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)
“Who are you?!” Carlos screamed. His eyes almost popped out of his face, and his complexion looked a cool shade of gray under the light of the scope. He hadn’t been able to speak due to the duct tape Legend had put over his mouth after kidnapping him and tossing him like a garbage bag into his vehicle.
“You’ve been hurting so many children over the years, you must’ve lost count of us. Just body parts. No names. Let me jog your memory. My name is Legend Vidal.”
The man stared at him for a spell, his expression one of confusion. And then, his facial muscles relaxed, and he began to scoot backwards.
“HELP!”
“Oh, you recognize me now. That name ring a bell?” Legend smirked as he kept his rifle on him. Pointed right at the center of his forehead.
“I don’t know you! I don’t know you! You must have me mistaken for someone else!”
“Oh, but you do know me, mothafucka. I saw it in your eyes. You remember. You know what, Carlos? I’ve kept tabs on you for years, but then, you vanished. So, I got a little assistance, and I paid to have you found again. Seems when you disappeared, you went to jail for some thefts, burglaries… but your biggest crimes have yet to be on the books. Ain’t that strange?”
“I’m just a petty thief! That’s it!”
“You like to fuck little boys.”
“HEEELP!”
“Nobody can hear you all the way out here, you nasty piece of shit. You know what, though?” Legend stroked his beard thoughtfully. “I remember screamin’ for help, too, just like you are now. The things you did to me never left my mind. Funny thing though, apparently God knew what was comin’ my way, and he sent an angel to guard over me. You tried to kill me, by breakin’ my spirit. She was there to catch the shattered pieces, and help put me back together again so when I became a grown man, I’d have the tools to keep myself sane. God bless Ms. Florence. You didn’t succeed in ruining me. Now, I’m not going to seek revenge by tryna break your spirit in return. That’s petty.” The man seemed to sigh with relief. “I’m going to kill you, ’cause that’s final.”
“Please! I was just going along with it! I didn’t want to do it! It was all Luis’ idea!”
“Mmm hmm…” The man kept moving away crawling backwards on his hands. His palms dug into the earth as he sweated and turned into the worm that he was. Legend followed him closely, his dogs at his side.
“I was on drugs. I wasn’t in my right mind! I’m so sorry, amigo!”
“I’m not your fuckin’ friend. I’m your worst nightmare, and you know it. You’ll do anything to save yourself right now. So sad. I will admit you were the least horrible of the three of y’all, but you still participated. Enjoyed yourself. It’s kinda like three demons visit you, you know? But the smallest demon with the smallest knife wasn’t quite as bad as the other two. Don’t change the fact that he was a demon, for he was still cuttin’ into you. I remember the way you smiled, and how bad you smelled. I remember you helpin’ to hold me down…”
“Oh, God… Listen, I’ve got a little money! You can have it all! I know where you can get some free blow! Some jewelry, too! You can pawn it for a lotta cash. We can get it tonight! I’ll show you where it is!”
“I don’t smoke no fuckin’ blow, and I don’t want your money, or the hot jewelry you stole. Ain’t shit you can give me to make me feel any better, except your life.”
“Please!” The man’s head hit a tree stump. The backwards crawl was over. He lay there like an insect with a broken leg, trying to escape a spider that had lured it in its sticky web. Flashes of Tarik staring at the bug on the window came into his mind.
CRACK!
Knock on the glass… make the insect jump and move.
CRACK! CRACK!
Cracking glass… like a spiderweb, spreading at high speed… sprawling outwards, in all directions.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Shattered glass… the web burst. At the place light and wind meet, shadows and stillness wait in the wings.
“ATTACK!”
“AHHHHH!!!” The three dogs lunged, tearing into the man as if he were a bloody steak. Strips of clothing flew in the air, and wails of absolute pain pierced the night. Legend stood back, his rifle at his side, and watched. “AHHHHH!!!! AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
Screams rent the air in the forest, dusting it with sweet sorrow and tangy revenge. Legend leaned against the tree, crossed his ankles, and casually watched. When it was all over, his dogs walked away, playing and sniffing the grass, their fangs dripping with blood. It was quiet… so quiet. Except the faint music playing from his truck in the background.