by Fish Paste

Created on: June 01, 2008

The sand sifted through his bare toes. It was four on a Monday morning, in three and a half hours time he needed to be at work, but today he had other plans.

He looked out at the dark ocean, to his right he could see the lights of the parking lot but in front of him was only darkness.

Just five minutes ago he passed a homeless man who was crying his eyes out, howling his frustrations into the heartless night. He could not understand what the homeless man was crying about but he had a feeling that it was the same reason he was here.

He checked the back pocket of his swimming trunks, the plastic baggy with pills was still there. He stepped into the black water. It was freezing but he kept moving forward.

When he was out past the backline he removed the plastic bag from his pocket and took ten sleeping pills. It took about three minutes for the pills to kick in. It was longer than he expected. In his drugged up hazy state he came to grips with what he was doing.

This is the end? He asked himself as his legs and arms became heavy and he sunk. The salt water burned his nose as he choked for air. With his last bit of consciousness he fought for that which life always fights for; to be alive.

He passed out.

He woke up a few hours later in hospital. The nurse told him that a homeless man swam out to save him.

He realised that it would have been better if he had died. He still had all his old problems and now everyone thinks that he is an insecure basket case.

He thought of the bum and how he was crying. How can anyone who life has made so sad, want to save his? He concluded that the bum was a sadistic bastard who wanted to see him suffer. He decided that he had to return to the beach and take care of the bum.

"Ha, you're back." The bum said, his eyes glistening in the fire.

"Why did you save me?"

"I don't believe a man should have the right to choose when he has to go."

"You selfish old fool!" He yelled as he pulled out the nine millimetre pistol he bought earlier from a Nigerian drug dealer. Bang, the shot was precise, the bullet lodged itself in the old man's chest and he fell on his back in the dirt.

"Heh, urrgh, he." Blood spewed from the bum's mouth as he laughed through his aching chest.

"What are you laughing at?" Our man was very confused, he walked up to the bum and crouched next to him.

"So what do you do when you don't believe in suicide?"

"What?"

"You get someone else to pull the trigger."

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