Impostor Assassin

THE ELDERLY MAN SWITCHED on his night lamp and got out of bed. His wife was still sound asleep sleeping beside him. It was a wet wintry night and the moon was hidden behind the dark clouds. It was cold and damp as the rains continued for the sixth consecutive day. The weather was now more unpredictable, since the levels of pollution had increased over the last few decades. Joseph Foxxen had heard a noise in the night, it came from the ground floor of his home. It sounded like someone was prowling around in the darkness. He had checked every door and window before he went to bed. He always checked to make sure that the house was secure after a fox had invaded their home years ago, when the children were young. There were several reports in the news about thieves in the city. Crime was on the rise in a city that used to be safe at one time and where people could leaves their front doors open. Joseph was well aware of the reports and the statistics of the rise in crimes. This was common in all modern cities. He had wanted to keep a gun at home to protect himself and his wife Doris. But, Doris his peace loving wife was against keeping a gun or any type of fire-arm at home. Joseph picked up the long metal rod he kept just behind the bedroom door. The rod was used as a curtain rod a few years ago, it was now his weapon of choice. Joseph was a tall man who was an athlete in his youth. He was now in his eighties and not as young and fit as he used to be. He was not afraid of what or who he was going to confront in the night. This was his house, his castle and no one had the right to invade his home. He opened the door of their bedroom and crept downstairs, hoping that the person or persons would not hear him coming down the stairs. The wooden floorboards seemed to sink under his feet, so he tried to walk on the carpeted areas of his home, so as to muffle the sound of his footsteps. As he came downstairs he saw the lights in his study were on. There was definitely a burglar on the premises. As he moved as soundlessly as he could into his study-room, he saw a man going through his large bound investigative journal on the crime empire which he kept on his desk. The room was a disaster zone and everything was thrown on the floor. Grandfather’s books, manuscripts and papers were all thrown around in the room. It looked as if a cyclone had hit the room. All he needed to do was to hit the intruder on the back of his head, which was turned to him. Joseph was not prepared for what happened next, it was too quick for him to react. The man turned around in a swift movement. The intruder was wearing a mask and he had a gun in his hand. At that instant Joseph wished he had a gun to defend himself. This was not a burglar, this man was an assassin and he was the target. It was too late for Joseph as the man raised his gun and Joseph saw the bullet come straight towards him. ––––––––