The Collector
A simple heist until it isn’t
Simple.
I was expecting simple. The old man alone in his country home filled with a stunning art collection.
One old man, one job.
Sure, he had security but it was easy, cameras, dogs, window sensors. It was our fourth job together but we worked so smoothly, nothing could go wrong.
The Rottweilers were sedated, drooling all over a rug that cost several thousand dollars. The old man was at dinner, as he was every Friday night.
“What did you say this guy collects?” Ravi asked as we stared at the massive safe door.
“Just art. There’s a million articles about him, that’s how I heard about him.”
“There’s gotta be a big room back there,” Monica added. “Ravi can you handle the door?”
Ravi shot her an unimpressed look and got to work. Eventually the latch clicked and gave way.
“Guys,” Ravi’s voice trembled. “He’s not an art collector.”
We cautiously stepped into the gigantic room to behold a wall of skulls, perfectly in tact and grinning at us.
“Ew,” Monica gasped.
We heard a slight chuckle as we turned just in time to see the Old Man closing the door to the safe, adding us to his collection.
About the Creator
C.Z.
A slightly inspired, barely motivated, lover of fact and fiction
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Comments (24)
Oh no 😱they walked right into the trap!
This is a very intriguing story! Enjoyed the twist very much :) Congrats on Top Story!!
I guess to some skulls are art work. Good job and well written. I subscribed, hearted, and left insights.
Haha, 'There’s a million articles about him' - looks like somebody doesn't like to read the articles carefully enough to know what/who they are really about😅 Congratulations on your top story!
Nice work.
That was quite the twist! I like how you set up the scene with very few words. Proof once again that dialogues can really move a story forward. Very well done! Congratulations on the Top Story!
Ouuuu, what a twist!! 👏🏻 Wonderfully done! 💗
Congrats on Top Story!! This piece is both entertaining and unexpected, leaving me eager to see what comes next. Keep up the amazing work!!! 👏😊
Oh sooo creepy! I love it! 🤩 Congratulations on Top Story, too! Well deserved. This was incredibly entertaining. 😆
WOW! 😱Phenomenal work! Congratulations on your Top Story!
Whoa! His version of "art" isn't the usual. Creepy and well-told!
🔥💯🔥
Ah-mazing. A wonderful twist. Love that you fit all this in 200 words. Impressive
Instant subscriber after such a great little story. I enjoyed the twist, and although you had built the tension sufficiently, the payoff was unexpected! Congrats on Top Story!
That was awesome!!!
A great twist! Well done, and Congratulations on Top Story!
Great job! A reverse heist. The lure was a great trap. And congrats a top story.
Love this! The suspense and the twist are fantastic!
Good one. Congratulations on your top story.
Fantastic twist! Congrats on the Top Story
Oh, this is great. Congrats on the TS
Loved that ending. The old man really did get them! Brilliant short fiction.
Wow 😯 would like to see where this goes 👀‼️
Lol, that was so unexpected and creepy! Awesome story!