Dictator's Die (Short Story)

"How is your day Ms. Fuentez?"

             "Oh hi Rodney, good I guess."

             "You're fixing to get off aren't ya?"

              "Oh yeah," as she kept typing.

       She stopped for a second, looked passed Rodney's scrawny figure and grayed hair, through the office window, "You better get back to work Rodney, Earl should be coming back any minute."

       Rodney fixed his glasses and said, "Okay. It was nice talking to you for a second."

              "Same here."

       Not shortly after, Earl Temple came in with his big belly, and white hair that was parted to the side. He always wore suspenders that looked like it was helping him wield up his coffee mug. After all the 15 years Lisa Fuentez worked with Earl, she never knew how one man could drink so much coffee.

             "Do you have that typed up yet?" Earl asked abruptly.

             "No, I'm not finished," Lisa replied.

             "Well you should be."

      Earl walked back into his office that was connected to Lisa's. He was the head boss, a waste manager was a stressful job, but a job none the less. He had no relationship of any kind to his employees, but his workers had special "relations" with him. Lisa was his secretary and the one closest to him all day. Rodney and the other co-workers felt bad for her. They all had a crush on her, for she was a cute, short haired, and fit woman.

     The company they worked for was called Tire Plus. They recapped tires for tractors and trailers in Little Rock, Arkansas. The office and shop were small and boxed in. Tempers were always flaring. Tire Plus had a rough history, and it was lucky if you got out alive. Not only that, but Earl was notoriously known for getting rid of people he didn't like , or in his mind, thought were lazy. Lisa was recently on that list.

     Lisa had left for the day without telling Rodney goodbye, as she usually did. She had grown weary of how Earl was treating her and seem to grow paranoid that Earl was trying to get her fired. This had been constantly on her mind for the passed year, as he had made a sexual advance on her the year before.

     Before Lisa went home, she tried to stop by the health and fitness club to run out the stress, but this time it was it was not working. Thinking about the insanity, and the insanity itself was pushing her over the edge. She knew just what had to be done, and the thought set comfortably, as the sanity swelled up in her brain.

    She got back in her white Honda Civic. Driving through the streets that were lit up by city lamps, their was not a thought on her mind. The radio was on mute, and so was she. Finally making her way to a parking lot of a store that sold one thing. The sign she walked under before making her entrance read, GUNS.

    Lisa exited the store. She pulled out the gun she had just purchased once more in the car, that was now legally in her name. It was a .45 Sig Sauer. She put it back in the holster and wanted to stop by her fathers house. Her mother had recently passed away and was now forced to help a second household. This wore heavily on her.

    For the next three days during the work week, Lisa obtained a membership to a shooting range. Their she would gain accuracy and progress her sharp shooting skills. On the the third day, since her last purchase, on a Thursday night after work, Rodney decided to stop by Lisa's house. He had lived close by. He noticed all week the friction between Earl and Lisa.

     
    Lisa heard a knock at the door and opened it, "Hey Rodney, what are you doing here?"

             "Hey."

             "Come in."

            "Well I just came to check on you," losing his balance just a bit.

       Lisa noticing this said, " Oops... be careful."

             "If you haven't noticed... Lisa... I should probably get to the point... I like you. I'm also worried, you haven't been yourself."

             "Oh Rodney, I like you too... But... I just can't handle dating some one right now."

    Their was an odd silence."I understand I should probably go now," Rodney said and turned away.

             "Rodney wait... I do like you. I just... have a little bit of stuff on my plate... I'm fine though."

             "You sure?"

             "Of course I am, thank you Rodney."

             "Okay, bye Lisa,"  and he drove off.

      The next day Lisa arrived at work. She always waived at Rodney every morning and this day wasn't any different. She had placed the gun in her purse for easy access. Her plan was simple, point, shoot, and wait for the cops to come. Lisa wasn't performing any of her work today,  their wasn't any point in it. Lisa noticed that Earl was late this morning, so she still sat up straight, her purse in her lap, and waited.

     Fatigue had set in, for it had been three hours, and still no sign of Earl.  She began to think he had taken off today. All her encouragement, and build up for this moment had been wasted.She might not ever get the nerve to do this again. The thoughts of her mom, family, and the hatred she had for this man were all for nothing. She began to cry and started feeling resentful. She knew she was wrong for even thinking such a thing. And that was harder to think of in itself.

    Just then Rodney charged in, "You must have heard already," noticing her crying.

    She wiped her eyes, "What?"

             "Earl died of a heart attack last night."

             "Are you serious?"

             "Yeah, his wife just called."