The Life Beyond You

Chapter 1

There's sirens and honking.
People yelling into there phones, never sparing so much as a passing glance to the girl walking next to them. They don't know I exsist in this world. Even though I see the same people everyday for almost 2 years now. I moved to New York when I was 17, trying to get away from that small corner of Maine and my parents pushing on me to go make something of myself. So I did, in a way they didn't expect.

My phone dings:
Martin Van: Roof, 34, 9:20.

I speed up my walking and sink into a crowd of people. I slip my way out into a small alley, the smell of gasoline and sewage flooded my lungs but at this point, nothing in this place bothered me. I find the rusted green ladder and make my way up carefully, the cold February breeze brushing my ice cold cheeks softly. I take a moment and inhale the air, letting the cold stab my lungs, freezing them. Once I make it to the top I walk toward a small vent sticking up from the roof. It takes me a moment to break off the frozen lid and inside, I pull out my M-93 rifle. It's big and bulky, but rarely used in a place like New York. I set the stand on the edge of the roof, gently placing the rifle ontop. I look at 34th street. It leads behind a few building complexes in a housing area, quiet place for an exchange.

The time is 9:15pm. I stand up for a moment and look at the view. The lights, the multistorey buildings hovering over the tiny people walking...Seeing but not looking. They don't understand that life is passing them by until all that's left is memories. I let it pass by too, but I don't have anyone to remind me what its worth. People who know me eventually ask, "Why aren't you living? Why are you alone." Because, to find someone who understands is hard. Not only that but, my life is a constant battle between wanting to be alone..but not wanting to be lonely. My life is based off of seeking the Great Perhaps. That one thing I need but don't know what it is.

I check the time again. 9:20. I walk over the the rifle, squinting into the small scope. It's dark, but I can see a short heavy man walking down 34th street, his winter coat barely fitting. I follow him down the small house complex until he stops by a small silver car. I'm aimed right at his stomach...then his chest...then his head. I don't know why Martin needs this man dead, I don't question it. I know I'll get paid, that's all I need. My finger was itching to pull that trigger, all was going as well as it could've until out of the 2nd floor of a small house, I spot a child. His silohuette peering out the window at the man. I wasn't certain if the man was the child's father, but something made me miss my shot. Something made me shoot right below the man's left leg. Something made me hide my rifle back in that vent. Something made me run.

I didn't stop until I reached my apartment. My old worn down apartment. Once I'm inside I lock my door and pull down my blinds. One thing you learn in this place is, someone knows where to find you. Once my head stops echoing the sound of my heartbeat, I hear something move next to me on the small brown couch. I quickly turn around and staring at me is a grinning girl. She looked around my age, a few inches shorter. Her sleek brown hair was french braided down her shoulder. She was wearing torn fishnets under a short black skirt. Her white shirt hugging her chest. For some reason I didn't feel threatened.

"Nice place you have here. This couch goes with that brown stain leaking in that corner of your ceiling no?" She said in a fake french accent, obviously trying to amuse me.

"Sorry I don't remember inviting a critic to my home. You want to walk out whole or leave a few fingers behind."

"You really don't like people. Well lets get straight to it love." She stood up and for a moment, her eyes flashed emerald. I blinked, and they were a deep brown again. Before I can even move she grabs my wrists, blowing in my face. Immediately everything looked blurry and distorted. I could feel cold hands around my shoulders and someone talking, there voice calm. Was it her? I couldn't tell, everything turned into nothing. And I was gone.