"Hey Mr. Smith, what can I do for you?" He opens the door and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Sorry, I was expecting someone trying to sell me something. They seem to come around here knocking on doors every weekend." I nod. "Why don’t you come on in?" I follow him on in and through the same living room as we sat in before to a much smaller room with a gigantic TV mounted on the wall showing the Redskins. "Just getting ready to watch the game, you don’t mind do you?" I sit down on the other end of the L-shaped sectional couch. "Can I get you a beer?" I shake my head and watch the Redskin kicker kick the ball deep into the end zone. "I hate this new rule where they moved the kickoff up. It kills all the fun in the kickoff." I nod. "So what brings you by today?" I'm making the movements with my mouth but nothing is coming out. "Are you okay?" I nod again and take a few deep breaths. "Are you sure you don’t want a beer?"
"I'm sure. I just wanted to stop by and see if you thought of anything else." I can’t believe how hard this is. I feel so out of place. It’s like my body is here, but my mind is in the truck. I imagine Harris is watching this from one of the many cameras that I'm sure are placed in this room. I look up at the ceiling, but I don’t see anything.
"I haven’t thought of anything else. To be honest with you, I've actually been trying not to think about it anymore. Been taking a toll on my wife and kids some." He doesn't take his eyes off the screen as one of the Giant receivers catches a short pass and runs out of bounds about forty yards downfield. "Damn Redskins. I hope they get it together one of these years." I feel the gun with my hand in my pocket. I'm trying to think about how I'm actually going to do this. I still don’t think I can go through with it. I look at Sorenson. He's another human being, an innocent man just sitting there watching his favorite team on a peaceful Sunday afternoon. He probably went to church this morning with his family. He looks over at me. "Sorry, I'm not much company, it's just whenever they play I get pretty involved with the game. Used to have season tickets, but once Haley was born I decided it would be better to stay close to home instead so I compromised and bought this." He points at the large screen TV. "It's not the same, but it's close enough. You a Skins fan?"
"I try and watch when I can, but I was born in Southern Florida, so I have always favored the Dolphins."
"Can’t go wrong with the Fish, though they have been struggling the last few years too." He turns his head back towards the game. I feel my hand squeeze the gun again and suddenly it's out and I'm pointing it directly at Sorenson. I hear a loud explosion and see a trail of orange flames shoot out above my wrist. Sorenson is on the ground clutching his throat and staring at me. There is a large amount of blood pouring out of him just above his nose. What have I done? I look down at my hand. I'm still clutching the weapon. It feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. I can’t believe it. I don’t know what to do. I'm staring into Sorenson's eyes. He seems unable to breathe or talk. He is just looking at me. I can't tell if he's even alive. I want to kneel down beside him, but I'm unable to move. It feels like I’m watching a bad horror movie, but I know it's real. I somehow stand up, not sure how. I walk over to him and see his chest isn’t moving and his eyes have gone lifeless. I have never seen someone die before, but I never imagined it would be anything like this. I don’t know what to do, somehow the gun is back in my pocket and I'm running towards the front door back through the living room. I suddenly turn back around and take my shirt and wipe off where I sat on the couch. I run back to the front door and do the same. I have just committed a murder. I race back outside and onto the grass and stay behind the trees all the way to where I entered the yard. I look out between two trees and don’t see anyone, so I dart to the Tahoe. My hand turns the ignition and I slowly drive away. I don’t dare even turn my head as I go past the Sorenson house. I don’t pass any other cars on the way out of the neighborhood and I make it all the way to one of the main roads about two miles away where I quickly stop and begin violently vomiting out my door. I can’t believe I just shot and killed a man. My heart is beating in my ears so loudly I feel like my head will explode. My vision is blurry. There is no way I can drive. I step out of the Tahoe and walk into the small vacant parking lot I have pulled into. It looks like an old abandoned gas station. I walk around the crumbling building and lean against the back wall. I'm not sure what is going to happen to me. I feel like I am going to just collapse at any moment. My legs are rubbery and everything is spinning in all directions. I hold onto the building as tightly as I can until I begin to feel my phone start to vibrate continuously. At first I don’t answer it, because my arms don’t seem to be functioning, but I’m finally able to get a hand around it. I don’t even bother to look at the screen, there's no way my eyes are going to be able to read it anyway. I click the answer button and fall to the ground hearing the voice on the other end.
Chapter 20
"Sheldon…Sheldon. Where are you?"
"I don’t know. I love you Michelle. I really do."
"Are you okay? You’re supposed to be at the airport picking up your parents. They're waiting out front for you. Didn’t you get the message?" I feel the rocky pavement digging into my back. "I really love you Michelle. Please forgive me for whatever I have done."
"What are you talking about Sheldon? Where are you?" On one side of me I see nothing but trees, and the other side decaying cement walls of the abandoned gas station.
"I have no idea. Please forgive me."
