Dybbuk
The night sky was cold.
I looked upon the heavens and saw nebulas and stars.
The Aurora Borealis drenched me in green light.
I saw the moon shine with the beauty of the world it bathed.
The snow beneath my feet was crisp, and crunched with every step.
Ahead was a wood cabin, windows ablaze with light from within.
Smoke billowing from the chimney.
As I walked steam curled from my lips.
As I approached the home,
I saw through the windows shadows of the occupant darting across the walls.
I found myself at the door; it was large and heavy wood.
Rust infected the hinges and bolts.
Behind me a distance away an owl called out into the night.
I adjusted my jacket, pulled tight my gloves, and rapped my knuckles against the door.
A shuffling emerged from inside the cabin; an elderly man opened the door.
It scraped against the floor, with a dull noise.
After looking me up and down the man opened his mouth
“Can…. Can I help you sir?” he said
“Yes, indeed you can, you know why I’m here and what I’ve come to do” I replied.
Suddenly the man’s face showed a mixture of great sadness and fear.
“What you want is over there on the table” he said quietly whilst pointing his arm backwards.
His eyes never left me.
I walked into the cabin, and over to the table.
It seems that I had caught this man at the beginning of his supper.
“You can eat, I won’t hold you much longer” I said loudly.
He closed the door and walked back to the table, sat down and started to play with his fork.
“So what happens now?” he asked.
“Well sir, we have two different options. Neither of which you will find appealing, but you will have your choice” I replied.
He started to stutter out a sentence, but I cut him off.
“Today….today is the last day you will be alive. Now I must say that I myself hold no grudges or malice against you. I am just here to do my job.
I hope you will find comfort in knowing I will not enjoy what have to do.”
“You said I have a choice… I don’t want to die, I choose life.” He replied.
I turned and looked straight into his eyes,
“No, no my friend, I said you have two options. Those options are as follows, I can either shoot you in the head, make it quick with no pain.
Or I can strangle you, which obviously you will feel, it will be the most painful.” I said, monotone and emotionless.
“Either way I die today, you’re taking my life… so why not just take the choice from me as well?”
As he said this, his eyes became red with tears.
On the table was an envelope, I picked it up and looked at the man before me.
“Is this it? Is all the information I need here?” I asked whilst looking inside the envelope.
“Y-Yes, it’s all there and it’s translated too.”
“Well, that is all I needed to know.” I said.
I looked upon this man; he was sat in his chair and hadn’t eaten the food yet.
“Please, I insist. Eat the food, make this meal worthwhile.” I said pointing to the plate before him.
“I’m not hungry anymore… Can you just please end this now whilst I still have a shred of credibility?” he said, looking down.
“If this is what you wish my friend” I said as I opened my jacket.
I pulled out my pistol, cocked it back and placed the barrel against the man’s head.
“Before you kill me, please tell me, what is your name? Who are you?” he said through sobs and tears.
“As you wish my friend, my name is Dybbuk”
And as the words left my mouth, I pulled the trigger.
