Last Dying Wish

CHAPTER I - PART I

PRESENT DAY

To Whom It May Concern,

My friend Cole has lost his way and sense of direction in life. Obviously, I am more than distressed about his mental state....well I was till this day. I think I am more than certain on where he stands in life. Allow me to explain and please bear with me for I have only known Cole for a short amount of time. I caught Cole just when he was on the verge of suicide and his only plan of solitude was to steal from one of the richest men in his neighborhood, an elderly man. Now what got Cole to this point was the fall of love and his future plans with moving forward in life. It seems like only yesterday when he came up to me offering his proposal...

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ONE MONTH EARLIER/NOVEMBER 28, 2015

"Yo, I got a proposal." Says an average sized black man sitting at his desk, back turned to his friend.

"I assumed so. You aren't back to your old ways are you?" Asks his friend Jesse, a light skinned male with curly hair and average height, who sits at the edge of Cole's bed.

The average size young black man, with low cut hair, glasses, and light brown eyes stands from his desk, walks over to his closest and reaches above his hanging clothes to pull out a small bag.

"Ah, shit!" Jesse exclaims. "You can't be serious. This is great news, man." Jesse hops off the bed and over to the desk where the young black man places the bag down. "So which one do I get to have?"

The black man continues to ignore Jesse as he unzips his bag pulling out a colt 45. Jesse hovers over the bag and reaches his hand inside pulling out a P11 9mm. Jesse laughs with hysteria as he looks into the mirror and points the gun at himself. "I know exactly who we are going after today and I'm already in."

The man checks the clip of his gun then looks up at the ceiling. "You're staying here." He says.

"Excuse me?" Jesse lowers the gun. "Then what is the proposal?" Jesse inquires as he turns to face his friend. A tear shoots down the black man's face.

"Cole!" Jesse shouts. "You know I hate it when you do this."

A knock comes from Cole's door. Jesse lowers himself under Cole's bed while Cole puts his gun back into the bag. "Come in!"

Cole's mother opens the door. "I hope you haven't forgotten what day it is." Cole's mother folds her arms at her chest as she waits for his reply.

"I know. It's Mabel's birthday." Cole reassures his mother.

"And are you going to visit—"

"Yeah, mom." Cole immediately answers.

Cole's mother scoffs then slams his door shut. Jesse crawls from under the bed still gripping the gun tightly in his hand. "Goddamn, your mother is a bitch, man."

Cole raises an eyebrow. "And why is that? Is it because she is concerned about my connection with my dying sister?"

Jesse waves the gun around like a baton."No, it's because she doesn't give you your space and if you want my honest opinion—"

"I don't." Cole interrupts. "Just shut up and listen to my proposal."

Jesse sits back down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm going to rob someone." Cole informs Jesse.

Jesse shrugs. "I know and you want me to be your wingman. You know I got you."

Cole shakes his head. "No, like I said you aren't coming with me. I want you to stay here. I get the feeling you're just going to escalate things. I want to do this in a subtle manner."

Jesse bursts into laughter trying to inch his words out with each breath taken. "So...let me...get this...straight." Jesse recollects himself. "A black man, you, wants to rob someone with subtly? Is that even a thing?"

"Look I'm sorry Jesse, but you can't come." Cole declares.

"Then why am I even over here?" Jesse asks.

"You tell me, you showed up unannounced."

Jesse nods. "Touché, but I still don't know what the proposal is."

"My proposal is if you stay here, I promise to not go easy on the man."

Jesse examines the gun. "What kind of enticement is that? I thought a proposal was supposed to benefit the opposing person, that person being me."

Cole rolls his eyes. "Ok fine, if you stay here I'll give you a bigger cut of the cash."

Jesse grins from ear to ear and points the gun at Cole. "Now that's more like it, but you better promise to get him to give you ALL the money."

"I will." Cole assures Jesse.

Jesse gets up, walks over to the desk and leans on it standing just six inches away from Cole. "So what's the reasoning behind this action now, huh? Let me guess, emotional stress?"

"Piss off, you know why. Don't act like you don't." Cole says.

Jesse slowly nods his head. "You're right." Jesse gives a menacing smile. "I know exactly what this is all for...or I should probably say who."

Cole stares Jesse in his eyes. "Don't mention her."

Jesse playfully throws his hands up. "I won't. You have my word."

"And I also have your word that you will stay here, correct?"

Jesse slowly brings his hands down back to his sides. "Of course, just make sure you bring me my cash and you don't go soft on the old man. We've cased the place numerous times. Plus you're doing this in broad daylight so...you know, play it safe."

"It's the holidays. Most of the neighborhood is out on vacation." Cole states.

"Yeah, and some of the vacation has made its way to the neighborhood so push the old man into his house and get the shit and leave." Jesse sounds more annoyed now. "Are you sure you don't need me to go with you? I can already tell you want to back out, or maybe I should just go for you."