirement. When one can not put personal feelings aside, they become a liability in this game. Employers take that liability very seriously and have gone to great lengths to ensure that employers are not the result of their downfall.

When my morality presented itself, I was stunned. I felt as though a freight train was baring down on me and I was unable to move. My heart racked with guilt and in a moment of weakness I caved. To this day I do not fully understand why I followed my heart rather than my instructions.

When Kara made the decision to execute her brother and save her immediate family, I was stirred to action. My plan was simple and all the pieces fell into place as I climbed into my truck and pulled away from the shipyard. Through the use of a GPS tracking device, I caught up with Christa and her teenage son Matthew. I picked my moment and effortlessly ran them off the road less than five miles from their home. The secluded area made it very unlikely for anyone to hear the two gunshots that finished the job.

In a matter of minutes I was creeping through their home when elderly Miriam presented herself to me. She was attempting to descend the basement steps when I gave her a gentle nudge. Her brittle body clambered down the the flight of stairs and landed heavily at an awkward angle. There was no doubt in my mind that she had not survived the fall.

In the living room I found my final victim. I can only imagine that I appeared as nothing less than pure evil as the afternoon sun shone through the open window and glinted off of my Springfield Armory 1911. A single round of .45 ammunition was more than sufficient for fifteen pounds of flesh.

When her wide eyes looked up at me, they brimmed with life. My heart raced and my breathing staggered as the tiny body launched itself from the sofa and began running around my feet. Her playful bark brought tears to my eyes as I weighed my task.

Was I to end the life of this purely innocent soul or risk my own for a mere puppy? I stood staring at nothing for what seemed an eternity before my decision was made. I bent down, grabbed the rottweiler by the scruff of its neck and took it up into my arms. Her stump of a tail wagged as a cold nose and wet tongue met my face.

“No little one, I will not allow you to be a part of this sick little game.” I spoke aloud, as if the animal could understand the passion in my words. The decision was made and I could only hope that it did not lead to my demise.

Memoirs of an Assassin is an ongoing serial. To get caught up from the beginning, please use the links below.

  1. The First of Many
  2. Score a Point for Dear Old Dad
  3. Tough Choices

This piece has been included into the #FridayFlash Twitter GroupOpens in a new tab.. For more info on that group, and to view a collective of stories, check out JM Strother’s Mad Utopia.

Walt

Hi There, My name is Walt White and as the name of this blog suggests, I am a Pennsylvania resident. In addition to having numerous hobbies that I discuss on my blog - Iā€™m also the father of three little girls and a pitbull.

18 thoughts on “Memoirs of an Assassin #4 – Ignorance is Bliss”

  1. An interesting character to cause the assassin to have a moral crisis. The main character is certainly taking on a life of his own. Well thought out.

    1. Adam,
      I was going to make that character a baby but it felt too cliche and took the story in a direction I wasn’t overly fond of.

      Thanks for the comment

  3. Wow. Love this. Excellent writing and a nice psychological twist. You made it hard not to like the ‘bad guy’; a trick not easily done. Well met!

    1. Wulfie,
      I’m glad you liked the bad guy. This piece wasn’t as subtle as others when it came to showing the good side of the killer. I was afraid I might overdo it just a bit.

      I’m glad you enjoyed the piece. Thanks for the comment.

  4. I’ve not read the other entries — I will do so as soon as possible — but this is really nice. The descriptions were clear and the voice crisp. Good stuff in here! Well done. šŸ™‚

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed this piece and look forward to your thoughts on earlier installments of this serial.

      Thanks for the comment

    1. Gracie,
      I’m glad you enjoyed it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the earlier installments of this serial.

      Thanks for the comment.

    1. This one was shorter than the other installments. I wanted to stretch it a little but I was afraid it would read like it had too much fluff in it. I decided to keep it around 550 words and build on the storyline with the next installment.

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment.

    1. I was little worried that the end might come off too mushy and soften the character too much. I’m glad it worked out.

      Thanks for the comment

  10. I am starting to get worried about you, Watt. Killing people off left and right. But I am more worried about me because I am enjoy these stories too much. Love them. And I love the way your assassin has a soft spot in his heart for puppies.

  11. You know your readers are hooked when they continue to ponder on your story the next day. I can’t help it. This story has so much potential it has my mind racing. The puppy can be used in so many ways in future episodes IF it has a tracking chip or tatoo in its ear for identification. Just some food for thought. You probably have already thought about this though. Keep up the good work.

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