There he was. Blindfolded and tied down to the chair. I emptied his pockets and came across his wallet. A picture of his wife and daughter greeted me upon opening it. I read aloud the caption at the bottom of the picture; JANE AND CHRISTY.

“ Who said that?” I threw his wallet away and ripped off his blindfold. His eyes took some time to adjust to the light in my pathetic apartment.

“Who are you!” he screamed. His large, fear filled eyes did little to support this false courage. I pulled out my gun and hit him on the nose. A few spots of blood started to land on his blueish-black business suit. He looked a lot less like the man I kidnapped two hours ago.

“Please man, I have a wife and kid back at home probably worried sick on my whereabouts, so if you will just tell me what you want from me I’m sure we can come to an agreement.”

“What do I want?” I asked myself. It was obvious I needed the cash. I have been unemployed for almost a month now, but what really tore a hole inside of me was the recent end to my two-year relationship with the only girl who I have really loved. Nothing he could offer me would be enough to bring her back. I took out the gun and took aim.

“Wait!” he desperately pleaded as beads of perspiration rolled down his cheeks. His eyes locked on the gun that I had rested in between his eyes. ”I’m a psychologist. I can help you.”

“Fine. Help me then.” I pulled a chair and sat face-to-face with my captive. He did seem familiar to me but I just could not remember where I had seen him before.

“Well,” he hesitated. ”You obviously had a tough childhood, probably lost your father at an early age.”

I lost my dad at aged nine from lung cancer and it probably showed in my face.

“Didn’t fit in in secondary school. And dropped-out in,” he paused. “Secondary three,”

“Ok that probably was a lucky guess.” I thought to myself.

“ From the state of this place, I can tell that you are unemployed after losing a job that you hated in the first place.”

“This guy is good.” I said to myself.

“And to rub salt into your wounds, you have just realised that your relationship with what I think is your childhood sweetheart have just come to an end,” as he looked at me with an aura of tranquility around him.

I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore. This random man that I just plucked out from the streets could read me inside-out with such ease.

“It’s ok to cry,” my captive obviously surprised at my outburst. “Now listen to me. Thank you for showing mercy to me by not pulling the trigger when you could have. To show my gratitude, I would like to offer you a job with a generous starting pay if you let me go now, and you have my word that I will not go to the police. Please allow me to help you.”

I looked at him again while wiping off my tears. He did look like the kind of guy who keeps his promises. ”Fine.” I said and reached down to cut him loose.

“Thank you,” he said while rubbing his sore wrists. ”Now could you pass me my wallet,”

I turned and reached down to pick up his wallet from the floor. But as I stood back up, I felt a heavy blow on the side of my head which knocked the wind out of me.

I woke up only to find myself tied down to a chair.

“Good morning!” a voice shouted out from the direction of the kitchen. ”I helped myself to some stuff in your kitchen if you don’t mind,”

That was when I realised where I had seen him before.

“Shhhh,” he said as he put down the plate of sandwiches he had made on the table. “You know, I never really liked you whilst in secondary school, but at least I don’t have to pretend to anymore,” as he pulled out my gun from his back pocket.

I realised then that the mercy I showed to him before was not going to be repaid.

“Life is cruel,” he said as he took aim and fired.

Its a simple story but yet, i tried to inject the emotions / feelings, i'm going thru now. No matter what we do or don't do, life is never fair, life is a bitch. I guess I have always learned it the hard way. I fall hard but somehow, I pick myself up but still broken to pieces. Its amazing how one person can pick herself up and put herself back, try to live a normal life, without letting people know how i truly feeling...