I hear her voice grow louder and more concerned. "Please Sheldon tell me where you are so I can come get you."
"I don't know where I am or how I got here." I roll over on my stomach. I feel the pavement scraping me again as I roll over, but I feel no pain. All of a sudden, I hear a barrage of sirens. "I gotta go. I'll call you back in a little while."
"Sheldon, please tell me what's going on."
"I have to go Michelle." I try and sit up slowly. I lean my back against the wall.
"Please don't do this Sheldon. Please. Are you drinking? I need you Sheldon."
"I'm fine. I call you back in a little while. Please Michelle." I can’t hear anything except the blaring of the sirens approaching. It sounds like they are whirling around inside my head. I pull the phone as close to my head as possible.
"Okay. I love you too. What would you like me to tell your parents?" I take a few deep breaths. "What are all those sirens? Are you sure you're okay?" I try and compose myself as best as I possibly can.
"I'm fine. Tell them I'll be there in a little while. Maybe they can get a bite to eat or something." The sirens are so loud now. I can’t hear Michelle even with the phone pushed right up next to my ear. I think I hear her say goodbye so I try and yell goodbye into the phone, but I don’t know if we're even connected anymore. I somehow crawl around to the side of the building and watch at least five police cars sail by blue lights and sirens following them. I wonder if they'll notice the Tahoe in the middle of the parking lot. I think I'm far enough away not to get noticed, but I decide to stay out of sight for a while, so make my way back behind the building again and fall back down on my back. I quickly pull my hand away from the gun in my pocket as it accidently touches it. I can still see Sorenson's lifeless eyes staring at me as he passed away to another world. I look up and try to explain to God how sorry I am, but I don’t get too far because I start vomiting and crying again. I look down at my pants and see blood, at first I think it's coming from me, but then I realize I'm covered in it. It must have come from Sorenson. My shirt and pants are both stained crimson red. I quickly throw off my jeans and polo shirt. I don't want it near me. I kick them away from me with my feet causing the gravel to dust up. I continue to lie there for another five or so minutes listening to the sirens approach and then fade away and stop. I feel my phone begin vibrating again. I can’t read the screen, so I just answer it expecting to hear Michelle asking me how I’m doing, but instead it's Harris or whoever he is.
"Why hello Sheldon, partner, very nice work today. I would say mission acc
omplished, but there is one more thing I need to do." I'm listening, but the words aren’t making any sense. "I think you know what that is. I will have your property delivered to you promptly and unscathed as promised." I quickly sit up and think about Tommy, the whole reason I just did this awful thing.
"Where is he?"
"It will be delivered to your favorite field in about an hour." I stand all the way up. The sirens have quieted down. "I need you to drop that object in your pocket off back into the unit before you head over to pick up what is yours."
"He better be okay."
"I gave you my word and you came through. By the way, you probably heard the sirens a few minutes ago. I called 911 and let them know a gunshot was heard coming from the house. I didn’t want his wife and daughter to walk into that mess you made." I walk around to the edge of the building and look around the corner. I don’t see any more police cars. "I think it’s safe for you to leave that parking lot you are hiding in and head for the storage unit, then in approximately one hour head to the field. Don’t go early or we'll have to come up with another means." I quickly begin walking from the building to the Tahoe. It's about fifty yards. I don’t see any police cars. "Once again, it has been a pleasure doing business with you. I'll be in touch."
"No you won't. I hate you…" I realize he's gone as I step up and close the door. I turn the ignition and slowly pull out of the parking space. I'm just wearing an undershirt and boxers. I have the bloodied clothes in the seat beside me. I drive directly to the storage unit facility. I park near the unit and wait for a man and a woman to finish up at a nearby compartment before I get out. I run from the truck to the unit and punch in the code. When I open the door, I find a small envelope sitting on the shelf. I quickly look in it. It's full of cash. I throw it in my pocket and place the gun inside where the envelope was. Before I shut the door, I pull the gun back out and wipe it off as best as I can with my shirt. I hate having to think like a criminal, but now I'm a murderer. I feel my temples begin to ache at the thought. I look in the envelope again and notice a small typed letter. It says, "Job well done. Here is a little token of my appreciation for all your hard work. Enjoy. Ps. Look in the back of your car before you go to pick up what is yours." I walk back to the truck and throw the envelope on the front seat. There's a new pair of pants and shirt lying in there. I quickly throw them on over my underclothes. I'm not surprised they are a perfect fit. I jump back in and start up the Tahoe. The envelope full of money and the bloodied clothes are staring at me from the passenger seat. I force myself to look the other way. I still have forty-five minutes until I'm supposed to be at the field. As much as I want to go early, I decide to follow what he said and get there on time. I drive out of the unit. A few police cars pass by me, but they don't have their lights on. I’m pretty sure they are looking for someone. They don’t seem to pay any attention to me, so I keep driving in the direction of the field. I see a large industrial area filled with car repair and furniture