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Agent Z

Her feet caress the warm concrete. A big toe inches towards the edge. Forty storeys above ground, I wish this size zero prop would take the risk for certain depth. That’s the kind of woman I would want for myself.

She reaches her arm behind and he nudges it into position. With a camera, her boyfriend zeroes in on her back: no tripod, both hands. Tensing her body, angling to one side, the woman makes herself narrow, and the capture is tight. She is not wearing a harness. If she tumbles now, the world will say her boyfriend is to blame. It could be my bad mind but I wonder if accident insurance would pay him the benefits.

I shake my head and think. Her boyfriend must have asked her to commit to chewing rocket leaves on three-salad weekdays. Someone might have advised her to chomp down and wait a bit. It’s not done to demand a diamond at the age of twenty-six. This globe-trotting team is cloying. I’ve seen them in the news. I go back to surveilling the sidewalk. I worry the woman will land on top of my target and nullify my commission. Either way, I complete this assignment today.  

+___-::::————->>>>

Images: “Sniper scope” by KarateBrot via Video Copilot. The Follow Me to: Series via Instagram/Pixel Pluck.

By ΠιCΘLΞ

Life is short, so let’s be decent.

57 replies on “Agent Z”

Actually, I found the first photo in a forum for gamers. This was part of some sniper game thingy. The second one could be the Hong Kong skyline but I could never quite see the sky when I am in Hong Kong.

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I’ve always been impressed by this photo series, which I follow on IG. I too have seen some making-of shots and been impressed by the professional contortionism of the photographer. But now, most of all, I am impressed by your words: your description and your musings are a work of art in their own right. ❤

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I think the tension and the distance you give to the narrator work really well. I like how I had to read it two or three times to get a full sense of what was going on. Really good 🙂

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Thank you very much. Internal dialogue is quite opaque as people don’t naturally pause to explain their contexts to themselves. I’m glad you appreciated what I had set out to do. x

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What is a straight line for some people is a brilliant twisting, curving, sloping adventure for you, SB. And I love that! Thank you for sharing your creativity, perspectives, and art. 🙂

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Thank you, NK. I was planning write this about the woman’s internal process, but I remembered that for some there is an advantage to judging a situation from a distance. In a sense, we have all been at the end of a sniper’s scope. It is only unpleasant when we are aware of it. x

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You have such deep thoughts and you are able to capture them in your writings in a very fresh and unique way. I also hear “you” in there as well, and sometimes melancholy tones…hope all is well with you, SB xo

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Photography, your speciality, is a form of meditation. And you identify with that aspect of the story because you’re a sniper, a dyed in the wool sniper. (I couldn’t resist an homage to the Fifth Element). Thank you for commenting. x

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I am an impatient person, so I can’t wait. Patience works when results are guaranteed. Waiting for statistical distortions seems like a waste of time. x

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The sniper says, “I’m afraid she will land on the target” and he factors in her sudden appearance directly above where the target is supposed to appear. The pavement view is shown in the first photo. His use of language also suggests that he is not a freelancer. x

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I’m trying to show what’s going on in the mind of someone in a bird’s nest. He knows who the couple is, hence the judgmental statements. But they’re not relevant to his work. It’s like having a celebrity show up at a party you’re hosting, to borrow your bathroom. She might stay or …not. x

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It was intended to be reread at least once, hence the short length. I’m glad you did, thank you. It is an upside down story. It’s fun to zoom out to show the big picture at the end.

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