"Pile 'em up. If it's flammable, burn it. If it's not, burn it too. Move your fuckin' legs, Benny! You're dragging the cage like you've got scoliosis."
The steel grated loudly against the floor as Benny grunted, sweat rolling down his brow.
"This thing weighs like Steven's mother, man. Why we gotta take all this shit with us anyway? Thought we were burnin' most of it."
"Don't talk about my mother, Benny."
"Sorry, sorry, don't get all wimpy on me, but this shit is heavy."
"Burn what we don't need. Boss said keep the ones that ain't broken. Metal shit's expensive."
"Yeah, and so are bullets, but we waste those like candy," someone muttered.
A man in a clean black coat stepped in — the only one not covered in grime.
The Supervisor. Lanky, sour-faced, clipboard in one hand and a cigar in the other.
The guys used to call him Skinny — before one of 'em lost his tongue.
"You three," he snapped, voice like a man at war with his lungs. "Get everything together. Start with the mattresses, then the clothing. Anything that smells like piss or shit. Make it disappear."
"You want the collars too?" one asked, holding up a cracked leather strap. "Razor likes souvenirs."
The Supervisor didn't even blink.
"If it touched one of them, it burns."
"Even the chains?"
"Keep those. They can always be melted or sold for scrap."
"Better than keeping them for Arnold to sniff. You know he loves kids."
There was a short pause. Then laughter. Not because it was funny — because cruelty made these men comfortable.
One of them looked toward the holding cells with a smirk.
"Kinda sad, huh? All this effort and we still lost half the shipment to those damn coughs."
"Not our fault the brats came pre-broken," someone else said, lighting a cigarette off the burn barrel. "They should've sent stronger stock."
"Razor would've run through all of them if that happened."
Everyone burst out laughing again.
The Supervisor's brows twitched.
"Shut up. Just finish the job. Scarface wants this place wiped before sunrise. We aren't leaving evidence behind. Not even dust."
Skinny walked away from the band of fools, annoyed at their inefficiency. The faster they did this, the faster they left.
He was already tired from the entire day. He needed to let off steam, and he knew the perfect way to do so.
"Fucking hell, Benny, my lamp's going out. Why haven't those bastards gotten the lights back on?"
"The fuck you asking me for, you fat motherfucker? Emphasis on your mum being fat, Stevie."
"Enough about my mum! You know she stress eats, asshole."
"No wonder. For a moment, I thought she was Godzilla."
"Come on, guys, let's hurry up. The faster we finish, the faster we leave."
"Looks like Razor's excited for the rest of his night, eh?"
"Hey Steven, where's Arnold?"
---
These lowlifes have no awareness of their surroundings—confident in their success. One of them has left the group.
"I'm just gonna lay down here and let them finish up for me."
I walk right behind him as his gun lays just out of reach.
"Who the hel—gkkh—"
I stabbed Shitō and Chikatō into both sides of his neck and swiftly beheaded him, hearing that wonderful squelch of blade through flesh and bone.
Blood spurts like a fountain from his head onto my suit.
I don't mind. I've been drenched in worse.
Now... the rest.
As I walk toward where the rest are, I see them still joking and laughing. Good — their guard is down.
"Bruh, I think Arnold is slacking off again, leaving all the work for us."
"The bastard can't even think about it. He gets no pussy if he tries that shit again, Steven."
"Who put Benny in charge? Motherfucker wants to climb the ladder, eh, Razor?"
"Both of you should shut the fuck up before I cut you open."
That duty is mine.
"Who the fu— ughh."
I stab both my blades into his skull. The world has one less monster.
"What the fuck is that?! That shit killed Razor — is that a demon?"
"Ain't nothing like a demon, Stevie. Shoot that mother— klueghh!"
Their confidence led them to drop their guns away from them. One of them has a better temperament — he dies first.
One kunai in his pulmonary artery, one for the heart, and one for each eye for a nice finish.
He falls to the world and slides down, leaving a growing puddle of blood beneath him.
"Fuck, Benny! Get away from me, you monster! Don't come any closer, don't— euck!"
Funny. He thinks I'm a monster. He never knew what a mirror was.
One kunai for his windpipe.
I detest noisy people.
He's going to have a slow and painful death.
This warehouse is filthy. There's human feces with blood splatters on the ground.
Based off the size, it was made by children. Strong smell of dried urine and a lot of flies. Nauseating to people — except these animals.
They're moving their tools out — collars, whips, cigarette butts, empty beer bottles, even a kid's shoe.
These items tell me enough of what happened here. There's not a single surface that isn't covered in pain.
The Supervisor left. He's going after the girl.
I'll kill him before he does anything to her.
Running across the warehouse, I reach the living quarters. I hear six people.
One too many if I want this to be silent and quick.
...
"I'll be right back, I need to take a smoke."
"Sure, sure. Don't take too long or I'm taking your turn after Skinny is done."
Shut your fucking mouth before I put a gun in it. I'm not like you animals.
"I fuckin' hate this job. What these bastards do to kids.....innocent kids. Damn, they make me want to puke. But I don't have a choice. I should've never borrowed money from Scarface. Nobody will ever hire an ex-con.
I gotta call Helen, tell her good night. Two more days, then I'll have enough pay to finish Helen's hospital bills. Cancer is expensive."
Pushing open the old door, a loud crack echoes and a burst of stale air slaps me in the face
"Fucking thing," I mutter, slipping outside and letting it swing shut behind me.
Grabbing my phone — the old thing still holding together with glue and rubber bands — I quickly dial my one hope in the world.
Two rings later, I hear her voice.
"Hey, Dad."
How's my beautiful princess? How's my baby girl?
"I'm good."
Hope you've been resting and eating your food.
"I'm not that hungry, Dad."
Come on, you gotta eat so you can get back on your feet, okay?
"Okay, Dad. When are you coming back?"
Soon, baby girl. Soon. You know how construction is. The boss won't let me off until I've done my fair share.
"I miss you, Daddy. Please come home."
You know what, Helen? I'll talk to my boss, and I'll come home tonight — just for you,
okay?
"Okay, Daddy."
Okay, honey. I'll see you at home, okay? Don't watch too much TV.
"Okay, Daddy. Bye-bye."
Gimme kisses.
"Muah."
Bye, Helen. I'll see you tonight.
-CLICK-.
"No, you won't."
"What the—ack!. Fuck, my neck! I'm bleeding, I can't breathe. It's a demon, somebody help me. I have to get to the crew.
I'm trying to move but my legs won't budge, everywhere is getting dark. I'm sorry I couldn't make it home Helen.