What if you could have everything you wanted and more? Would you say yes immediately, or would you say no? What if you met someone who could change your life, fix everything that was wrong, or even bring back someone you loved? What would you do?
My name is Charlie, and this is my story of how I met the man in black.
I’m 28. I live at home with my parents in their basement. Yeah, I know, typical loser, right? I had everything once: the job, the money, most things I wanted and needed like usual people, but it all kind of faded away when I lost her… Layla. She was my best friend, my soul mate. I thought we’d spend forever together.
Till she met Chad, a fucking tech millionaire snob with an office the size of my whole house in the tallest building in the city, who could offer her everything she wanted more than I could ever give her: the cars, the fancy dinners, private getaways, hell, even VIP tickets to the Jonas Brothers. With a snap of a finger, she was gone, and I was just never the same again. I lost my job, I went broke, I gave up on the world little by little. My parents even hated me for losing her like I could control her and fucking Chad.
I’d spend most days now sleeping in, watching old reruns of Gunsmoke and Twilight Zone, applying for jobs to appease my parents. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried to find work and be happy, but nothing ever seemed to go my way.
It was a dark and stormy night. I was fed up with sleeping all day and needed to breathe. Your mind is your worst enemy, you know. I decided to go for a walk. There’s a park close by my house. It was late, probably around 11. I didn’t care much for time anymore, not like I had anywhere to be.
I started walking through the park. There weren’t many people out, and it was raining lightly. You could smell the rain and the wet grass. The trees were shaking in the wind. I took it all in, trying to get myself together. I found a bench nearby and decided to take a seat for a bit and listen to droplets hit the ground and the leaves. Then suddenly, a man sat next to me, and at first, I didn’t bother to say anything. I hate people and conversations to begin with. I was about to get up and walk away till he said something.
“Hello, son. What brings you out here so late?” he said. He had a southern tone, very deep like he was from the South or something. I lived in New York. Not very many Southern people around here. I replied to him as I stood up from the bench.
“Nothing, man. Just taking a walk, clearing the mind, you know.”
“Mind if I join ya?”
“Ehh, I don’t know. I don’t really talk to strangers, and I’m not in the mood.”
“I can tell, son. You look like you need some help. What if I told you I can help you?”
He stood up this time and stepped closer to me. He was a tall man, I’d say around 6’2”. He wore a black trench coat and a black hat to match with round glasses like Ozzy Osbourne. As he stepped closer to me, I could see him more clearly. He was pale white. I could see his teeth as he grinned, pearl white and sharp. He smelled of dead roses like the ones you leave out for days that are no good anymore.
“No, thank you, man. I don’t need any help. Have a nice night.” I said as I was about to walk. He said, “Auto me,” that stopped me dead in my tracks.
“I know about your situation, Charlie. How you’ve been broke, how nothing seems to go your way, and your heart feels cold and empty without your lady.”
“I don’t know how you fucking know my name or what kind of trick you’re playing, old man, but fuck off.” I said to him.
“Oh, this ain’t a trick, my boy. I help people like you. I could change your life, son. Think about it and meet me back here tomorrow night.”
i started to walk off this time “yeah okay old man whatever you say” when i turned back to see if he was following me or still there he was gone.. i got back home and i felt a chill in my spine, the hairs on my neck stood up thinking about that conversation with him, how the hell did he know my name, how did he know about Layla i thought, did my fucking parents put him up to this was i being played for a fool? all night i thought about our conversation.. but what if he could help me? what if he had something to fix everything? i thought maybe i should at least hear him out right what’s the worst that could happen..
i slept most of the day and around the same time i went back to the park.. when i arrived he wasn’t there i definitely thought this old man was fucking with me now, i was about to walk back home till out of the blue he showed up behind me.
“ahh i see you came back boy, you must of thought long and hard about what id of said”
“tell me how you know my name and what game this is did my parent set you up here?”
