"It is very funny how the world works." A man with a very heavy voice said.
Currently, that man was standing in a very luxurious office building located on the top floor of a building. From his office, he could see the view of the whole city. And while facing the window of the office that he started speaking to his subordinate who was sitting in front of that man's work desk.
"What is so funny boss?" the man sitting on the desk asked.
"When I was a child, living in the streets, do you know what I ever wanted?" the man with a heavy voice asked.
"What boss?" his subordinate asked.
"Money. That is that fucking thing that I ever wanted. Of course, I was living in the streets of Mumbai so it was given that I wanted the money. But you know at that moment, I thought that I will never get bored with money. But here I am today. I have so much money that I don't know what to do with it. Yet, I am bored with money. See the things that you want when you are a child are not necessarily the things that you would want for the rest of your life." The man with the heavy voice said.
"Well said boss." The man's subordinate said.
"Don't kiss my ass. I know what you are thinking. Currently, you are thinking like, look at this mother fucker. He had all the money in the world. And yet here he is ranting about how he doesn't like money. So why not give it to me?" the man with a deep voice said.
"I would never dare boss." The subordinate said.
"Garen. Don't you remember the first rule of being here?" the boss asked.
"Never lie to the boss," Garen said.
"Correct. So are you thinking what I just said?" the boss asked.
"Yes…. I was thinking the exact same thing." Garen said.
"Garen, do you know the story of how I became what I am today?" the boss asked.
"Well, you did a lot of businesses which let you stand where you are today," Garen said.
"Business… More like crimes. I did a lot of crimes. But did you know what was my first crime?" the boss asked.
"What was it, boss?" Garen said.
"It was murder. I was around 10 years. I was living in the streets. But I was not alone. I had a friend. She was a girl which was 2 years older than me. We would eat together, work together, and slept together. But one day, a local gang member spotted her. He kidnapped her, rap*ed her. Then threw her in the streets. I didn't know where she was until it was too late. She died in the streets…" the boss said.
"Then?" Garen asked.
"Then what? I killed their boss and the man that kidnapped her with a gun. You know it was quite funny actually, there was this fat police officer which had a handgun. When on duty he would always leave his gun behind in his patrol car whenever he would go to the local shop some samosas…" the boss said.
"Boss, could I ask you a question?" Garen asked.
"Yeah go ahead." The boss said.
"Boss… You always say one thing. Words are sacred. And one must not speak in vain. Isn't that right?" Garen said.
"Yes. That is true." The boss said.
"Then why are you telling me all this? Why today? Is it because of that woman?" Garen asked.
"You could say so… See there comes a time in every man/woman's life where he/she thinks back all the decisions that they had ever made. Today while seeing that woman being tortured made I start to question my decisions." The boss said.
"…" Garen then sat quietly there looking at the back of his boss.
"Garen, do you know why I am sharing this with you?" the boss asked.
"No," Garen said.
"It is because you are young. When you become boss, you need to remember my words or this world will become your imprisonment." The boss said.
"When I become what?" Garen asked in a shocking tone.
"Boss. I am 51 years kiddo with way more experience and wisdom about our line of work. I know that you are rallying members against me. You think you would do a better job. So I am doing you a favor and giving you my seat." The boss said.
"I…I" Garen stuttered. He indeed was planning a coup against his boss. But he was sure that his boss had no idea that he was doing so.
"You are going to be a boss. Never stutter in front of your subordinates." The boss said.
"But why are you giving up this easily?" Garen asked. He could not believe it. The man who is feared all along the world was just giving him his seat just like that? Why? What the hell is wrong with this old man?
"A man needs changes with time. When I was a kid, I wanted money and power so I cant feel that hopeless again. But now all I want is to leave this place forever. I don't want any violence and I don't want any money. I just want peace." The boss said. Then he turned around and took out a vial of poison from his desk drawer. Then he looked at Garen in the dark. He then smiled at him and then drank the poison without any remorse or second thought…
...
Suicide is a coward's way to die. The boss knew that. But he didn't care about that one bit. He had been a crafty and ruthless man his whole life. And when he found out that his right-hand man, Garen is planning to kill him and take over his business, he was furious. He planned everything up. He thought that he would use this opportunity to kill all the people that had turned against him in one swoop. And then his rule will be solidified once more…
Thinking that his rule will be solidified, the boss man made himself a big drink and sat down. It was the time for celebration. But there he sat on his sofa all alone. He could trust his colleagues right now, not after Garen. So who could he share this moment with? And after thinking for about 20 min, he was not able to come up with anyone. There was literally no one in the world that he could trust and share his happiness with.
This lead him to think about why did he become what he is today? Why did he yearn for money and power? Was it because he was living in the streets? The answer is no. He was happy there. He was surrounded by people that he cherished. As a kid, he was not able to make that much, which could satisfy him and his friend's needs. But he was still happy. It was after her death he became like this.
As the man ages, he gains more maturity and wisdom. Now, he could tell why he wanted money and power. He wanted it because after his friend's death he needed something to fill a hole left behind by her. He also wanted revenge for her. He wanted to uproot those gang members that ra*ped her from their very core.
This started making sense to the boss man. And now as he stood on the pinnacle, all he wanted to do was roam free in the world. He wanted to be in some place where he would truly be free. Someplace where he is not known as the monster as he is today…
As the boss man drank the poison he sat down on his seat and closed his eyes. The thing that he yearned for, peace, was finally within his grasp. Soon he started feeling like his body was getting cold. And soon darkness enveloped his eyes forever…
He had fully prepared himself. The truth was that he didn't believe in God. But as he chose to drink the poison he also made peace with the fact that if he somehow ends up in hell or something similar then he was prepared for it. He had done many evil deeds in his life. And he regretted some of them. But now everything would be over…