No Honour Among Thieves

For all the darkness of the day, there was no doubt that Calvin’s life was about to change once again.

There, in front of him and just inside a newly unlocked safe, was more cash than he could spend in 10 lifetimes. He stood there transfixed for a moment, captivated by the lingering must and the gleam of single metallic strips in the sallow lamp light.

In his glorious daydream, he didn’t notice Luke tiptoe into the office, even as his former friend inched ever closer towards him. In fact, he was only stirred by the shadow of Luke’s arm as it raised in the air, as he suddenly glimpsed the tenebrous outline of a hammer as it towered over him.

Without a solitary word, the hammer came swiftly down, as Calvin collapsed forlornly in a bloody heap on the floor. As he lay slowly, silently dying, Luke leant down beside him and solemnly shook his head.

“I went to a lot of trouble to steal that money from you”, he whispered dispassionately, beside a pool of crimson. “You didn’t really think I’d let you take it back without a fight, did you?”