Daily Prompt: Fill In the Blank
Three people walk into a bar . . .
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Tom came into the Purple Turtle to celebrate… He has just won one of his biggest construction contracts up to date.., In these troubled economic times it came just in time to save his company. Yes, it has been months of hard work, long late nights at the office. The tender had to be just perfect, the profit margins not too big, otherwise the contract would go somewhere else. Not too small either, because Tom’s last financial state said: It is now or never. All or nothing. The whole future depended on this one deal coming through. And it has… They started celebrating just after the signing of the final contract at lunch… now for just one or two more rounds, then home to give his wife the good news…
Dick has come to the Purple Turtle to drown his sorrows. This morning when he woke up, the envelope were waiting for him on her cushion. She has threatened quite a few times in the past. She even left for a morning, and later a whole day. But this is it. She had enough… He has lifted his hands the last time against her. She has run out of excuses, trying to explain to her friends and colleagues why she has fallen down the steps of the penthouse- AGAIN.. He knows he has a problem. He knows that when the red mist descends in his mind, he loses it completely. Her whining and moaning about everything just keeps reminding him of his mother. Of the late night screaming and beating, sometimes burning and kicking when he was small, and in the way… He feel he just can not help himself, if her tone of voice reaches a certain pitch, he just snaps… Tonight he will have to go to his penthouse, and be alone all by himself… Thae darkness scares the crap out of him… So just one or two more, maybe, just maybe, I will survive the empty bed tonight…
Harry has an appointment at the Purple Turtle tonight. This has been his job for many, many years now… He can not remember how many years he has been in this business, it feels like forever. He can not even keep track of how many customers he had to go and collect at the Purple Turtle, and a thousand other bars like it. He just knows he has a job to do, and he does it well. He has to pick up two men tonight, and they will come along, even if they do not want to. This is their appointment, and nobody sidesteps Harry. Harry does not care if you are happy, and drinking to celebrate. He does not care if your heart is broken, and you look forward to his visit anyway. He just has a job to do, and he does it well. Nobody escapes his appointment with Harry…
The shadow of his cowl reflects in the lantern light against the wall. There is a moment when his scythe casts a starburst of light… Two more for the Grim Reaper…