The sun reflected off the mirror like sheen of the skyscrapers of the city. The sky was a mix of orange, pink and purple hues as the sun began it’s descent over the horizon. A calm breeze gently ruffled Christopher Roberts’ shortly cropped auburn hair as he prepared for the task at hand. His cool blue eyes were steeled with resolve as he unpacked his briefcase, assembling his sniper rifle with practiced ease.

Christopher Roberts was an assassin by trade, taking the job of the highest bidder. This was to be his last assignment, after this, he could retire in peace, a very wealthy man – well, a wealthier man. He cradled his beloved rifle in his arms, gently pressing the butt of the stock into his shoulder as he’d done a thousand times before. He slowed his breathing without even thinking about it as he looked down the scope of his rifle, waiting for his target to appear.

All he knew about the target was that she worked at this building until six o’clock, and she would be wearing a blue ribbon in her hair. He didn’t know what she had done to piss off his employer but he usually preferred it that way. He waited patiently for her to emerge from the building, only to find his resolve shaken when she did.

He knew her. He hadn’t seen her for many years but he was certain that she was his childhood friend. What different paths their lives must have taken to end up at this impasse. Chris slowly lowered his rifle and dismantled it, putting it back in the padding of his briefcase. He needed to find her, to warn her.

She couldn’t believe she was running late this morning, of all the mornings to be late, this was not the one. She was starting her new job at the Veteran’s hospital today. She sprinted into the hospital skidding around corners, hoping she’d make it before her supervisor noticed.

“You’re late,” Dr. Jenkins didn’t even look up at her, he was flipping through a patient chart. “You weren’t here when rotations were assigned so you get the most delightful creature to have ever graced this hospital.”

He handed her the patient’s chart and before she could ask any questions he was gone. Well, better get started, she thought to herself. She made her way to her patient’s room on the third floor to find another nurse running out of the room in tears.

“GET OUT!”

She had to duck to avoid the bedpan that came flying at her, it crashed into the wall behind her.

(I’m up for playing either the nurse or the soldier and the genders can be swapped if you like.)

For the umpteenth time that morning he tied and retied his bowtie. He didn’t even know why he cared, it wasn’t like this was a real wedding; his parents were making him marry that poor girl, just like her parents were making her marry him. He wasn’t marrying for love, he was marrying to replenish his family’s fortune, and she was marrying to get a title, to climb the social ladder.

The worst part was that he had never actually met the girl. He hadn’t even been shown a picture of her and here he was, waiting in the church to get married to her. With a final look in the mirror he headed out to the sanctuary, to take his place by the priest.

Judging by the pounding in his head that had been one awesome party on the yacht. With a groan he pushed himself up to a sitting position, only to discover that he was not in fact on the party yacht. It all came back to him at once, the storm, the tumultuous waves, the rocks that couldn’t be avoided….then the drunken swimming.