Thread: Murder Me (redux) [AndNich123 & ShadowsLitany]

Though his reflection stared back from the glass Bruce looked beyond it to the lights of the city that stretched before him. The view from the Penthouse in the tallest building was extraordinary, if you liked that sort of thing, where the creation of man winked back at him through various lights and structures. Some of it breathtaking, some of it beautiful, if you liked that sort of thing, but now it was all lost on him. Sipping absently from the champagne flute in his hand even its sweetness fell flat on his tongue, as most things had of late. Once a daredevil and thrill seeker that only the wealthy could be, none of those past times roused much of an interest any more. Once you climbed every mountain, skied every trail, jumped from every plane, what was left? That question had haunted him for the past few years. Slowly the ennui had settled over him like a shroud. Alcohol had been the only blissful escape as it made even the mundane amusing, or people interesting, for awhile until its own sweet release to oblivion and then each morning he could start again and avoid the payment due from the night before. Still he made time to socialize, it wouldn't do to be anything less than the social animal he had been, none of it brought more than a fleeting pleasure as if joy itself had been leeched out of his life. Even though he maintained himself, still a dashing physique and handsome profile with what looked in the reflection to be dark eyes and a square profile he at times felt like a throwback to a simpler time of men with chiseled features and squared chins, but he carried it off well with broad shoulders and a height that towered him slightly over other men. Turning away from the view that had already served to remind him of the growing dimness within he looked down at the laptop screen and the email that lay unsent. Earlier he'd talked with the only confident who had left, Vincent was a throwback like himself, tall, broad and with squared features that made them seem like brothers. They'd done much together, breaking bones, falling with abandon down mountainsides to rest and recount their tales to impressionable women who shared their beds, yet all of that seemed like another person and so long ago. Vincent had told him to find something else, a thrill that bordered on the dark side, countering whispers and gossip that had been made into bad horror films and yet it had left Bruce intrigued. Not willing to put his life and reputation in the hands of some unknown criminal enterprise in another country he'd looked nearby on a whim and found the ad, and the email address. Before he knew it Bruce had written a response, it lay there ready for one click to send it off to the ether and there to whomever wanted him to Murder Me. The title seemed a joke, and with so many search results looking like bad film plots or jokes, eventually he found one and that took his interest in its almost sincerity. Only the idea of it intrigued him, but could he take that step? It sounded so easy, just go out and do it. Take a life. So easy to say, but could he do it? Was it the only thrill left to him? Bruce thought it over with another glass as he wondered if it was something he could do. For another glass, and another he sat and looked as it by that alone the deed would be done. Struggling within himself he couldn't resolve it, the conflict continued and with a final swallow of the emptied bottle he placed the glass down, hearing its loud clink as the crystal sat on the desk and with a touch he clicked send before turning while wondering if he was doing the right thing. Giving up the struggle, for now, he turned and went to sleep.