dealers. I pull behind a large warehouse building and stop in front of a giant green dumpster. I drop the old clothes in there. I make sure and hide them under some flattened boxes. I quickly drive away to not cause any suspicion. I can barely contain myself. I have less than thirty minutes until I will see Tommy. He will be in my arms and safe. I just hope Harris isn’t up to anything, but for some reason I believe him. I try and imagine what I would do to him if I actually saw him at the field, and it is worse than what I just did to Sorenson. I quickly direct my attention back to Tommy. I see the envelope beside me. I pick it up and there must be at least a hundred thousand dollars in it. I wait until the speedometer reaches sixty, then I open the window and throw it out leaving a trail of green behind me. I wonder what the cars behind me will think. Fifteen minutes to go, so I start heading to the field. I'm ready. I have no idea what I'm going to say to him, or if he's really going to be there, but I'm ready. I see the signs for the field and I slowly pull up into the parking lot. The lot is full of cars and there are people everywhere. I forgot it's Sunday afternoon and all the leagues are playing this afternoon like they do every Sunday. I think Tommy's team is supposed to play at 4:00. I find a parking spot towards the back. There are four rows of cars between me and the nearest field, the same one where I have been spending time at the last few days. I can see the bleachers from where I am sitting and there doesn’t appear to be any openings. I'm looking at every person for Tommy or Harris. I know I'm a few minutes early, but I can’t wait anymore. I need to get Tommy back. I stay seated in the truck. I'm looking in all directions. I'm not sure where to go, so a minute later I get out and begin walking towards the first field's bleachers. I decide to stand next to the fence. On the field are two teams. I watch the young pitcher lean in and throw a strike. The umpire barks out the call, causing the batter to grimace and a few screams from the other set of bleachers erupt. I quickly scan every face on the other bleachers and I don’t see Tommy there either, but I'm not worried yet because it's only been an hour. I'm still not sure if I should stay here or walk around to the other three fields. They are all full. I decide to stay put. I watch the pitcher retire the next two batters and the teams switch places. The next batter appears very similar to Tommy. He has the same brown hair and body type but he's at least two or three years older. I look down at my watch. It's now ten minutes past an hour. I'm starting to feel a little nervous. My mind starts drifting to all the scenarios that could have happened and I'm wondering if Sorenson's wife and daughter have found out what happened yet. I can’t imagine the pain they must be going through. I can’t believe I did that to someone. I feel like breaking down right here and curling up into a ball and hoping it was all a bad dream, but I know if there is any chance of Tommy being here, I can’t fall apart until he's safe and sound and back home. I try to imagine Michelle's face when I show up at home with Tommy beside me. The boy hits a high fly ball towards left field. The left fielder runs backwards keeping his eyes upwards until he gets under the ball and makes the catch right at the fence. A loud sigh rings out from the parents behind me and then a thunderous cheer follows from the other side. I begin to look more closely at the next field when I feel my phone vibrate. I quickly read the message. "I asked you not to come early, now please go back to your car and wait until you hear from me." I'm starting to feel as though this whole thing is not going to happen. A man lost his life for no reason, and I killed him. I can’t bear to realize what I have done, but I'm trying my best to just concentrate on getting Tommy back so I reluctantly turn around and walk back towards the Tahoe. I weave through the parked cars and see mine sitting there just as I left it. I open the door and start to climb in when suddenly I feel a surge of adrenaline, my heart starts racing and my head begins throbbing so violently it feels like it is going to explode again. There's someone in the backseat. I'm not sure how, but the next thing I know is that I'm outside opening the back door as quickly as possible. Tommy is lying down on the seat. It really is him. He's lying on his side, his face is against the seat so I can't quite see it, but there's no mistake it's him. I call out his name several times and try and roll him over but he's not responding. My first thought is he's not alive, but I can see his chest moving and I feel a pulse on the side of his neck, so I'm instantly relieved. I keep calling him, but I'm getting no response. I begin to panic and start to shake him harder. "What have they done with my boy?" I call out. I just want to hug him so tightly but I can’t get him to wake up. I'm not sure what to do. I hop back in the front and pull out of the parking lot as quickly as I can. I drive west and pass cars on both the right and left causing irritating looks from the drivers, but I don’t care. I make a quick turn and pull in front of an emergency room at a nearby hospital. I run inside and alert the staff members seated in the lobby to assist me. Three or four people follow me out to the car and they place Tommy on a gurney and push him quickly inside. I watch him disappear into the back while a woman directs me to a small private room where she takes my information. She asks me if Tommy h
as a drug problem which I deny. Then she asks me what happened to him. I tell her I have no idea, I just found him like that. Eventually, she takes me to the back and into Tommy' room. I run in there and see him hooked up to an IV and there is someone, who I assume is a doctor taking his vitals.
Fatal Decision Page 15