Justin Cairns - Little Red

The clicking sound startled him, he turned to observe the sound…..shadows engulfed him as the phone was lowered to hide the light. The eerie quiet surrounded him. Nothing appeared. He stood, arched slightly and pushed on. The creak from behind caused him to turn sharply, the fist connected with the side of his head. He fell to the ground, kicking his legs up to stop any further attack. The punch had taken him by surprise, his heart rattled his rib cage as he panicked. His foot connected with the invisible body, a grunt came from the shadows. His phone was poised towards the attacker, the half-naked man shielded his eyes. Richard rolled to his knees and sprung toward the occupant, striking his torso with his shoulder. They crashed to the floor, the man’s arm struck the wooden bannister. Richard climbed upon him and fired two rapid punches to the head area, unknowing where they landed. The crunch indicated a square strike with the face. He followed with another heavy blow to the face. The groan escaped the unconscious man’s mouth. Richard got to his feet quickly, he searched with his phone for the light switch, the landing was illuminated as he found the button. He gazed at the sleeping giant, the man’s body was well toned and muscular. His heart raced and he prepared himself for another session of hand to hand combat, positioning himself and awaiting the man to get to his feet. He didn’t.

Richard checked the remaining rooms, ensuring that there were no more persons to lunge at him. It was clear, he looked for a suitable chair to secure the large male into. He found a solid wood chair within the study and lifted the beast into it. His back strained with the weight of the man. He located his bag, kicked away from the fight. The similar method was applied, tape around the limbs to secure his victim, although he used more tape on this one. Judging by the size of his enemy, it was going to be a hellish interrogation. Larger people could normally withstand more pain, he knew that the choice of weapons would have to be frightening and inflict as much pain as possible, otherwise he would end up killing the men as the lack of information from his mouth would raise his temper. The slap around the cheek woke the sleeping beast, he was startled as Richard stood before him.

‘What the fuck do you want?’ he shouted, the saliva fired out to the floor.

Richard held his words, instead of threatening the man he decided to calmly remove the items from his bag and place them upon the desk behind him, making sure that the objects were seen by his victim. He moved the lamp that sat upon the oak surface to one side, carefully the contents were retrieved and placed down on the desk.

‘Are you deaf, what the fuck do you want?’ again from behind him. He ignored the words and carried on with his display. He turned slowly to face the monster, the last tool removed.

‘Are you ready?’ he asked, his face showing no emotion.

The flow of punches connected with his face and torso, the man taking each one as best he could. Richard’s knuckles ached from the strikes, his fingers held blood from the man’s lips. The trickle of red stuff was licked up and spat on Richard, the beast smiled as his intended landing position was hit.

‘See when I get out of this chair, I’m gonna tear your fucking head off your body….you’ll be alive when I do it!’ he grinned.

The chisel was picked up, the hammer followed. He moved cautiously to the bleeding man. The tip of the long metal piece was placed on top of a finger, he raised the hammer and brought it down hard, the angled metal sliced through the skin and severed the bone. The man sucked in, the air hissed between his teeth as he fought the pain. Richard moved to the next hand and performed the same attack, this time a low scream erupted from the one receiving.

‘I have a question!’ started Richard, ‘Who is the Wolf and how do you know him?’

‘I’m not telling you shit, you think your crappy Mickey Mouse threats can hurt me…..bollocks, I’m still getting out of this chair!’

The weapons were placed back down, the blood pooling underneath the chisel. He scanned the array of weapons, deciding on which one to use.

His eyes widened as the thought came to mind. The old method was effective, dangerous, but effective. It would damage the man in such a way that most victims would die from a heart attack or worse, their throats ripped open from the inside. Richard thought of the results and knew that this beast was going to die anyway; he preferred to send him on his travels to hell in a memorable way.

The lamp was retrieved and the bulb carefully removed. The monster to his rear watched eagerly, attempting to see what his torturer was thinking. The fragile glass ball was placed upon the table and the lamps body slowly taken apart. He needed only the bulbs home and power source, the rest of the shell could be binned. The neck of the light source was plastic tubing which could be bent and manipulated in many ways, he kept this feature, deciding that it could be of use. The shield of the glass bubble was removed and the base it all connected to was twisted free. He moved to the plug socket, checking that he had enough cable to reach the man, he smiled as the length was ideal. The bulb was screwed back into its original place and the plug was turned on, the ball burned to life. It was extinguished and removed once again, the check proved it worked.

The man’s face displayed concern as Richard collected the left over tape and moved towards him, bulb in hand. He sat the tape on the legs and grabbed his hair, forcing his head backwards. The beast groaned as the bulb was pushed into his open mouth.

‘Don’t fight it, the glass will break and cut you to ribbons’ he smiled.

The metal end of the bulb protruded from his lips, the tape secured around the object and held in place. Richard chuckled to himself as the beast imitated a stuffed pig ready for roasting, the apple replaced by the light source.

‘Right, can you talk?’

‘Fuck you!’ the words slightly muffled but understandable.

‘Good’

He moved back to the table and grabbed the lamp’s cannibalised body. He turned and faced the man, the evil look struck his face as his eyes pierced his opponents.

‘Now this game is simple, you answer my questions or I cook the inside of your mouth!’ he winked.

‘FUCK……YOU!’ the drool slipped from the corner of his lips.

Richard walked over to the wall and pressed the plug socket so that the switch showed a red bar. He knelt in front of the man’s legs and raised the bulbs partner to his lips.

‘I warned you!’ he connected the ends and spun the bulb home, the man’s cheeks lit up with a pinkish-red colour. He began screaming as the walls of his mouth were slowly burned. The flesh blistered slightly and his face became purple from the strain. The lamp’s body was un-screwed and the light source killed. The victims head slumped forward as he managed the pain, his skin stuck to the glass shell.

‘The Wolf?’

‘I don’t!’ he mumbled, shaking his head.

‘Okay, are you a Paedophile?’ he asked

No answer came, the man’s face starring back at Richard, his eyes revealed the answer.

‘I see, that’s what I thought you’d say!’ he stood, placing the lamp body on the floor. He sat upon the desk and looked at the monster in the chair.

‘I’ve killed two of your kind tonight, really I have!’

No words followed.

‘Do you know anything about the Wolf?’

No answer came.

‘Fine, have it your way’, he climbed down from his resting place and picked up the lamp, ‘I’m tired anyway, got another stop to make before bed time, you ready?’ he smiled.

The connection was made once again and the bulb was screwed fully home this time. He watched as the cheeks illuminated, the man screamed as the pain returned. Richard picked up the bag and placed his tools back inside. Once complete he stood beside the man, making sure to step over the cable.