CHARAN PONAMGI

Fragments of Guilt
 Copyright © 2023 by Charan Ponamgi

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 Contents

Chapter 1 1
 Chapter 1

His heartbeat painted a haunting mural, a rhythmic echoing of

the relentless assault of waves on the shore. Bare-chested, he
occupied the sandy canvas, a borrowed cigarette dangling from
his lips. Every drag felt like a betrayal to his hatred for the place.

The wind, was comforting as it caressed his skin. The waves,

messengers of memories both enchanting and upsetting held
the beach in a serene embrace. Yet, each ripple was a reminder—
a painful acknowledgment of a past he wished to forget but
ironically replayed every minute.

His heart harbored fragments of guilt, scattered puzzle pieces

he dared not reassemble. To confront the full scope of his guilt
was an unbearable prospect, a box of emotions he chose to keep
sealed.

Seated in contemplation, his mind wandered through conflict-

ing thoughts. The ticklish movement on his skin, a subtle intru-
sion, disrupted the uneasy calm. He reacted almost immediately,
muscle memory never failed him. At once he grabbed onto the
object and moved his hand closer to his face. It was a small crab
fighting for life in his tight, enclosed fist. Without hesitation, he

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bit its head off and spat it and threw the carcass into the ocean.
He always liked to be extra careful.

Interrupting his emotions was the chime of his mobile phone,

deeply tucked away in his right shoe’s sole. Now crossing his
legs, he retrieved the phone from the bottom of his shoe and
glanced at the home screen without unlocking it. It was a wire
transfer of 10 thousand dollars to his account. A subtle smile
took over his face.
Another job well done, he told himself. Another life taken. Without
feeling any remorse.

***

10 hours later

Miguel’s gaze lingered in the mirror, captivated by the depth

of his dark blue eyes. They moved with a self-assured grace
over his impeccably clean-shaven face, where his jawline ac-
centuated his distinctive features. The reflection continued
downward, revealing a well-maintained physique that defied
the expectations of his 40-plus years. Clad only in a pure white
towel, he stole a glance at his Rolex, a ticking reminder of the
fleeting moments.

With just 30 minutes to go, Miguel prepared for a dinner

rendezvous with a woman he had met a half-hour earlier.
Her personality matched his own, creating an instantaneous
connection that left him yearning for more. In the mirror’s
reflection, anticipation danced in his eyes, mirroring the ticking

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seconds on his wristwatch.

Miguel wished he could spend some more time after dinner with
her.

***

Miguel eased his sleek Lexus into a parking spot outside the
upscale restaurant, the evening sun casting a warm glow on the
sleek exterior. His watch became a focal point, its hands ticking
away as he waited patiently for a date who had already stretched
time by ten minutes. Miguel, an advocate for punctuality,
considered being ten minutes early the true mark of respect—
five minutes late by his standards.

Yet, this woman held an irresistible charm that defied his usual
impatience. Her eyes, a magnetic force, ensnared him from
the moment their gazes intertwined. A shot of vodka and
determination led to effortlessly securing her number and a
date.

An unexpected touch on his neck ignited a reflexive response,

his hand instinctively reaching for the Glock concealed in his
back pocket. A heartbeat later, relief washed over him as he
realized it was a playful gesture from his date.

Rising promptly, Miguel pulled out her chair, but a sudden

impulse led him to grasp her by the dress, kissing her with a
passion unlike anything she has ever seen. As they settled into
their seats, he devoted a generous two minutes to losing himself

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in her eyes, and then gifted a bouquet adorned with vibrant

purple Tulips.

Her reaction was a symphony of excitement and affection, a

captivating dance in her emerald-eyed gaze. wrapped in a dark
black dress, with its back cut just enough to stoke desire, she
exuded an effortless charisma. With eyes resembling precious
gems and lips as tender as roses, she possessed a magnetic
charm that transcended the physical aspect. In that moment,
any man would consider himself fortunate to be in her presence.
Even Miguel.

“Why were you late?” He asked her.

“I had to pick a dress, didn’t wanna disappoint you,” came the
answer
“That’s not ever possible, and you look amazing” his gaze
went to a strange looking pendant around her neck. His feet
subtly tapped with satisfaction.

