Icarus

I took a breath before I opened the door. A small part of me hoped the man inside would answer the questions in the right way, and I would be able to go about the rest of my day as usual.
But I knew how he would answer. I knew what I had seen day in and day out for the past month. These cryozyte dealers got smart, started using legitimate stores as fronts to move their drugs, selling paper plates at 30 bucks a pop; Just a cover so that kids can go in and buy drugs with their chips instead of having to steal their parents transfer cards.
Zyte junkies, freezers, they make my stomach wretch just at the thought. The sad degenerates that the world had turned their back on even in what are supposed to be called prosperous times. The government claims transfer cards are for person to person sales “like books”. Funny. My friends let me borrow their books. Meanwhile the zyte user statistics rise daily and they claim they have no idea how they’re getting it!
What’s worse, the public is so wrapped up in their own lives, that they refuse to see that kids can start freezing at a store on the corner. I couldn’t allow myself to be that naive. When I went to the police I saw the true face of justice.

“You think a convenience store is sellin’ zyte?” The detective burst into laughter almost choking on the chocolate donut in his throat, funny how stereotypes never change. “Next you’ll be claiming they got blow at the shoe store!” he hacked up chunks of pastry, continuing to fight back laughter. “Come on now. We have a lot more to deal with than ridiculous theories about drug shops in suburbia.” as I left the station grieving my faith in authority, I was passed by no one and the only commotion in the building was that of my own footsteps.

I pulled the door open, the store was set up to look like a convenience store, no doubt they had to move a lot of zyte to pay for it all. The detail of the deception portrayed by the storefront only fueled my hatred. I was feigning interest in a holographic display of Yosemite national park, set up as part of a contest, when I was addressed by the counter person.
“How’s it goin’ today?” a tall young man, probably in his early twenties called to me blithely.
“If I had to save some chicken for a long time..”I started as I approached the counter, hoping he would pick up on my implication. My mind was abuzz with anticipation, the next words that came out of this boy’s mouth would determine a world of events.

I realized after I left the police station and my car had driven me halfway home, that if the police wouldn’t even acknowledge the possibility of this happening, and they’re supposed to be the ones looking out for it, then no one would. I knew that I was the only one who was willing to see anything and that meant that I was the only one with the power to do anything about it. As far as I was aware, and I still hold to this, there’s only one way to deal with these kinds of people.

“You would want a freezer!” the kid had obviously picked up on the innuendo, his eyes brightened and a cocky smile grew on his face.
“Yes I would!” I agreed as I put my hands on the counter top.
“How many wafers are you lookin’ for?” the kid reached down below the counter and produced a small brown box.
“Four please.” I told the kid as he opened his container.
“Oh no! Just two in this one.” he called as he held up two cryozyte wafers and scanned a little card 4 times. “Not to worry!” he raised his eyebrows with excitement. “There’s more!” he ducked his head to obtain the alternate container. I hadn’t been expecting a slip up like this on his part. It made it almost too easy to calmly reach back and remove my .45 caliber spiraling daisy from the back of my waistband and hold it to the kids head.
“Whoa! WHOA! Hey dude look I just work for these people I don’t give a shit if you steal the wafers man, just take them!” the kid screamed as he dropped the box and raised his hands above his head. The wafers fell onto the floor like a drug confetti, a freezer somewhere wept.
“I’m not here to steal your drugs. I’m here because you sell the drugs.” I explained calmly trying not to let my voice shake. It’s surprising how much you tremble in a situation like that. I wasn’t afraid, but my body was dealing with so much adrenaline it was like I was plugged into a wall.
“Oh shit man! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Look man I’m not a bad guy.”
“SHUT UP! You’ve got some balls. Opening a shop, right in front of everyone. I bet you thought you were clever.” my grip on the gun tightened.
“I didn’t think I” he started.
“I SAW THE SMIRK ON YOUR FACE!” I screamed at the boy as he flinched with terror. The anticipation was building in me. It was almost fun to call this kid out in his last seconds. He cowered at the prospect of justice being exacted, those with guilt usually do.
“You have destroyed several lives, most likely lead to the self destruction and deaths of many unknowing little kids. Don’t you think you should have to pay for a crime like that?” I felt as a bear must feel to a squirrel.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God.” a dark stain began to move from the kid’s crotch toward his feet.
“AND PAY YOU SHALL!” The words boomed over the explosion of gunpowder in my hand. As my hand recoiled the world seemed to slow around me, the spiraling bullet buried itself quickly into the left side of his face causing his head to jerk back with a tiny spurt of blood. As his head pulled back to where it was I saw a look of confusion plastered on his face. He had apparently never seen someone shot with a daisy.
Before he was able to move his hand toward his face, the bullet lodged in his cheek exploded, and what was left of his head was jerked around as it fell onto the counter in front of me. Small and large chunks of brain and bone fragments were splattered on my face and hands. For a split second the kids left eye dangled from where an eye socket had once been, until it broke off as his body slid into a pile of a decrepit attempt at a human being. As I pulled my arms away from the counter to shake off the drug dealer entrails, I heard a beep all too familiar.

My chip had just been scanned and charged!