Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
He glanced around, and his eyes rested on a framed photo of Mrs. Florence on one of the restaurant walls. His lips curled in a smile. “Thank you…” he mouthed before throwing on his chef apron to go help his crew out.
“Okay! We got an order of fried turkey wings that is runnin’ late! Fred, get on that mofongo! Tony, I need that tostones platter like yesterday! Harold, we got a grilled veggie platter that should’ve been served before the spicy deviled eggs! Natasha, how’s those collard greens comin’, baby?!”
“Fifteen minutes, Legend!”
“Okay! Let’s go! Let’s make these customers wanna come back every week! What type of food do we make?!”
“LEGENDARY!!!”
“That’s right! CHURCH!”
The run-down nursing home was dark and gloomy. It smelled of piss and Pine Sol. The sounds of gospel music filled the hallways as orderlies and nurses roamed through them, talking amongst themselves more than paying attention to visitors and patients.
Legend was a bit surprised, pleasantly so, at how easy it had been to slip into Major Greenwald’s room. He closed the door and pulled up a chair, right beside the bastard’s bed. The old man’s eyes slowly opened and blinked several times. He’d had a stroke about eight years prior, and had been hospitalized ever since.
“Greenwald. It’s Soldier Vidal, at your service…”
The man’s eyes trained on him, an oxygen mask over his face.
“I look different, right? I know you’re surprised. I went from a scrawny little thing to a giant. Time changes everything, don’t it? But a leopard never changes its spots. I think you know why I’m here. I told you back then, that I came to your room to kill you on base. I didn’t succeed ’cause your friends came and saved you. I hate leavin’ loose strings though.” Legend slowly rose to his feet.
Greenwald’s eyes grew big, and he struggled to speak. His body was weak and worn. A shell of the man he once was. Legend took his time pacing around the bed, then removed one of the pillows from behind his head. The man began to murmur, to become agitated, but there was nothing much he could do.
“When I checked in, I showed them a special ID, a fake one of course, that proved I was someone from the VA, here to talk about your benefits. Since I’m in this suit and all, they believed me I guess. Not that security is top notch here in the first place. I thought I was gonna have to go harder in the paint.” He removed the man’s oxygen mask, placed it over the faux breathing apparatus used in medic classes that he’d brought to ensure the machines didn’t go off and alert the staff, and knocked the man’s hand away as he tried to push a button for help.
Greenwald began gasping for breath, struggling to get wind in his airways. Legend gently placed the pillow over his face, and pushed down.
“MMMMMM!!!” The muffled sounds began, indicating desperation to breathe.
Music to his ears…
“…I told you to not call me pretty boy, you son of a bitch. You called me skinny boy… freckles… all the shit I hated…”
“MMMM! MMMM!!!” The man began to flail about, arms flapping and legs jerking about.
“You saw my vulnerability at that time. You knew I had a dark history. Predators always know when somebody has been abused in the past. Y’all can smell it on us. You could see it in my eyes, and you loved trying to crush me. I went to the Army to start over, and you ruined it for me. You saw how determined I was. I was a damn good soldier. I loved being there. I could have made a career of that, but instead of helpin’ me achieve my goals, you tried to break me down. Now, I’m going to break you down. The final straw for me though,” Legend pressed down harder, his muscles straining, “was when I saw those photos of naked children on your computer, Greenwald.
“I knew somethin’ was creepy about you beforehand, but that confirmed it. Do you know what first got my suspicions going about you? The shower incident. Why in the hell would a grown man in your position be watching the new recruits shower? I reported you, told ’em you were coming into our dorm area when it was shower time, looking at all the young men with lust in your eyes. After that, you stepped up your verbal abuse of me. You denied the allegations, and I got made into a target. From that point on, I decided I was going to take you outta here… but first, I needed just a bit more proof that my suspicions were right about you, and went beyond you just being a Peepin’ Tom.”
“Mmmm…uhh….” His body slowed down, the limbs losing strength.