“rest assure boy this ain’t a game and no one tells me what to do, i do as i please and help who i want, i know everything Charlie, i work in ways you wouldn’t believe son, i’m right and wrong, good and bad, dark and light, and i can make your dreams come true”
“How? why even help me? i’m nobody a loser i have nothing to offer you or anything to give”
“you see son the how and why is up to you, i turn losers into winners, and you are right you have nothing to offer me, but there are things i could use your help with, things i just can’t do on my own you see”
“yeah like what old man, i’m not doing anything for free, how can i trust you, how do i know you’ll help me? i asked
“all in time my boy, and trust is an illusion if you need help ask, what you want tell me and i’ll make it happen”
“i..i want my life back.. i want a good paying job, i want money, i want my girl back..” i said
“ahh Charlie see i knew you the one i was looking for” he said with a grin so wide and long i could see his teeth more clearly like razors almost and his eyes peaked through the top of his glasses black as midnight with a red hue like i was talking to fucking dracula or something..
“you’ll work for me my boy and i’ll pay you handsomely and as for your girl she’ll be back in time son, go home and in two days meet me here again we’ll talk then”
right when i was about to say something back i heard a crack in the trees to my back then when i turned again he was gone again..
i went back home again thinking about him and our conversation. was he for real? was he really doing to help me? could he been bring her back and fix my life i thought. it wasn’t till the next morning i started to believe him.. and i really wish i hadn’t.
my mom woke me up banging on my door “charlie you have a letter for you” she said i hadn’t got mail in well forever if i did it was typical bullshit coupons, fucking credit card scams knowing damn well they won’t give me one, i went up the stairs and she handed me a red envelope with only my address on it..
i went back down and opened the letter inside was 3 things, a check for 5,000$, a note and a letter, i was in shock.. i hadn’t seen this amount of money in months no years now.. i truly thought this is fake this isn’t going to cash in at the bank right i thought? i quickly got dressed and walked to the bank.. i inserted the check into the atm and by my surprise it went through there i was in my account exactly 5,000$.. i didn’t know what to think at this point, as i got back home i had forgot to look at the note and letter inside the envelope, i got side tracked i guess i mean who wouldn’t want to go deposit a check like that you know.
the note said this: Charlie my boy i hope this envelope finds you, i know it will, i sent you a little gift, a way to show you ,you can trust me like you asked, all i need from you is to open the letter inside and sign at the bottom and bring it to me when we meet again, signed your friend. all in red ink..
i opened the letter and it was blank just a spot at the bottom to sign and that was it. i swear i thought this was all a dream a joke still, how did he even know my address you know? at this point i couldn’t even be upset i just made more money than i had in forever in a few days i really thought how could this get any worse it could only get better from here right? right????
The next day i waited till it was time to go meet the old man again, this time he was waiting for me we always met in the same spot under a tall dark and dying tree with little light coming from above it and always at night..
as i approached him i told him “i got your envelope, thank you so much for the money i said i don’t know how i could ever repay you but i will do whatever i can for you”
“you see that’s why i like you my boy your a go getter a man who can do anything he sets his mind too, i know you’ll repay me eventually son, did you bring that letter?, he asked
“yes i did i went ahead and signed it for you too” i said as i handed it to him
“very good very good indeed son, you work for me now okay and i have something for you to do tomorrow in fact”
“i work for you? what do you mean you own a business or something?” i implied “and tomorrow okay what is it?”
“son i am the business, i’m the owner, the CEO, everything you see is mine, and now so are you”
“yeah okay old man i’m yours now i dont know about all that don’t get all weird on me but fine if your paying ill work for you, not like your gonna take my soul or anything” i said as i smiled and let out a small laugh.
“all in good time my boy” and when he said that he smiled and he gave me a look that sent ice down my back..
“there’s a tall building down in the city i’m pretty sure you know the one i’m talking about tomorrow at 8am in the front i want you to stand there all day till 5:55pm, after that meet me back here in 2 days”
“a tall building you want me to stand in front of it all day long and your going to pay me? how do u know what building?” i asked
“precisely son i’ll be seeing you soon, it’ll be a pleasure working with you, and i’m sure you already know which one follow your gut my boy”
what a strange request right and what building was he even talking about? surly it wasn’t the one i was thinking right.. i got up early and i went to the same building i thought of the one fucking chad worked at..
