"GET OFF ME!" she screamed. the man had long black hair and a goatee. he looked like a total scum. despite her screams, he was continuing to go up her shirt, and grabbing onto her from the back. "uh! stop!" she yelled, dropping her breifcase to the ground. Cobb sighed and got up from the bench. he hated confronting strangers, but he had to do it. he was the only one around, they were in a secluded area of the park. "um, uh, can you stop it?" he said to the guy. the guy looked up, a lopsided grin on his face. "or what?" he said, a threatening edge to his voice. "um, uh, we'll have to fight." he said. the man chuckled. "you? you'd fight for this bitch? did'ja know she's a whore?"

"if she's a whore, then, uh...why-" Cobb started. the guy laughed again. "it's all an act, man, it's all an act." the woman picked up her breif case and straighted out her dress. she seemed fine. "huh?" cobb said. "to make sure you're not a cop, man," the guy said, "the cops really have it in for guys of my profession, y'know?" Cobb nodded. "i'm mr. price, you must be cobb?" the man held out his hand. "nice to meet you." cobb said, shaking his hand a bit awkwardly. then, to the woman "you sure you're alright?" he asked. "i'm perfectly fine." she said, giving him a warm smile. she was a fairly pretty woman, probably in her 30's, looked pretty normal except for a tattoo of a black rose on her neck. she had a nice tan, long black hair, attractive almond-shaped eyes. she seemed like the kind of girl cobb would have liked to sleep with, had he any interest left in that sort of thing.

"so how does this work?" cobb asked. he was nervous, so nervous he could feel a knot tying itself in his stomach. actually, this was pretty calm for what was about to occur, he realized. "well, my wife here," he gestured to the woman "will talk with you first. she's sort of the shrink behind the whole thing. i'm just the man of action. but yea, she'll help you determine whether you really wanna go through with this. though ultimately it's up to you." the guy brushed some hair back from his eyes and sat down at the nearby park bench. cobb followed suit. "see, cobb, we'll take good care of your needs. whatever you ask, you shall receive. if you want there to be a letter, there will be. if you want no mess, there won't be. you choose what happens to the body. you choose all the methods. one last meal, it's on us if you want it. one last fuck, just ask my wifey charlene here and she'll take good care of you. anything you need, just ask. is that clear?" Cobb nodded. this was all too much for him.

"oh yea, before i forget, did you bring payment?" mr price asked. cobb nodded and held out his duffel bag. "all my life savings and all my valuables right in here." he said. mr. price grinned and snatched the bag greedily from his hand. this was his favorite part of his job. well, one of them.

Charlene smiled. "come with me, cobb." she said. she led him down a nature trail in the nearby woods. "so what's led you to want this, cobb?" she asked. cobb found it hard to talk to strangers, but charlene was so pretty and really seemd to care, so he found it a little bit easier. she was a sweetheart, he found himself wishing she could be his wife, rather than mr. price's. no, what does that matter now? he thought. cobb told her about the entire bleak, hopeless, fucked up situation, and as expected they ultimately determined that this was the only way to solve things. there simply wasn't anything else.

cobb and charlene returned to where mr. price was waiting on the same bench, with the breifcase in hand. he'd been reading a rolling stone while waiting for them. "i've always thought there should be a magazine article about this little business of mine in here. after all, i really am a genious." he said. "so what's the conclusion?" he asked. "go for it." charlene said. a pleased smile spread across the man's face. "ok, cobb, according to your email it's supposed to take place at caladonia beach?" cobb nodded. "then come on." mr. price said. charlene gave a little wave goodbye to cobb as he followed mr. price to his black mercedes benz. they drove with the top down and a nice warm breeze on their faces. mr. price made small talk about the weather, music he liked, and such. meanwhile, he lit a blunt and passed it back and forth between him and cobb.

cobb was beginning to feel much better about what was going to happen. he was really feeling the effects of the pot and he settled back and listened to dave matthews playing on the radio.

they got to the desserted beach. broken bottles and seaweed were strewn about the sand. this was the place of cobb's first date with the love of his life. the one he'd been destined to spend the rest of his life with before everything got horribly screwed up. but cobb felt no remorse anymore. he felt light-hearted for once. mr. price got out and walked confidently to the water. cobb followed. "ready?" mr. price asked, pulling on a pair of leather gloves. cobb nodded. he leaned into the water. suddenly he could feel his face plunge in and mr. price's hands gripping his neck. he flailed his arms desperately and kicked his legs. then, he didn't move at all.

mr. price sighed as he watched cobb's body float out on the ocean. he had a rough job, but it made good money. there really were a lot of people in need of his services.