"Relentless" and other shorts

Relentless

"Always remember Sid, curiousity killed the cat," said Sid's mother as she held him in comforting embrace, over the now mud filled tiny grave of their cat, Rubles. As Sid sobbed into her shoulder over the loss of his feline friend, who had spent a luxurious 3 years in the Harlen household, lolling and snoozing about except during chow time. She had met her pathetic end that one fateful afternoon while precariously sauntering out of their house onto the road down the walkway, while the wheels of a station wagon greeted her with exuberance, smearing the gravel with crimson muscle and tufty fur. Ruble's scrambled remains had traumatized Sid Harlen excessively as a child, and as he now ran through scattered birch, willow and rowan on the outskirts of Reykjavik, he realized how similar Rubles and him were; only difference being, he wasn't dead...yet.

Two Years ago

"Oh for crying out loud, will you just stop with the bullshit?" Jude angrily said.

"But it's real you kn..kno..know" puffed Harry sarcastically as he stuffed more cookies into his mouth, his fat cheeks rotating with gluttony.

"Why dont we find out, Jude, how bad could it be?" sneered Sid. After all, it was just a website wasn't it?

Their shadowy silhouettes in the light of Harry's laptop screen loomed over them in the darkness of his living room. Harry was as daring as he was fat, one of those people who weren't to be underestimated by the tech support job and enormous midsection. That's probably why Sid and him got along so well, all the way from first year. Jude was the level headed one, always striving to be a law abiding citizen, great job at a law firm, but through all the differences of opinion and character, they all enjoyed the unknown in different shades.

Friends from college in Dubai, they had all graduated into successful, lucrative career paths. Four years since final year now, they had cushioned themselves into life's monotonous sway, meeting up on weekends to watch movies and discuss conspiracy theories, followed by buckets of fried chicken and preservative overflowing coleslaw.

"This is ridiculous, definitely for kicks," chuckled Harry as he moved his greasy fat sausages across the laptop trackpad, scrolling through the website. The webpage was basic in design: A black background, white Italic text next to shimmering translucent images of gold and silver coins that probably surfaced from the imagination of someone who loved B pirate movies, while the header of the webpage read: Hire'n'Hit.

"Don't do this Harry. Keep me out of it. You know this is illegal! What the heck is wrong with you?! you know we've read the stories online! This is dangerous! I am not partaking in this crap," quavered Jude as he frantically fumbled for his car keys.

"Oh come on, Jude, don't be such a pussycat will you?" Laughed Sid.

"I mean it Sid. I want no part in this. None!"

"Alright, alright. Take it easy. Plus, it's late. you have work tomorrow don't you?"

"I do."

"Alright then, see you around."

As Jude walked towards the front door, Harry called out to him, "Hey Jude?"

"Yea?" said Jude.

"Could you do me a favour and grow a pair by next week?"

"Hilaaaarious," grumbled Jude as he unlocked the door and shut the door behind him over Sid and Harry's cackling laughter.

"Now, let's get to it shall we?" Asked Harry with a solemn expression, as he closed the window of the fake website he had created to terrify Jude.

"Lead the way techie!" Exclaimed Sid with vigor.

As Harry typed away into his screen working his craft, Sid sat back and reflected. It had been a great way to get weed online, this part of the web. Harry was impeccable, such a good hacker...