Following Orders

My grandfather’s voice echoed in my ears, “A penny for your thoughts.” Yes, I desperately wanted to read her mind before her parting. As a soldier, I was trained to take down high-stakes targets. I wasn’t sure how the daughter of a governor would further our undefined purpose but I would do my duty. Implied in every order received was the bargain, the life of your enemy or your life. If I failed, the cost would be great. I would follow orders.

From being to nonbeing seems like such a great leap to take in one passing second yet that was what her future held. She would leave so much more than the shower she was about to take undone.    
 
Movement and breath will become stillness and silence.  All thinking, all ideas will cease. All love directed toward her will go into emptiness. The love yet to be made with her will be left unmade. In the passing of mere seconds, all regrets that haunted her mind will become irrelevant.  
 
These were my thoughts as I focused through the sight of my gun. I'm just a loyal soldier fulfilling his duty. If not me, there would be another in my place to seal her fate.

The words of my grandfather came again. “Safety first. You only have one shot so make it true. If you’re careful with your aim, there will be no suffering, just the kill.”  
 
I released the safety and began the gentle squeeze on the trigger that would pinch the flame of this single candle, fulfilling my orders.