it was a dark day no sun or wind it was quite almost too quite and the people didn’t seem to be covering the streets like usual it was all so strange, i sat there all day just waiting for i don’t even know what but hey the old man was paying for me to be here and how easier of a job could this be to stand in from of a building all day and wait.. when the clock hit 5:55 i started to walk away nothing had happened that day.. i had got a good distance away till i heard it, it sounded like rain at first, but it wasn’t rain it was glass hitting the concrete shattering into a million tiny pieces, then out of the sky a BANG hit the ground.
it was chad.. i recognized him immediately i was fucking paralyzed.. i didn’t know to run to help him i mean how the fuck could i help him he must of jumped or fell or whatever the fuck from one of the highest fucking buildings in the city, there was no helping him.. the sound of him hitting the ground sounded like a pile of meat being thrown at the wall a crushing blow as blood and chunks flew everywhere, people started screaming and crying and yelling it was horrifying..
i ran home as fast i could i nearly passed out from how fast i was going and pushing my body. as soon as i got there i threw up i couldn’t breathe i ran down stairs and turned on the tv and thats when i saw it.. it was chad he jumped from the window of his office he shattered the glass with his chair and jumped.. apparently the news said he was stealing millions of dollars from the company and the police were on there way to arrest him..
i was in absolute shock how the hell could this be happening. i was just there standing there minding my own damn business i had nothing to do with this right? was this the old mans doing how could it be.. i was scared but somewhere deep down i was happy.. i hated chad for taking laylah from me but that doesn’t mean he deserved to die you know.. not that i pushed him or had any idea he was stealing millions or anything but still.. it all threw me off and made me just scared to be apart of whatever the old man had planned why was i even there you know why did he make me stand there i thought.. i had to ask him. but there was still a day left before id see him.
the next day i couldn’t even go anywhere i was still in shock from everything i couldn’t even get out of bed.. but something strange happened.. my phone lit up and it was her it was Layla.. she told me she wanted to see me and she wanted to talk about things with me.. she didn’t seem even remotely worried about chad or the fact he just hit the fucking ground and went into a million pieces.. at that point i was going to do whatever to make it work for her.. she said she’d be getting on a plane and heading back home in 3 days and we’d talk then.. i was so excited and confused and happy this was all i wanted everything i asked for i finally had some money again a chance to try again with her..
that same day i got another red envelope, this time with a check for 15,000$ and a note that read: you did well my boy, i had to know i could i could trust you to do as your told, heres a token of my gratitude, signed your friend..
when it was finally time to see the only man again i admit i was nervous this time and scared but everything he said was happening and he did help me and gave me what i wanted i just worried at what cost could all this be you know? i had to find a way to get out of all this.
i approached him again under the same tree except this time he seemed a bit happier, more confident and relaxed, the smell of dead flowers was even stronger then before and he was smiling a grin that gave me goosebumps..
“ahh there’s my favorite employee, i’m very pleased with you son, you do as your told” he said
“i don’t understand why you had me out there to witness that, why all this has played out the way it has, im grateful don’t get me wrong everything ive wanted has came to me so far since i met you, but i don’t want to be apart of people dying or whatever the fuck that was” i told him
“Charlie it’s simple i had to make sure you could do something simple follow instructions and be a good boy, the rest was up to fate there’s bad people in this world son and sometimes they need a little push you know what i mean” as he smiled at me
“i don’t care about bad people i just want to be happy and have my life back”
“and you will son didn’t i tell you things will come back to you, now i have one more job for you consider this one the last one for a long time if you do it right you can go live that life you always wanted and be free for now that is”
“fine old man as long as i’m not hurting anyone or anything ill do it if you say i can be done after this”
“yes yes my boy of course, now this one is important listen close, there is a man by the name of mr Wallace he lives in a retirement home you know where they keep them old folk, well mr Wallace turned 99 today, and by the look of it he’s still got a few more years in him, he’s a bad man Charlie, but he’s also very smart see he used to be a doctor a time ago he would perform surgery’s and fail them on purpose he got a kick out of killing innocent people, i want you to sneak into his room and kill him, i already set everything up for you no guards no cameras nothing to worry about, you walk in and 6 doors to the right is his”
“what the fuck i’m not going to kill some old man” i told him
He looked at me this time a snarl and anger in his eyes and voice, and said “boy you will do as i say remember now you work for me, and it would be a shame if a certain plane doesn’t make its way home safe now wouldn’t it”
“You fucking leave her out of this i swear to god!”