“Isn’t it a little odd that this place is absolutely empty?” she

asked him, placing her right hand on his.
He scanned his surroundings. The hotel exuded Victorian-
era charm, with ornate chandeliers casting warm patterns on a
polished marble floor. Gilded mirrors, plush velvet curtains,
and intricately carved wooden furniture adorned the lobby,
creating an atmosphere of refined luxury. As they walked
through corridors adorned with floral-patterned wallpaper, the
dining room revealed high-backed leather chairs around carved
wooden tables, evoking a nostalgic yet enchanting ambiance.
The fusion of Victorian-inspired decor with modern amenities
set the stage for his evening, where the air carried a subtle

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fragrance of antique wood and fresh flowers, creating a romantic

experience.
“I figured we could use a little privacy, so I rented this place for
the next 2 hours. But I hope desert is at your place.” his tone
was playful, and he placed his left hand on hers, looking at her
eyes for the infinite time that night.
“Privacy for what?” she smirked.
“You’ll know soon enough,”

“Your order sir,” a short slender man wearing an expensive suit

inquired.
“Two of whatever this angel would have,” he signaled at his
date.
“A Caviar House & Prunier’s Albino Caviar,” she said, after
leafing through the menu for a moment.

The waiter pretended to take notes and smiled at each of

them. That was enough money for the restaurant to give him a
substantial raise. As the waiter began to retreat into the kitchen,
Miguel motioned to his attention and gestured for him to bring
the bill along with the order.
“So, Clara, where do you come from?” he made an attempt to
start the conversation.
“Mom is from the States and my daddy is from the less lavish
side of Paris, And you?” she inquired. Miguel took a look at her
pearl studded earrings. It probably costed her more than his
entire month’s salary. At least the salary he earned officially.
“I was born in the suburbs of Ohio, had my first fist fight in
Cincinnati. I came here for a business trip actually.” He realized
he over compensated.
“That’s interesting, what kind of business?”

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“The kind I’m not supposed to tell you,” he smiled at her

again.

He then got up and adjusted his Brioni and moved towards her,
while looking into her eyes. She held on to his gaze, eagerly
anticipating what her man would do next.
He placed his hands on either sides of her shoulders, and slowly
ran them down.
“Not over here, someone might see us,” she giggled, trying to
be firm. He slowly ran his hands down her upper body. He loved
how slender her figure was.
And then without warning, he moved his hands back to her neck,
and placed his hands on either sides of her neck. “What are you
doing?” a hint of panic took over. He ignored her, and tightened
the grip on her neck. And tightened. And tightened. He began
choking her.

She started jerking violently in her chair, and desperately moved

her eyes, searching her surroundings to see if there was anything
she could use. And then she grabbed it. A silver knife, and
plunged it into his fore arm.
For a moment, she felt the grip loosen. But only for a moment.
And then it tightened again, stronger now. She saw her life
flash before her eyes, ironically replaying all of her cherished
moments. Her arm didn’t stop stabbing him, only with lesser
intensity each time. Miguel didn’t care about the blood splatter
on his face, he devilishly licked his tongue, and with one final
movement, bent her neck backward so that her throat tore open.
He then grabbed her hair and violently kissed her. He wasn’t
going to let this beauty go to waste.
After Miguel was done with the whole affair, he looked around

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to see the staff in the restaurant staring at them, too horrified

to do anything. The waiter whom he earlier saw was a mere 3
feet away from him, with his order in one hand and the bill in
the other.
“Tell you what,” he said, pulling out a stapler like object from
his bag.
“This is 10,000 dollars, keep the change mate,” he threw the
stack on the table and then brought the stapler close to the knife
wound. With one disgustingly loud groan, he stapled his skin
together,

He then went back to the dead body and pulled the necklace from
her body. Just as he was about to exit, he looked back and stared
into each of the 5 people who witnessed this. He scanned each of
their 5 faces very keenly. Years of doing what he just did taught
him who would snitch and who wouldn’t, and these five men
were certainly not those who would talk.
Especially after the 10 grand he just threw.

***

Miguel didn’t care about the 10 grand he just lost, he had just
received it 10 hours ago, and it was money from a job like this.
He was upset that he had to kill such a beauty. But he did a cost-
benefit analysis in his head. Killing the woman turned out to be
less of a pain when he reminded himself of the necklace he had.
A devilish grin took over him.