Chapter 10 - Fragment (Part B)

Chapter 05 – Fragment (Part B)

-The Assassin’s Perspective-

I burst through the kitchen door and entered the dining room, my disguise completely in place. I calmly yet enthusiastically make my way towards ‘Blondie’ and ‘Snoozefest.’  I gotta keep up the appearance of a friendly diner cashier somehow. Approaching their dining table, I position my electronic order tablet in both hands and stood at the end of their table.

“Welcome to Canis Minor Diner where you can take a big bite for a low price!” I greet with my “honest”, brightest, friendliest smile that I can muster. “How can I help you today?”

“You took forever. So slow…” ‘Snoozefest’ mumbles, followed by a snore.

My nerves are immediately shot, my hands clenching the order tablet tightly in my hands, being careful not to damage it. The “honest” smile widens in an effort to try to contain my anger.

“Ehehe, sorry about that. He’s just sleep talking.” ‘Blondie’ embarrassingly apologize with closed eyes and an uneasy smile.

“No problem at all,” I say with forced politeness. I quickly glance at the snoring man. Is he really sleeping? “What can I get for you today?”

“I would like buttermilk blueberry pancakes, cheese scrambled eggs, and bacon, please,” a smiling ‘Blondie’ ordered. 

Her smile is so innocent, childlike, pure. ‘Blondie’ seems like the kind of person who enjoys life to the fullest, including the difficult moments. She reminds me of someone I once knew…

“Gimme some ham and bacon and buttermilk biscuit. Don’t skimp on the…zzz….syrup…” 

‘Snoozefest’ is talking in his sleep again. Or is he?

“Should I…take his order?”

“Take his order just in case he wakes up to eat. He’s had a long night. Don’t mind him.”

“Could you be any slower? I’m starving here…zzz…”

Perhaps I should eliminate him too because his sleep talk is infuriating!

“Order coming right up!” I announce with ‘sunshine and roses’ in my voice.

In one swift but delicate motion, I turn around and hurried into the kitchen. Though my eyes are still obscured, my ‘honest’, polite smile is now a devilish, calculating sneer. The lives of ‘Blondie’ and ‘Snoozefest’ are now in my hands! And I know just what to do to get rid of them once and for all!

Spinning and dancing on cloud nine with such grace, joy, and elegance, I make my way to my cooking station, humming and twirling as I gather the ingredients to prepare the foods. 

My delicate hands opened the spice cabinet, and I enter a code on the back of the cabinet that blended in with the wooden structure. The door to a secret compartment opened and a container of a dangerous, untraceable chemical or two…or three, are now in the palm of my hands. Poisoning seems to be the best, and perhaps bloodless, way to get rid ‘Blondie’.

(Disclaimer: the author does not condone any illegal activities nor should you follow the advice or actions of the assassin.)

As eager as I am to begin creating the concoction, a memory is pushing its way to the forefront of my mind. A memory of some years ago…

***

“Mmmm this meal is out of this world!” I remembered someone from my past telling me this. “You should go to culinary school! I believe you are cut out for…no, you are meant for this!”

“You really think so?” I had said, unsure of myself.

“Of course! I could see it in your eyes as you cooked! The happiness. Your happiness. If I have to guess, I’d say that your happiness lies in wanting to make others happy. With your cooking, without a doubt you will be able to achieve it!”

That someone…a dear friend of mine. I remembered…during those days of high school I was devoid of practically any hope. It was those words that gave me the strength to continue to live.

***

Back in the present-time, I am frozen in place after recalling what was the start of my halcyon days of high school. Softly, slowly, I release my grip on the containers of poison and shut the secret compartment of the spice cabinet.

As much as I want to get rid of the witness of my assassination, I shouldn’t desecrate the memory of my friend and the hope that was relit inside me.

“If Yve were to see me now…if Yve knew what I have been up to, I wonder if she would still be proud of me.”

