Greed (standard:horror, 3417 words)
Author: SavageWolf	Added: Nov 29 2001	Views/Reads: 3486/2312	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Seth is overcome with his greed, and pays the consequences...

He paused as he approached the dark, descending stairway.  He looked
around and took a deep drag from his unfiltered Lucky Strike.  A nasty 
habit, Seth thought.  He took another drag and watched the smoke unfurl 
towards the sky.  He headed down the stairs, and noted the eerie look 
of the moonlight reflecting off the cold pale railing.  It reminded 
Seth of death, yet left an underlying feeling of the longing for love. 

He was brought back to the painful memory of his only lost love, that
died because of his greed.  He shook it off as he hit his cigarette one 
last time, and flicked it away in a cascading display of sparks as it 
struck the walls in the darkness below.  He came to the landing at the 
bottom of the stairs, and headed towards the edge of the platform 
awaiting the steel creature, which had one great shining eye and came 
to a screeching halt in front of him. 

Seth looked at his watch, given to him by Sharine for his birthday, and
swore to himself at the time.  It was 2:15 am, and he was almost late 
for work.  He had just started a job across town as a Security Guard 
for the Museum, and it wouldn’t do to be late on the first day. 

He rushed towards the door as it opened, and looked around the car. 
Luckily, at this hour, the car was nearly deserted.  The only people in 
sight were two pathetic looking crazies.  The lights dimmed, and they 
were on their way.  Seth walked down the aisle towards the first person 
he saw.  This man was apparently down on his luck, passed out in a 
grimy pair of brown plaid dress pants.  Seth could see where the times 
have been unkind to his “suit” as he had multicolor patches covering 
it. 

He was holding a bottle of Tennessee sour mash whiskey, and Seth didn’t
think he would mind if he woke up and found it gone.  Seth continued on 
and sat behind the last occupant of the car.  He kicked his feet up on 
the lady’s chair in front of him, and ignoring all the signs on board 
lit up another Lucky Strike.  He sat there contemplating things to 
come, and took occasional long pulls on the bottle of Jack. 

Seth looked at the window, and was disappointed with what looked back. 
At 6’2”, 182 lbs, he was proud of his body.  His build, though not 
bulky, was deceptively strong.  He could get into a fight and come out 
unscathed.  The only thing that Seth didn’t like about his reflection 
was the complexion that resulted in long hours in hiding after Sharine 
died. 

Seth had deep blue-rimmed gray eyes, and dirty blonde hair pulled back
in a tail, but he had turned pale after hiding.  He was once healthily 
tan, and now when he examined himself, the sickly thing looking back 
disgusted him.  He took another long pull at the whiskey, trying to 
erase the bile taste that rose to his mouth. 

“Sharine,” he thought, “How long it’s been.”  Seth was brought back to
the last memory he had with Sharine at the warehouse. 

------------------------------memory------------------------------------


They had been deeply in love.  He was convinced she was a perfect match
for him, and she was convinced that he was her soul mate.  Seth had 
been in trouble at the time from debt owed to the IRA.  He was told if 
he pulled of this job, the debt would be erased, and he would be back 
in good standing with his “family.” 

So Seth talked to Sharine, and they agreed he would take the job, as
long as he promised to retire from the life of an outlaw.  They met at 
the West End Warehouse later that evening, and were told they needed to 
waste anyone inside, and take the goods.  Once the goods were safely 
established, they were to drop them at a prearranged safe house. 

Now Sharine would walk to the ends of the earth for Seth, and Seth in
turn would lay down his life for hers.  His only downfall was his 
greed. 

They came to the warehouse, and Seth was to go in while Sharine waited
in the car. 

He ran to the trunk, pulled out his trusty 12-gauge and strapped his 45


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