Retribution

Silas Greely was probably the most wicked man in the world, indeed in the known Universe!

Born of poor but honest parents, dead now,  Silas had at an early age decided that to get on he would have to lie, cheat and steal and if people didn’t like that then – tough!

Unpopular at school he bullied the younger children and stole their lunch money, but was never without cash. He stole from his parents and if shopkeepers were looking the wrong way…well, whatever he wanted went into his pocket.

Now an older man Silas had built a business for himself. He had bought over an ailing company and basically got it for a song. Initially he fired the workforce, some of whom had worked for the firm for years and then he asset stripped and sold everything. This provided him with capital to inject into his new enterprise. The previous owner wrought with shame and anger at the way his business had failed and how the workforce had been treated, committed suicide, leaving a grieving widow and two young children.

Silas’ own wife had died two years previously, due to cancer, but the truer picture was that the amount of stress and worry that Silas had put her through was instrumental in her contracting the disease. Silas was happier on his own, alone with his wealth.

Today Silas was in the progress of closing a deal that would earn him millions of pounds.

A large area of waste ground that had originally been earmarked for a school and living quarters for orphans had been acquired by Silas for the offer of well above its asking price. Silas would renegotiate the price, through his lawyers, allowing him to pay much less, but effectively robbing the orphans of a home and education.

The deal had to be finalised the following day or else the property would go back on the open market

Silas stretched himself and rose from behind his desk. He had noticed a small bistro on the corner of the street as he had entered the building that morning. A Panini and black coffee would just go down a treat, he thought.

Walking out of his office Silas pushed the button to call his private lift. Thirty floors was a lot to walk down especially when you had a super duper turbo lift at your disposal.

As the lift sped down the floors, classical muzak played. Silas hummed along with the music. Tomorrow he would be even richer than he was today! Happy, happy day!

The counter showed that he was approaching the ground floor. This lift is so fast, he thought.

The lift doors sprang open and Silas cowered back as two white, whispy figures entered. The doors sprang shut and the lift began ascending.

“What...!Who…!” spluttered Silas, then he recognised the pale features of his dead parents. They stood together in their shrouds which were stained and torn. He could see right through them.

“Why have you done this, son?” asked the sepulchral voice of his father. “We thought you would grow up to be a good person.”

The lift slowed and Silas saw that the indicator read ‘tenth floor’. The doors flew apart and another white wraith stepped into the lift. Silas’ wife stood there crying, the tears running down her transparent cheeks.” I tried so hard to please you my love but all the time I knew you hated me!” she wailed. The lift doors again closed and the lift’s ascent continued.

The atmosphere in the lift was electric and Silas could feel large drops of perspiration pouring down his back. His hair stood on end and he felt all the blood draining from him. He was terrified. All three ghosts were there because they hated him for what he had become.

Then the lift again stopped and Silas realised that he was back from where he had started. Thinking quickly he reckoned he could push through the ‘ethereal material’, lock himself in his office and call security. But before he could make for the opening lift doors a fourth and awful spirit entered.

The original owner stood there with his head over at a ninety degree angle. Silas could make out the livid scar made by the rope he hanged himself with. His eyes were missing and his shroud was green with mould. “You destroyed a lot of good people, Greely. They would have transferred their loyalty to you, if you had given the a chance.” he said in a thin piping voice.

Will you make amends Silas? his mother asked. “Will you turn from your greedy and grasping ways?”

“Will you make us proud of you, Silas. Will you change?” whispered his sobbing wife.

“Will you reinstate the workforce and pay them reasonable wages?” whistled the owner.

Silas took in the fearsome figures and quivered with fear, then the true Silas Greely stepped forward and he held himself erect and gazed malevolently at the four  spirits.

He was alive, he thought, not like these four deadbeats. They had had their lives and wasted them. That wasn’t for him. Silas intended to carry on as he had started and become as rich as a king!

“My answer!” he screamed, “is No!”

The owner gazed at Silas for a minute and then said, “Wrong answer!”

Suddenly, with a twang,the lift cables parted and Silas fell to his doom.

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