}
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The man left his perch at the bar. He had just witnessed a tragedy which had made grown men cry in sorrow for the strangers they had just watched perish. Other people had been made physically ill by the scene. The outlandish thing was his lack of any reaction whatsoever. Even he didn't understand it, but this didn't bother the heartless man. He felt nothing.
He had known these people since his birth, and now they were gone forever. Two of them were his parents. They had changed his diapers, and comforted him when he was ill. Without them, he would never have existed. And yet he felt nothing.
He walked over to a trash can with a small empty paper sack, the type you will get when you purchase a snack. The entire street was covered with security cameras from various businesses, and there was still an officer hanging around to comfort bystanders who had witnessed the tragedy.. He added a candy wrapper from his pocket, and the remains of a hot dog complete with a paper dish. This was the most risky part of the entire plalt nothing.
The Bitcoin keys written on the inside of the candy wrapper would take care of the payment. Nothing could be traced back to him, he had taken every precaution to ensure that. He had just made a drop, in front of security cameras. And yet he felt nothing.
It was finally done. As the only living child, he would be the sole heir. Besides the various charities which his parents had made outlandish provisions for, it would all be his. Despite those trusts being enough to fund a small country, it didn't matter. They would only receive a very small portion of his parent's considerable fortune. His entire family was dead. He had watched as his parents, brother, and sisters die a very painful and bloody death. He would soon be one of the richest men in the world. And yet he felt nothing.
A police car quietly pulled up beside him. An officer shouted "freeze!!!". He complied, certain that it was a mistake. He had never left any evidence. After the cold, calculating man was apprehended, his parents emerged from an unmarked car. They were crying, but unharmed. And yet he felt nothing.
It had turned out that the assassin he had hired was an undercover officer, fishing for crimes in the making. The whole thing was documented. He might get life in prison. Had anyone died he might even have been executed. And yet he felt nothing.
No fear for what the future might hold, not even disappointment at losing what he thought of as his fortune. No remorse or sadness at what he had attempted to do. His life as he knew it was over. No more fast cars, or tours of Europe and the tropics. And yet he felt nothing.
As he was being helped into a patrol car, he idly wondered... Why can't I feel anything any more? When was the last time I felt anything?
Photo by Ba Phi from Pexels and edited by me