Choices

I am forced with a choice that no man should have to decide.

I found myself in a dark room with two people standing in front of me.

On my left stands a man. He is tall with brown hair and blue eyes. He looks very tired with bags under his eyes. He is wearing a gray suit that has been splattered with a blood. He has tears in his eyes and a black gun in his hand.

On my right stands a woman. She is small and skinny. She has brown bloodshot eyes that also have tears in them. She is in ragged clothes and has a needle in her arm.

They stand motionless as if taken from time itself and put here for me to judge with both of their tear filled eyes staring at me. 

In between me and the frozen figures lies a samurai sword. The sword has a black handle with a red ribbon at the bottom. The sword itself is perfectly crafted with the two figures reflecting through it.

While I am grasping what is happening, a voice projects from the darkness. It says "Mr.Jenkins, in front of you lies two people. On your right, Henry Gap. He has just killed a man. The man was arrested for killing and raping a little girl but was let go from the court. To your left, Melinda Helsin, She is a prostitute that works every night having sex with multiple men. She brings the money she collects home to her young son to make sure he has proper school supplies and goes to a good school. You must chose one to kill."

"No, I will not. They are both good people doings bad things to benefit others. I cannot judge them." I screamed back at the darkness.

"Someone must die today. You get to choose who. When you have chosen, Pick up the samurai sword and stab it through them."

I stood for a long time refusing to believe that this could be happening. All I have to do is find a way to let them both live I kept thinking over and over again.

I looked at both them deeply, reviewing what they were doing and why. I still saw them as good people, just making irrational decisions.

After a long time I still could not come to a decision. I didn't really want to. I was still working on a way to save them both.

I finally decided on my only option.

I walked over to the finely crafted sword. I looked at myself through its reflection, wondering if I can really go through with what i was about to do. I decided it was for the best.

"Have you come to a decision?" The darkness questioned.

I walked over to Mr.Gap and said "After looking through the evidence and understanding that a choice has to be made I have been forced to come to a decision. I see Mr.Gap and see a murderer but at the same time a hero. He has done vengeance for the little girl who was raped and killed. I cannot kill this man." I walked over to Mrs.Helsin. "I see here a whore, but I also see a mother doing whatever it takes to make sure her son is setup with a good life and good education. I cannot kill this woman."

In a puzzled tone, the darkness asked "Wait if you cannot kill Mr.Gap or Mrs.Helsin, who will die?"

I look at the perfect killing weapon in my hand. I smile and say

"Me."

The sword is cold on my intestines.

As I fall to the floor I remember what my best friend says to me before I was forced into this. He told me "You, Hank Greg Jenkins, are a bad man. You have done very horrible things to many people. All I can hope is before you die you can redeem yourself somehow."

I laugh at realizing that my death itself redeems me.