The Break Up
Grabber woke, opened his eyes and looked at the alarm clock near the bed. Exactly 3:45 a.m. Exactly the time he’d set his mind’s alarm clock for. He got up from the bed carefully, using every well-toned muscle in his body to keep the bedsprings or the floor from making a sound. Once he was up he glanced at Lea, assuring himself she was still asleep. She was. He touched her long dark hair once, softly, and then crept to the kitchen. This wasn’t going to be easy. Jack Grabber didn’t usually drink, but he now poured himself a full glass of Goldschlager and tossed it back. “Here’s to memories,” he whispered, “or soon-to-be memories”. Lea died for him in that moment. She had to. It had turned out that Murlock, his arch-rival was still alive; still alive and onto his trail. He couldn’t afford to have a girlfriend now. And he couldn’t afford to have an ex-girlfriend either. He entered the bedroom. He didn’t look at Lea’s sleeping body. He didn’t think of her family or friends. He didn’t think of her dreams of being a high powered corporate consultant. He couldn’t think of those things now or he wouldn’t be able to go through with it. Instead he just saw a breathing mass on the bed. He pulled the roll of duct tape from where he’d hidden it under her nightstand. He pulled the series of injections he’d prepared for her from under his bed. He pulled the sledge hammer from behind her bookshelf, the welding iron from her walk in closet. He took all these things, kissed her once on the forehead, and set to work…