“Pray to your god Charlie you’ve already made your deal with me, Now get to work son you have till sunrise” as he walked off..
Kill an old man.. how could i do this i thought it was already midnight by this time, the sun would be up in 6 hours i had to move..
I texted Layla over and over and called countless times but no answer. i begged her not to get on that plane not to leave or come home.. but she never answered. i walked down to the nursing home and sat outside waiting, thinking about what to do, I’ve never took a life this is not what i imagined id be doing. i started wishing i never met this man i was better off how i was before i thought..
But i had to do something if not for me for her right i could sit here and let something happen i’ve dug myself too deep.. i got up and walked inside the nursing home. at first i was nervous surly there’d be a guard or a nurse somewhere right? but no the doors were wide open no one insight and so quite..
i walked 6 doors down he said, and i opened the door. There he was this old frail man dead asleep it was cold as ice in his room you could see your breath. My heart was racing how could i fucking do this how could i kill a man i thought, yeah he’s killed people and responsible for deaths but how is it my job to end his life..
All i could think about was Layla.. her life mattered to me more then anything and i couldn’t ruin this chance..
This man was on life support, i could see his shallow breaths and his heart rate on his monitor, i only had once choice to pull the plug and let him die.. i walked to his bed stand and as i was about to pull it i could hear something so faint “he sent you didn’t he, i knew my days were numbered, do what you must i’m ready but listen kid don’t trust him” the old man said as i pulled the plug..
i watched as he gasped shacking all over looking for air and help he cried out but he knew no one would come.. i ran immediately out the door and back outside, i kept running and running till i got back home my legs and body shaking i immediately threw up.
What have i done i thought, this had to be it, it had to end now i couldn’t ever do this again i felt horrible miserable inside. but as sense of relief that she’d be safe now she’d come home and we’d start over and fix things start a new life together or so i thought..
I forced myself to sleep i had brutal nightmares and thoughts. that man said “don’t trust him” how could he know the old man, what did he know there was no answers to find anymore i just knew i had to never see him again i was done for good..
The morning came and my phone went off Layla texted me saying her plane was boarding and she had to get on she had to come home i begged her not too but it was too late. i had to hope everything i did would bring her home safe.
Till around the afternoon i turned on the tv and saw something that shocked me to my core.. there was a plane crash.. the pilot was driving the plane drunk and it crashed killing everyone except one person a female. it had to be her i thought..
Laylas parents reached out to me saying she was in critical condition in the hospital and they didn’t know if she’d make it i immediately rushed there i had to be with her. When i got there i walked in and again the room was cold as ice, i walked up to her bed and there she was, the doctor said she could be in a coma for a long time her spine was broken and her body contorted and damaged beyond repair..
This is all my fault i thought if id of just let her go and accepted my life if id of just worked on myself and found happiness in my self instead of believing a man could bring everything i wanted back..
Then and a single moment He stepped in. The man in black.
“What the fuck did you do, how could you do this i did what you asked you were supposed to leave her alone and leave us alone we were done!” i screamed to him
He looked at me and smiled “Charlie were never done, and i gave you what you wanted right, she’s here she’s alive and yours to care for now forever, be greatful boy”
I was sobbing tears ran down my face and cheeks “i never want to see you again we’re done for good leave and never come back i wish i never met you” i cried to him
“Oh boy we’re never done and when i need you again i will find you, enjoy this time i’ve given you, for next time i have much more in store for you” he replied as he walked out the door.
That was the last i’ve seen of him for years now. Layla is still in a coma.. after everything happened i got a check in the mail with so much money id never have to work a day in my life again or leave her side.
If you ever want something so bad you’d do anything for it remember this, there is a man out there who will offer you everything even the world, please say no to him.
i just got another letter it read: it’s time my boy i’ll be seeing you soon.., i have to find a way to break free from this i can’t lose her and my life again.