Justin Cairns - Little Red

The underweight man nodded, his rapid head movement imitated a nodding dog toy in a rally car.

‘Nathan, you’re up mate’

‘Me?’

‘Yeah, ask your questions’ his head motioned to the shaking man in his faded Y-fronts.

‘Okay, Neil yeah?’

‘Yeah’

‘We have had reports through of some disturbing activity partaken by someone at this location. It involves the internet and Child Pornography, some real serious shit’ he lowered himself to Neil’s level, a tactic used when questioning a suspect fitting the man’s state. Lower to their level, get them to open up slowly and believe you’re there to help them, sympathise when they break down into tears and whimpers.

‘No way, that’s not me…I….never, I would never!’ he babbled

‘I know, look, talk to me…..tell me about the Wolf!’

‘The Wolf?’

‘Yeah, the Wolf, tell me about him’.

‘I don’t know anything, I mean, I’ve seen shit on the news but that’s all!’

Nathan stood and turned to Richard, he moved to his side.

‘Maybe he doesn’t know anything!’ he whispered

‘Bollocks, he knows something, he’s on the list!’ he spat, starring straight into Neil’s eyes.

‘Well, he’s not going to say anything is he?’ Nathan realised that his statement was a bad choice of words strung together; he now anticipated Richard’s answer.

‘Oh he’ll talk mate, I’m sure about that!’

Richard had kneeled down and removed a large role of Gaffer tape from the bag, he handed it to Nathan.

‘Hands and feet please’

‘What, no way’

‘Look, I either do it with you or without you, no matter what this tape is going on this man!’ he starred into Nathan’s eyes. The man had watched every second and began to panic, he wriggled backwards against the rear of the seat, his feeble legs pushing his body up. Richard moved towards him after offering a loud ‘tut’. The man attempted to evade but Richard gripped his ankle, his black leather gloves pulling some leg hair free.

‘NO….NO, NO PLEASE’ he begged

‘Shut it, stop fucking wriggling you cunt!’ Richard ordered.

Neil was pulled to the floor and flipped onto his front, the large knee was forced between his shoulder blades and he screamed as his muscles began to spasm. Nathan watched in dis-belief, his hand over his mouth.

The tape offered a ripping sound as a length was pulled free, the man’s arms were manoeuvred rearwards and Richard began securing them. It looked as though he was preparing him for a spit-roast, all that was missing was the chunk of wood to hang him from. His legs were done next, the grey tape wrapping around his ankles, tying them both together. He was rolled onto his side and picked up from the filth ridden carpet. His body slumped upon the chair he had sat in, his arms behind his back and incapacitated.

‘Right, you little shit, my turn!’ he turned back to the bag and dropped the tape inside, his hands dug for the object he desired. He gripped the tool and removed it for the eyes of the room to see.

‘Oh Jesus’ Nathan turned and walked from the room, his stomach churning at the sight of the wire cutters.

‘Excuse him’ Richard apologised to the man. He approached him and sat by his feet, his back resting against the arm of the chair.

‘Here’s what happens now. I ask you a question and you answer it, easy isn’t it?’

‘Please, please don’t do this!’

‘It’s not me…..it’s you, I’ll only do something if YOU fail to answer my questions’

‘Please don’t’

‘Stop, just fucking stop now….take it like a man, any more winging comes from that mouth and I’ll remove a toe!’

‘Please, I don’t…..’

Richard gripped his ankles and wrapped his hand around them, his arm forced the legs down. The screams filled the room as the man fought to free himself. The wire cutters were opened, the sharpened edges glimmered in the dim light. The flesh was torn apart as the metal sections were pushed together slowly, the blood leaking into a pool beneath Neil’s feet. The black plastic handles were pushed together and the small toe dropped to the floor, it bounced slightly and rolled to one side. The cries turned into shrieks of pain, Nathan covered his ears as he stood in the hall. Richard retrieved the dissected digit, fluff from the carpet clung to the bloodied toe.

‘Now look’ the toe was waved in Neil’s face.

‘Don’t kill meeeeeee…..please’ the saliva streamed from his bottom lip, it glistened as it slithered down his naked chest.

‘I’m not going to kill you, stupid bastard. Just answer my fucking question….what do you know about the Wolf?’

‘He….he takes girls!’

‘Right, next?’

‘He…kills them!’

‘Neil, where is the Wolf?’

‘I don’t know!’ he bellowed, the stumped toe burning with pain.

Richard moved to the bag and placed the wire cutters back inside. Nathan peered around the corner as the tools rattled against each other.

‘Is that it?’ he asked wishfully.

‘No Nathan, that’s not it!’ the hammer pulled from his collection.

‘What the fuck are you doing?’

‘Getting answers, what does it look like?’

‘Richard, he doesn’t know mate….leave it’ his attempts to negotiate fell on deaf ears. Richard turned to him, the hammer gripped tight with one hand. Nathan felt a shudder bounce through his body. He looked at the large man, his full black beard hid his expressions, his eyes dark like a demon’s.

‘Please!’ he begged

‘Nathan, why don’t you search this shit hole, see if you can find anything convicting’

Nathan turned and left the room, his mind raced with the recent events, the screams filling his ears.

‘Right Neil, where were we?’

‘Please listen to your fr…friend’

‘The only person who needs to be listening is you pal. Now, I’m going to ask the question again, this time, if you fail to give me the correct answer, I’m going to drive this nail’, the thick carpentry nail protruded from his fist, ‘Into your knee cap, it will hurt…a lot’ he moved to the feeble body of the man in question, the blood had slowed and began to clot, his foot wriggling as the nerves came to terms with the recent removal.

The tip of the nail was placed at the top of the bone, his skinny legs displayed his knee caps prominently. Neil attempted to shy away.

‘Don’t you dare!’ Richard warned.

‘The answer please Neil, don’t be daft now!’

‘Honestly, I don’t know!.....Okay, I talked about him online with some friends…that’s all!’ the hammer remained poised for attack.

Richard licked his lips slowly, reading the man’s face.

‘What did you say, in the chat, what did you type?’

‘I don’t remember that!’

The head of the hammer struck what it was thrown at, the nail entered his skin, breaking it easily. The point found its way through the muscle and cartilage, the knee cap was forced forward as the metal pin grinded against it. The cry pierced his ears, the man shuddered and threw himself from side to side, like a fish out of water. Nathan could hear everything, he searched as Richard had suggested, thankful that he didn’t have to witness the torture. The bedroom was dirty, an old mattress lay on the floor with several stained sheets upon it. The smell began to sting his nose, the odour burning his eyes. He opened the drawers of the only cabinet in the room, scrunched up paper filled most of the space, his fingers buried through it.

The head of the nail protruded from his leg, a small trail of blood escaped the entry point. Richard’s fist provided another nail, the tip caught the light and Neil’s eyes fell upon it.