Dreams of a Monster - Prologue

Waiting in line was never something Wystan enjoyed. But like many things in life, he had come to accept that too. He could have avoided waiting in line. Even the first day he came to this bank, the bank manager; a middle aged man named Finley, was kind enough to make mention that his doors were always open to Wystan, and that he would be more than happy to take care of all his transactions personally. No waiting in line, no fuss, no red tape. But Wystan was the kind of man, who would rather do something he didn’t like, than attract attention to him.

It was a sunny clear day, like most days in Hays, Kansas. Although he had only moved in a few months ago, Wystan was quite fond of Hays. The people, the atmosphere, the environment, all were to his liking.

Wystan was currently at the head office of the largest and most reputed bank in Hays. As he stood in line, he looked around at the people and things around him. Wystan like places with people, it never ceased to amuse how all the different people were in such a hurry to do what they wanted to do. The business men in there thousand dollar suits, the average Joe who got a steady income and lived a reasonably happy life, the person who was at his wits end and down to his last penny; they were all so different, yet the same. The same in they way they were all in a hurry, did they fear tomorrow? Is it because they feared death, that tomorrow or even today maybe there last?

Finally it was his turn.

“Nice to meet you again Mr. Wystan” The girl at the counter replied. Most people seemed to remember him name, especially the people at the bank; he was never sure whether it was his money they remembered, or him. Not that he cared either way.

“Thank you, Gina” Wystan politely replied as he handed her some papers.

“Wystan…that’s a very unique name, is it foreign?” She asked as she typed something’s in her computer.

“It’s English”

“Still, you must be at most in your late twenties, but you have a really old name” She continued

“My parent’s were very old,…..fashioned” Wystan replied with a smile.

“Please excuse me while I go get some paperwork to complete this transaction” Gina excused her self and started walking to a desk some distance away.

Suddenly there was a scream. Everyone’s attention turned to the four men armed with automatic rifles standing inside the bank, one of them was holing Gina with a gun to her head.

“Everyone stop where you are and sit down on the floor, security guards, un-holster your weapons and kick them here. Or I shoot this girl” One of the men replied.

This was a scene many have seen in the movies, but to have it happen in real life was something no one even expected. Everyone was like obedient puppies, they all sat down, and the guards surrendered there guns. Everyone except Wystan.

“Hey you there, what’s your problem?” One of the men asked.

“This whole thing is quite problematic, it upsets my whole schedule and prevents me from completing a very important business transaction” Wystan replied.

“What?” The man dressed in all black with the ski mask on his face, just like the other three, was surprised due to the calmness in which he answered.

“And please let her go, she looks terrified”

“You are not in control here, we are, so just shut up and sit down” The man holding the gun to Gina's head replied.

The first step Wystan took forward was followed by gunfire. Wystan, looked down at his chest, with a look of surprise on his face. His white shirt was quick becoming red with his blood. In seconds he stumbled to the ground.

That’s when the screams really started.

“Oh my god they killed him”

People were screaming, the few that were there were crying.

“Shut up, shut up, ALL OF YOU SHUT UP” the screaming of the armed robbers, didn’t seem to have any effect on the hostages. One of the robbers fired his gun into the air. This ear piercing sound was followed by what they wanted; silence.

“Good, that’s better, you go check if he’s breathing” One of the robbers motioned the other to go check.

He walked to Wystan and checked his hand for a pulse. “He’s dead” He announced. This time no one dared to scream.

“That was completely un-necessary, but we will not hesitate to kill anyone who doesn’t cooperate with us, so I suggest you do”

Meanwhile Mr. Finley the bank manager was in his office, watching the scene outside, too scared to step out. He had pressed the silent alarm sometime ago. The police will be here soon; those words kept repeating in his head, consoling him. Soon he saw one of the robbers, and Gina coming to his office.

“What a manager you are, hiding here when all that was going out there” The robber said with a hint of laughter.

“Well doesn’t matter, you my friend, are going to open the vault door for me” He continued.

Suddenly, the phone in the Lobby rang.

“It’s for you” The one who picked it up said looking at the mangers office.

This robber, who by now, people were sure was the leader, went to the phone.

“The police right? I am not interested in anything you have to say, clear out of this area in five minutes or we start killing people, we have already killed one person, we wont hesitate to kill more, we got lots of people here” With this he hung up the phone.

He started walking with Gina to one of the windows.

“Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die”

The strong voice echoed through the lobby.

“I always liked John Donne, I was able to relate with some of his poems” Wystan replied.

The faces of the people around him were those filled with horror. Not for the armed men threatening to kill them. Guns they knew, robbery’s they herd of, death they understood. They feared the unknown. They feared this man, which stood before them, soaked in his own blood. No not man, men do not come back from the dead.

What happened next was a blur, Wystan moved so fast, fast but elegant. More bullets were fired, more words were said. But when things slowed down, Wystan stood in the middle, and the bodies of the four robbers, lay on the floor.

Wystan looked around at the terrified faces. He had saved them, yet they feared him more then who was about to kill them.

“It seems, I may have overstayed my welcome at Hays”