I gently lean my head back to stare into the bright light installed in the ceiling, sighing heavily. My vision is becoming blinded by the light, but I almost blinded my vision…the vision inside of me.

“How did I get myself into the life I now live?”

After a brief moment of silence, I slap my face cheeks with both hands to bring myself back into focus.

“Get it together! You have a job to do! One of the customers may be my target, but that doesn’t mean I should neglect their happiness, nor should I neglect mine! I will make them the best breakfast that they will remember for years to come!”

Right! I am now fired up and raring to go! But first…

“Oww that stings! I slapped myself a little too hard.”

Wasting not another second, I immediately fired up the stove and began cooking. Ingredients are added into the bowl! Pancake mix are mixing! Fresh blueberries! Batter pouring into the hot frying pan! Meanwhile, the fresh eggs are being scrambled with added natural cheese! Bacon and ham are frying, and buttermilk biscuits are baking in the oven!

I’ve been told that watching me cook is like watching an angel dancing in heaven with pure bliss. A dance so remarkable that God can’t help but to engulf a brilliant ray of light upon me. Other have likened me to that of a Renaissance painter and even a pioneer of a new age of modern chefs. 

Whatever they want to call me, whatever they think of me, I know that there are two things I will not dispute: I am at my happiest when I am cooking and even happier when I see the happiness of people who enjoy what I have prepared.

As I add the finishing touch of a confectionary smile to the ‘Blondie’s’ buttermilk blueberry pancakes, I proudly proclaim, “And all done!” And with that, the customers’ order is now complete. It’s appealing to the eye and, without a doubt, will be appealing to the taste buds!

Not wasting any time, I exit the kitchen to deliver the dish to ‘Blondie’ and ‘Snoozefest’.

“Sorry for the wait. Your order is here!”

“Wow, this looks amazing!” ‘Blondie’ exclaim with shining eyes.

“Have a taste!” I suggest with a gentle smile.

Upon my insistence, ‘Blondie’ lifts her fork, dig into the pancake, and lifts the fork up to her mouth to take a bite. Once the morsel touched her tongue, her face lights up with pure, innocent delight. Though, as if her face could become any purer than it already is.

“Wow! This is beyond amazing!” she exclaims, practically shouting with joy.

She takes another bite. And another. And another. It’s like watching a video loop.

“I’ll leave you to your breakfast. I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes!”

“Mhure mhing (Sure thing).”

As ‘Blondie’ stuffs her face with pancakes, ‘Snoozefest’ sleeps away. Is he really going to eat his breakfast? Maybe it’s going to be a take-out meal. No matter. Seeing a customer enjoy my food brings warmth and happiness to my heart. Not because I cooked the food, but because I want the customer to be happy. I want to see the smiles of the people I cook for, whether they are strangers, friends, even family.

That’s why…it’s a bit unfortunate that I have to dispose of ‘Blondie.’ If only we could have encountered each under different circumstances. But, as always the case in life, fate decides these things, not I nor anyone else.

I step away from their table, entered through the kitchen door and exited the kitchen, and walk down the hall towards the boss’s office. 

I approach a lone door at the end of a hallway and raise the back of my right hand against the door.

Knock! Knock! …Knock! Knock Knock!

First, there was silence. And then…

“Enter, please.” A strange voice responded from behind the door.

I turn the doorknob and entered the boss’s office. It was dark, as always. I wonder why. I notice the line cook isn’t around. He wasn’t in the kitchen earlier. Was he sent out on an errand?

“What can I do for you?” Boss cheerfully beams…from within the complete shadows of the office. I would like for you to turn on the lights already, is what I wanted to say. It’s best I keep that thought to myself.

“Ahem. Two drops are at the table.”

“Two drops, you say.”

“Yes, I will clean them up, but it may take a while. I must head to the store first. The two drops are about to leave the table.”

“Oh my. We don’t want a mess on our hand. Be sure not to make another spill this time~!”

