"Hand over the money, Ajax."
"I don't know what you're talking about Derek."
I had recognized the voice of the person pressing the barrel of a gun to the back of my neck, it was Derek Smith a middle-aged man who worked alongside me at the restaurant as a line cook although we hadn't talked much due to the grueling work conditions and my general ineptitude at social interactions which I was beginning to regret now.
"Don't fuck with me Ajax, I overheard you and the boss talking to each other and with the number of hours you put in, I'm willing to bet that it's no pocket change. So, I'll say it again, Give me the fucking cash."
"You already know I can't do that" I said with a sigh.
"Oh shut up, I got a wife and two kids back at home that I have to feed, what's the worst that's going to happen to you? You survived two years on the street what's a few more?"
"And besides, I'm not really giving you a fucking choice." He said while pressing the gun barrel to the back of my head.
I expected myself to be more panicked in such a situation but upon further thought I realized that no matter what I did I would most likely die if I didn't give him the money he would most likely shoot and take it then but if I did then I would be on the streets once again and with the oncoming freezing winters and increasing gang violence, I would be lucky to survive for a month and even if I did I would likely die of starvation. That and disturbingly the thought of dying didn't really scare me, it was almost appealing.
"Do it then." I said in an apathetic tone.
"What?"
"Do it Derek, pull the trigger."
"Have you gone insane?" He spat incredulously.
I laughed, that was a good question but there were only two outcomes here either he backed off and let me keep my money or he shot me, I was ready for either one.
However, a second later I felt the pressure on the back of my head loosen and heard him take a step back, but he wasn't running, he was most likely planning to pistol whip me and take my money once I was unconscious. Realizing this I turned around and ducked under the pistol whip tackling Derek to the ground.
"Crazy bastard!" he growled as we both fell to the ground, but he still had grip over the pistol after all being older, he was bigger and stronger than me but that didn't mean I was going to give up.
I used my right elbow to strike him in the face while trying to slap the pistol out of his grip with my left as I felt running away wasn't an option now that I had made him angry but there was only so much I could do, I didn't have time to exercise and was quite malnourished, so my strikes barely did anything except cause a nosebleed.
Thus, Derek simply grabbed my left hand and pointed the pistol at my chest pulling the trigger.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
The gunshots echoed through the empty streets, I immediately felt sharp pain in my chest and fell backwards and released a groan.
It was certain now I had taken three gunshots to the chest at point blank range, I was going to die. I had expected this and felt unreasonably calm looking at the night sky, I could feel Derek rummaging through my pockets to find the envelope but I didn't care. I felt a warmth envelop me which I assumed was my blood which now was splattered across the street but just before I closed my eyes I saw my phone which I dropped during the struggle and It displayed the latest chapter of the novel titled simply 'Death'.