My trusty pair of scissors, they followed me everywhere. You never knew when there would be something to cut, like a thread, or someone to threaten, like an unsuspecting grandmother. I took pride in its appearance, cleaning and polishing every crevice of its sleek blades. I couldn’t have people laugh or grimace when I pulled it out of my pocket, it was meant to elicit either awe or fear. It was a beautiful Tuesday evening, the air was cool, the moon was full and the streets were quiet. I put on my grey noodle-stained hoodie and stepped out, opportunities were rife on nights like these and I was feeling pretty hungry. The stairwell of the apartment complex stank of weed, piss and vomit, a fearsome concoction that now represented home to me. Outside by the front door, Harry sat scratching his already bleeding neck and shivering.
‘What do you need?’ I asked
‘C-c-co-c-ai-ne.’ he stammered back
‘I got you bro.’ I said, giving him a fist bump before going in my way.
This happened at least once a week. Based on the flickers of life in his eyes he was already on something but coke was his staple drug. I’d snorted a few lines with him a few weeks ago and that was the best high of my life. I owed him for that. Now I had two motivations.
On nights like these, I always went to the park, people loved combining silence and nature. It left them in a tranquil daze, unsuspecting, just how I liked them. I skulked through the park, passing by three couples. The full moon is quite romantic until the werewolves come out. It holds beauty as well as fear, just like my scissors. I sat on a bench facing the park entrance, waiting for someone to come in alone, vulnerable. After a few minutes, my perfect prey made their entrance. Grey hair glistening in the moonlight, a slightly hunched back, thin arms resting on an elderly support stroller. Beautiful, just beautiful. She made her way around the bend, slowly shuffling into my path. Once she was a few metres away I sprung up, unsheathing my scissors and snapping them a few times.
‘Give me everything you have.’ I ordered.
I checked to see where the couples were, only one left and they were actively ignoring the situation. She slowly reached into her bag and I was expecting a fat stack of cash based on the Loui Vuitton scarf adorning her neck. Instead of a wad of fifties, I was met with a strike to the shoulder, a pair of nunchucks dangled from her wrinkled right hand. I was in so much shock that I wasn’t able to move for a few seconds, my prey was fighting back. She used this opportunity to strike my precious scissors out of my hands, they bounced off the floor and I was suddenly shaken back into action. I ran towards the spot I had seen it fly to but upon arriving there I found only one half, my partner in crime had been broken. I turned around to face her enraged, this wasn’t just a robbery anymore.
I flew at her with the broken scissors in my hand, prepared to stab this witch to hell but I was struck again. This time in the face. I couldn’t rush blindly at her, she was skilled and maintained the distance by swinging her nunchucks around. She left no openings, I had to create one. Her left hand rested on her stroller, stabilising her, if I could get that hand off she’d be done for. Swiftly, I slid low and struck her stroller leg, she stumbled and fell and at once I was on her. My right arm moved autonomously, swinging viciously up and down. My left hand was clasped around her neck and I felt the life leave her on each swing, deflating like a popped balloon. I looked across the park and the couple was gone, they hadn’t seen my face and I had a pretty average build. I would be in the clear if they reported to the police. I grabbed her purse and ran back to my apartment complex, I had to change, my clothes were drenched in blood. I got back to my room and opened the bag, there were a few fifty-pound notes and two credit cards. I rummaged through it a little more and found a scrap of paper with two four-digit codes. God bless the poor memories of the elderly. Harry and I would be sorted for some time to come. Next, I took out my broken scissors, placed them on the table and got out my cleaning supplies. I got revenge for my partner, he tasted the blood of that monster.
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