The boss certainly has a…unique personality. In this specific line of work, it’s a bit jarring to be cheerful and to view this as a game of sorts. However, I detect no sort of psychopathic tendencies from the boss’s actions, nor do I sense any malice in their voice, voice modulation aside. Speaking of voice modulation…

“Right. Also, pardon me for asking, but our line cook…have you seen him anywhere?”

“Oh, him. I sent him away?”

“Sent…him away?”

“Yeah, he asked about my voice modulation device, my toy of the day.”

“I…see.” A sweat drop of embarrassment is visible on my head. “Will he be returning to his duties today?”

“Nah, he won’t be returning.”

Boss seems so carefree to say this! I don’t need any light to know that someone is nonchalantly looking at the back of their fingernails right now! Wait, does that mean…Boss disposed of the line cook through violent means? It’s best I keep that question to myself.

“…Right. Now, if you will excuse me.”

“Okay! Do your best! o(〃＾▽＾〃)o ”

Could you not say it like that while using that deep voice modulation? And show your face today!

***

After my meeting with the boss, I returned to my job, no, my mission in disposing ‘Blondie.’ I have their bill in hand. However, it is bugged with a tracking device, one of Boss’s many, and most likely illegal, gadgets. As I make my way towards their table, I recall a conversation about the tracking device…

***

“This is a tracking device? It’s as small as an ant, if not even smaller. It can barely be seen.”

“Then it’s serving its purpose. A tracking device isn’t supposed to be seen by the person it is attached to. Back in the 2020s, and maybe even earlier in those spy movies, tracking devices were so noticeable, it was almost laughable. Haha! Hey, I laughed.”

“Please continue your explanation, Boss.”

“Haha! As I was saying, once the person you want to track touches this device, their every movement and location will become detectable, which can be viewed via Albedo. So, it is important to get the person to touch it unknowingly on the first try or risk having to make physical contact with them.”

***

…Back in the present-time, I subtly place the tracker on the edge of the bill where ‘Blondie’ will no doubt place a finger on. 

Upon arrival at their table, I notice ‘Blondie’ has already finished her food, and ‘Snoozefest’…has finished his food?! Is it possible he woke up while I was away? No way. Something like that is impossible. Maybe ‘Blondie’ ate his food.

“I-I see you’ve finished eating your meal. Did you find it delightful?” I ask in my brightest, friendliest customer service voice.

“Completely delightful…and delicious!” says ‘Blondie’ with an innocent smile.

“And the ham, bacon, and buttermilk biscuit?”

“Silly, I didn’t eat that. You should be asking him.”

‘Snoozefest’ DID eat his food! But he’s still sleeping! I’ve heard of sleep talking, but is there such a thing as sleep eating?

“R-right.” I chuckle and hand them their bill.

As expected, one of ‘Blondie’s’ finger touched the tracker. The two weirdos pay their bill and left the restaurant. I wish them a wonderful day, changed into my black parka using Albedo, and began to follow them wherever they went. From a department store, to the park, and even into a bookstore.

It wasn’t until sunset where I finally had the opportunity. No civilians are around. As my target pass an alleyway, I leap from the shadows and pounce on ‘Blondie,’ separating her from ‘Snoozefest’.

In the backdrop of the setting sun, ‘Blondie’ is laying on the ground in the dark alleyway, her arms spread out. Hovering inches between her eyes was the tip of my knife. She has no expression, no fear, as she blankly stares at me. It’s as if she could see my eyes obscured by the hood of my black parka.

Unsettled though maintaining composure, I ask, “Any last word?”

“Yeah. Alleyways sure are dangerous.”

Her voice. That voice of hers. It’s always so cheerful. Always so damn cheerful! Even in the face of death, ‘Blondie’ has the nerve to be so damn cheerful! I don’t know why, but it pisses me off! I don’t want to see it anymore! I don’t want to hear it anymore!

I raise back my arm and quickly swing down the knife to deliver the blow…