"How can you think of mass murder and still have a smile on your face? You’re disgusting! What gives you the right to make yourself judge, jury, and executioner?"

"Oh, don‘t be so harsh. You have done the same thing. Look at how many times you have swatted insects, pulled weeds, or eradicated defenseless little germs while cleaning. I’m simply contemplating the same thing. The removal of a group of unwanted pests.”

“It’s not the same thing, and you know it. These are people. People’s lives have more value than bugs or plants. What reason could you possibly have for wanting so many dead?”

“We don’t really have time to discuss all of my reasons, now do we? Suffice it to say that the human race is a great disappointment to me. Most disappoint by apathy; letting their lives be dictated to them and never living for themselves. That’s sad really, but the real problem is in the dictators. The kind of people that will be at dinner tonight. The self-proclaimed leaders.”

“Have you even thought about the ramifications of your plan? Millions of innocent people will die in the ensuing chaos. People that have never harmed another soul will die because of your impatience with the human race.”

“I’m sure you understand that those are acceptable losses. I don’t regret the decisions I’ve made. I did not go into this blindly. It has been the plan from the beginning. There will never be another time when I have the ability to completely change the world.”

“What if your wrong? What if the changes are for the worse and not the better? What then?”

“Then I will go to meet my maker with the best of intentions. Doing nothing, being lethargic, allowing the corruption to fester, is far worse a sin than what I am doing. Do you understand that all of the world will change after tonight? Do you?”

“Of course I do. I know that something needs to happen or nothing will happen. I get that.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is I am not a murderer! I don’t kill! I have never wanted to kill anyone!”

“Oh cut the self righteous crap. This was just as much your idea as it was mine. You just don’t have the backbone to go through with it! That’s fine. Ease your conscience by blaming it all on me. I don’t mind. The result will be the same.”

“I know that nothing I say will change your mind. I just wish there were some other way. It feels so wrong.”
“We have been together for over forty years. You know that we have thought of all of the other possibilities. All of them are to slow or not effective. Don’t think of tonight as killing. Think of it as renewing. We will renew mankind’s self reliance. We will renew the need for people to think for themselves. We will renew the human spirit. How can that be wrong?”

“You’re right, as always. God forgive me.”

“God will not only forgive us, but bestow his blessing on us. Now, adjust your jacket. The bulge is showing. Let me see that winning smile!”

“Mr. President, is everything OK? I thought I heard voices in here.”

“Everything’s fine, John. Just giving myself a little pep talk in front of the mirror. Is everything ready?”

“Most of the world leaders are here. We are only waiting on His Eminence to arrive before seating everyone.”

“Great! Let’s go make history!”

WOW! I really like your story, and I didn't anticipate the hook at the end at all. That's worth the rare and elusive

Well done

Whoa!! Brilliant! I really appreciate the social commentary. This twisted mind *bleep* at the end is outstanding. You have a new fan.

Count me as a fan as well, that was an excellent story. Well worth the read and the surprise at the end really set it off! I hope to see more from you in our writing contests my friend.

I hope you do well in the contest,

wupy

Congratulations on your win!!! I'd give you another flag if I could

I was a little dismayed a week or so ago, as you didn't have but two flags, and I always thought your story my favorite of all those I read (and I read them ALL).

Well done!