The Journal - A Short Story Collection

The Altercation

People shouldn't judge others, we might get our judgement wrong. You can't accurately perceive what others are going through without having known them. Or at least without them telling you. How can we identify how one genuinely feels if we don't ask them? More notably, why is it our problem?

I'm not one to assess relationships. Everyone has their complications; we all just have to figure out what to do when the situations arise. Some get through the disagreements, cherishing their excellent communication skills. Others don't have that and move on from each other. Then there are those who are in worse positions, ones that even the most sympathetic person leans to question.

They were at it again. Used to be every so often. Then it turned weekly. Now it's routine. The disputes can vary from anything serious to downright trivial. The only thing those two can settle on is that they won't ever be happy together. It all stems from one major problem.

These arguments are very frequently one-sided, with the husband appearing to be the one in power. The wife holds her ground occasionally, but eventually caves from his wrath. Sadly, it usually progresses to the point of him hitting her. If that wasn't already hard to deal with, these events often take place in public. Others are just trying to make it home for the night and see this charade transpiring in front of them. They're both conscious of this, but while the wife shows embarrassment, the husband doesn't seem to care.

"Know you place," is definitely what he asserted right there. From where I'm crouching, it's hard to understand the words precisely, but I certainly have the best view in the house.

This exchange today seems peculiar. The wife looks like she's had enough, like this is the last outburst. Of all the fights those two had, I don't recall ever seeing her get this furious. She looks indignant. But I know that if you push someone too far, they break. I felt that all too well.

"No, you know your place!" There was no reading those lips wrong. Crystal clear. And there he goes, slapping her across the face, the one to leave a bright mark. She's rubbing her cheek, facing away from her husband, hatred filling her eyes. I know she wishes to do something, lash out, get away, anything. She has to be feeling that way, yet she stays. I can't understand why, but sometimes even in the worst of it, people stay. Maybe she hopes something will change. But it isn't my place to speak for her. I don't know her, how am I to judge her?

"Get back inside now!" I didn't need to hear it to recognize what he demanded. He's enough of their altercation. To my surprise, it didn't seem like she's done though. Instead, she stands her ground, looking him in the eyes. Good on her. Although, it only drives the husband angrier. Hitting her again, she eventually stumbles back inside their home. The man lingers outside for a moment, smirking to himself, not recognizing what a prick he is.

But I had about enough of watching that for the thirty-sixth time. Glad I finally received the clearance to proceed. I zoom in a slight bit more, calculating the trajectory. I have my lock on that man's head, then I take my opportunity. I pull the trigger and he drops face first into the earth.

The woman rushes back outside and notices her husband on the ground, missing a relatively sizeable chunk of his head. Before she has time to do anything further, my team intercepts her. I step away from my rifle, having a quick stretch from kneeling on the floor for so many hours. After dismantling my rifle and arranging them back into the briefcase on the table next to me, I make my way out of the building I've been in for the last few months, on my way to the next target.

Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying these short stories!