Killer Instinct

Jake saw Helen walking in front of him. The crunch of leaves under their feet resounded in the lonely woods. She was excited about their weekend away from the city. Jake remembered the first day he had met Helen.


They had met during group grief counselling. Helen had found her fiance David murdered in their Apartment. She was trying to deal with his death and her own feelings. She had spoken about her nightmares and dreams during grief counseling. They all had to talk about the loss and how they were dealing with it.


Jake had been attracted towards Helen, her green eyes had a pain which made him want to protect her. After many counseling sessions they had become friends. Slowly, she started telling him about her story.


David had been a doctor at the city hospital. They had met when both were still in Pre-Med and totally hit it off. He was sweet and kind, they were to be married in six weeks when Helen had come home to find the apartment ransacked and the love of her life dead in their bathtub.


David had been troubled for some days. He had suspected that someone on the Hospital Board was running an organ scam. He was suspicious when two of his patients had suddenly passed away after being operated successfully for minor surgeries. He had started searching for clues and one day he found some papers which could lead him to the culprit. He had copied the documents and brought it back to the apartment and hidden it in a safe place which only both of them knew. Helen had no doubts the reason for David’s murder. Even though she knew it was dangerous, she started searching for proof. She wanted answers. She could not let David’s death go in vain. She wanted to approach the authorities but was convinced that some of the cops were dirty and had a hand in David's death.


Helen was getting very close to the truth. Since she worked in the same hospital she was able to uncover a lot of information. It was not long before she had sufficient proof about the killer’s identity. All this was making Jake’s employer very nervous. He had been ordered to find out the truth and then kill Helen.


Jake was a contract killer and had been hired to find out how much Helen knew about the scam. Though he did not have a hand in David’s death, Jake had to find out the details and pass on the information to the people who were involved in the organ scam.


Jake was an ex-marine who had been trained as an assassin in his previous job, killing to him was as natural as breathing. It had always been cold and impersonal. The target was always just an unknown entity that had become an inconvenience for the power brokers of his country. This job was the toughest he had ever done in his entire career. He had become attracted to Helen’s vulnerability and had never felt like this about any other woman. He wanted to hold her and comfort her, he wanted to make the hurt and pain go away from her eyes. Over time he realized that he had fallen in love with her.


Helen’s voice broke his reverie. He saw her smiling at him.


Helen said “Are you fine Jake? You seem a little lost.


He nodded and gave her a smile. She turned and started walking again.


He saw her so happy and carefree. She looked relaxed and peaceful.


It was certain death for him if he did not kill Helen. He knew the people who hired him will hire someone else to get the job done. His heart and mind were in turmoil. Love was the only pure thing which had touched his heart in a long time.


He had to act even if he did not want to do so. Life was cruel and unfair. He knew he could never have a life with Helen. She would be dead either way.


Jake pulled out the gun from his jacket. He raised it in front of him and fired.


P.S: I had written this story for Indimag's short story competition. A big thank you to people who had voted for my story(I had to twist their arm and put a gun to their heads).


Photo Courtesy : Photobucket

Comments

  1. nice one..narration was good so was the flow :)

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  2. While I was reading it I felt where have I readthis before :D so forgetful of me hehehe....

    I had loved the narration & suspense, keep writing many more gems like this :)

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  3. Aw did Helen really have to die??

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  4. did u kill helen...?????

    oo come one......you can't kill helen....it was a perfect love story.....why jake had to be so cold ....... ?????

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  5. nice one and yes life can be unfair!

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  6. I read this story on INDImag itself.But didn't comment I guess.Or did I? :P *can't remember*
    Nice one..although I would've liked it to go on for a bit longer :)

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  7. Geez, you got me. I thought you were telling a real event. Haha! Great story, so sad though. It reminds me of a Chinese drama that I saw a while back. You sure are a good writer.

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  8. Interesting and dramatic. Liked it. Never knew you also wrote fiction. I personally find it difficult to write short stories. Kudos to you for writing such a precise but tragic tale so effectively.

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  9. nice strory ..was hoping for a twist in the end so that they could live happily ever after:-)

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  10. Oh no. Jake killed Helen? Too bad. Loved the story though. Well narrated and superbly told.
    You should have had Helen transform into a Superhero and reflect the bullet. That would have been fun... hehe

    Awesome post. Toodles!:)

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  11. Neha : Thanks :) welcome to my blog...

    Smita: aww smita thanks :) am really flattered :P

    Purba: Ah well that is for the reader to guess....is she alive or dead?

    Hitesh: hehe I never said helen died....you just have to make your own ending :)

    Magiceye: True :)

    Sam: Oh really....I thought I should end in suspense hence I wrote a short story.

    Rose: Thanks you dear :) am flattered...

    Aparna: Thanks :) I have written 10 other fiction stories...do have a look..I have filed it under the label -fiction.

    Sonali: You never know how the end will be..that is the suspense :)

    Mr. Stupid: Something like rajnikanth you mean?
    then it would have become a funny story...haha will think of writing something on these lines :)

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  12. Hmm..nice narration..The story was not at all Bollywood types :-P as you killed Helen :-O Nice work..

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  13. You could have done without killing Helen...right?...
    nevertheless...loved the narration...well written...keep up the good work :)

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  14. I thought Jake killed himself! Now after reading the comments I am confused...

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  15. Nicely written. Short stories can be twisted in those one liner endings.

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  16. Rahul: Ah, it is for the reader to define the end :)

    Vishal: Thanks you:)

    Moulee: If you read the end...I have written he raised the gun in front of him and fired...so he cannot kill himself...

    Guru: Thanks and Welcome to my blog:)

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  17. wow! This makes a rollercoaster thriller though tragic at end. But a happy ending would have made it a typical bollywood script :D

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  18. I thought he was going to kill himself... filmy style!

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  19. LR: If RGV comes to me for the script I am not gonna refuse though :P

    IHM: :) Aiyyo...I have shattered everyone's dream ending...

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  20. This was thrilling and very much like something out of a movie. For a short story it definitely keeps the reader gripped to the plot..!

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