A Memorable Experience, fiction by Donovin Murray

I once faced an ethical dilemma. It was a Saturday evening, the time was 11:32 p.m., and me and a couple of co-workers were cleaning up shop while the manager did some management in his office. Everything was clean, and he was just sitting.

Everyone hated the no-good-doer. He got just enough shop sales to keep the place afloat, but when all was said and done, he was a perverted, sloppy drunk trying to have some fun time with the female co-workers.

I would watch him from afar, just waiting for the right moment to push him off his chair. Every time he would stop and look over his shoulder, our eyes would meet. Then the manager would retire to his office to fill out so-called paper work. At 11:40 p.m., us co-workers in unison would yell out “Clean!” The manager would come out and say “Check-out!”

But not this time. There was a long silence in the shop. We waited to hear a response, and there was nothing. We checked his office. His door was cracked open; all we could see was a blue light leaking from the cracks of his door. I pushed the door open, and we saw his body. A female co-worker screamed. I had a cold chill go down my spine. I had never seen such a gruesome sight: His left leg was replaced with his right arm, and not a drop of blood anywhere but on the floor. I looked at my co-workers’ faces to get an idea of who had the intention or the stomach to pull this off, but all of them had a pale, shocked expression. I was chilled myself.

At that moment, I noticed someone walking in front of the shop so late at night. I remember what this person had on and, at that same moment, I realized the police had shown up at the shop. I told them everything I knew except about the person I saw outside the shop. I was frightened that this same person would come after me.

I tried to justify my omission with lies. But I knew what I was doing, and I couldn’t handle the pressure of another murder happening because of me. So Sunday, at 1:28 p.m., I went to the police and told them the details of the person I saw the previous evening at 11:42 p.m. in front of the shop.

My shoulders became so light. I never knew this burden would drag me this far into the ground. Doing the right thing has its rewards, even if they’re not tangible.