August 21 2001
Today, on my birthday, will be the last entry into this journal… death, who has been my ally for so many years, finally beckons me to come home. Why do I kill so easily? Why do they die so easily? There is something beyond this world that I do not understand. The shadows whisper their secrets to me but only in riddles while the blood in my eyes blinds me to the truth. It seems that the only way to answer my questions cannot be found in this life. So now I leave to find the answers elsewhere.
Caleb
Aka DarkHaze
“I still carry this letter in my back pocket to this day. It is a reminder of my past ignorance. “
Ingus sits back in his favorite barstool, careful as always not to wrinkle his latest designer suit and motions to the bartender that another round of shots is needed. Him and DarkHaze have been friends for quite a while now but Haze has always been secretive about his past. Always covering up his feelings with witty bantor and jokes.
DarkHaze sits across from him, staring into an empty shot glass as if there was a long lost secret inside waiting to be discovered. He lights another cigarette waving the smoke away from his face as he sits up so as not to look so vulnerable.
“ You know what I miss the most about life before this life Ingus? “
The bartender slides another round of tequila in front of the pair. “ What is that Haze? “
“ My son…I miss my son. “
“ You had a kid? Ingus is surprised to hear that? “
“ Yeah, he was 6 years old when I was awakened. I would spend so much time chasing death and staining my hands with blood. The life of a hitman will swallow your soul. But after so much hurt seeing him always made me feel human again. “
Ingus looks at DarkHaze as if some of the riddle is finally coming to the surface. “ Have you seen him since? “
“ No, he is not real anyways. Although that is just an excuse I suppose. He’s probably more real than me now. “
“ Why do you say that? “ Ingus asks.
“ I’ve never told you how I came to be aware of the matrix. Hell, im still confused. Even after all this time. Im not sure that I will ever understand the truth. Even after being awakened. “
“ The pill is not the truth. “ Ingus explains. “ It is only a path to the truth. “
“ I never took the pill. In my past life I was a hit man for hire. I don’t know why killing came so naturally to me. I was able to keep the emotions inside of me. Always quiet, always reserved and professional. Then one night it all came out. I cried. For the first time in years. That is when I decided to take my life. I wrote this letter, not really for anyone specifically. Mostly for myself. I expected to see the devil when I awoke but I didn’t. I woke up in the train station. Which was weird. I didn’t expect heaven or hell to be a train station. I was taken to flood and told the truth. I guess after living so long in the shadows I was happy to trade in for a different life. I understood why I was able to kill better and faster than most. Somehow I was connected to the matrix in a way that not even flood could understand. “
Ingus downed another shot and put his fist to his chin, pondering this story. “ Have you tried speaking to the Merovingian about this. He is the trafficker of information within mega city. If anybody can help you he can. “
“ No. I guess I’ve just accepted it. The oracle tried to contact me once. But I refused to see her. I have enough riddles to figure out. That woman would just make it worse. “
Ingus stood up from his chair, adjusting his coat and tie and looked at DarkHaze like a father might look at his troubled son. “ Ingus will speak to the merovingian for you Haze. Maybe Ingus can set up a meeting for you. As a friend Ingus wants to help you find some answers. And as a soldier Ingus thinks that this information may be valuable to the Merv. You, Ingus’s friend, may be more important to the cause than you think.
To be continued…..
