The Friend

 

A man with wild hair and large blue eyes lay in bed in the quiet of his hotel room, his arm draped across his face.  He had been in town for a month already, though he only ventured outside in the very darkest and emptiest of hours.  His friend did not yet want his presence to be known to the town.  It was unlikely anyone important would remember him, but his friend was very careful.  Very careful indeed.

It was good to have a friend like him.  Made one feel they were doing the right thing.  After all, if your friend was an angel, how could anything be wrong with it?

There was a time when the friend only came to him in dreams.  He would be standing in the middle of an empty room painted entirely red, dressed entirely in white, from his spatted shoes to his stovepipe hat.  The white was sometimes so brilliant he was hard to see.  Like the light from the sun itself.  Lately, however, he could see the friend, and speak with him, by simply closing his eyes for a while and letting his mind drift away.

This was better.  He remembered more afterwards.

In these last weeks the man pleaded in his mind with his friend to let him do what he came to town to do, but the friend always initially replied the same thing:

good things come to those who wait

Yes yes, he thought, but how long must I wait?  I have been here for so long now, and the man wreaks havoc in the town.  I know it, he thought to himself.  He was moaning slightly, though he was unaware of it.

the job i have for you is special, friend

I know, he thought, so you continue to say, but when?  When?  I fear I shall start to go mad if I am forced to remain in this room much longer!

you will not go mad.  i have been in my room much longer, seem i insane to you?

The friend made a good point.

he is getting sloppy.  the time will be soon. 

look, look who is with me…

There seemed to be someone standing beside the friend now, someone in dark clothes… black hair and the same large blue eyes.  His sister!  The entire reason he was here and now friends with this person.  It was his sister!  The reason this had all began.  All for you!  he called out to her, and the friend smiled.  So did his sister.

soon, the friend said.  soon.