Soul Searching {Short Story}

They entered the mall. Both men were armed, anxious, angry. A dangerous combination of means and will - they knew what they were after.

Ajani was fair and tall. He had a happy family, a happy commune, an unhappy life. Some people were like sponges: the more you gave them the more they took. When you squeeze them, the evil comes out in drip, drip, drips. Ajani needed a mere push from his friend - a squeeze if you will - to reinforce the bad and tarnish the soul.

Said 'friend' was Iniko - hard-working, impressionable, bored. Iniko had few interests and fewer friends. Confused, unreliable, scared. He worked at the clothing store in this mall. Most days he found himself sharing a shift with Jana. He thought he loved this girl, thought about it so much that when the rejection came it was devastating. Once that cord was broken, and Jana left the store, a plan he had been fledging started to soar.

You see, the manager of the store was old. And to an impressionable, unsociable Iniko - mean. That was all the youth needed to try and destroy his livelihood. Jana was the only thing keeping him back. And now, with Ajani at his side, he strode through the mall like he owned the place.

A singular focus in mind - rob the clothing store.

Ajani, the poor lad, just wanted to feel something. He was confused by the world and by his life. By his place in them both. He could see the flaws and intentions behind Iniko's plan. He did not care. He just wanted to feel something. Anything.

The determined youths entered the mall ten minutes before closing. Iniko knew that the old bastard would be there at this time. The plan was simple. They both carried Glocks and Ajani managed to procure them from his father's private collection. If the bastard didn't give them what they wanted. They'd take it by force. Iniko kept reassuring himself that he wouldn't kill the bastard.

He knew he was lying.

"Gentlemen! Welcome! Do you come with an article in mind? I fear we are about to close so browsing will be - wait, Iniko? Why didn't you show up for work yesterday? Listen, son. If you planned on quitting the store you should've told me. Well, at least you are here now. Listen, I -"

"I am not your son!" Iniko practically spat the words at the old bastard.

The proprietor's face went from confusion to sorrow. He saw the faces of the two boys, one expressionless and cold, and the other, one who he had grown to know and respect - furious and murderous. He took a step back.

"What do you want?"

Iniko pulled out the gun. His hand was shaking. "Give me the cash, old fool! Or I'll plaster the wall with your blood!"

The old man started to wail, fear unlike anything he had ever imagined gripped his heart. Iniko was rage incarnate. Rage towards who, the boy did not know. Ajani, for his part, was quiet. Observing. He had yet to draw his weapon.

The old man, crying and shaking, started to pile up bills from the counter and the drawers underneath. He kept glancing at the shaking pistol pointed at his head, expecting the disturbed youth to shoot him by accident at any time.

"Sir! I came with the medicine you sent for - aaaaahhhhhh!" Jana fell to her knees, screaming. "Iniki, what are you doing?" She saw the gun, the money. It made no sense.

"Don't call me that!" Iniko turned his gun on her. "How many times did I tell you?" She embarrassed him still, even now at this moment of absolute power, she embarrassed him still...

"Son! Point it at me! You know how much she cares for you. Please, son!"

Iniko's eyes were wide. "She. Doesn't. Care!" Iniko spat, and Jana started to cry uncontrollably. "Quiet!" Jana tried to stop. Tried and failed. Her confusion overwhelmed her. "Ajani! Take the money and let's go!" Iniko started to feel his rage waning. He wanted to get out of this horrid place.

Ajani did not move. He was observing everything with startling precision. Observing, ingesting, and not feeling. The shaking man, his sporadic partner, the crying girl. He should feel something! This was not a normal situation! At least let him be annoyed or angry. Anything!

"Ajani! What are you doing let's go already! Stop staring into space and - Ajani? What are -"

Ajani's shot was true - he hit Iniko straight through the eye. The sound made him hear buzzing. Through it, he could hear the girl screaming her lungs out, and the old man crying for help. Iniko's half-split skull gazed sightlessly at Ajani.

And he still felt nothing.

He stood there, dumbfounded. He looked at the blood on the floor, on his hands; at the gun. At the girl crawling toward the body, at the man praying to God behind the counter. At the security guards rushing towards him from across the mall. He looked at the gun again and felt his grip tightening.

Felt his finger go to the trigger, his arm moving his head...

He felt his arm dropping the weapon.

The guards tackling him.

He realized then, that not only was he a monster. But he was also a coward.

And he still, felt, nothing.

Thank you for reading! I apologize for the depressing tale. 😅 I hope it was at least a unique reading experience. 🙏

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