Hello readers, I hope you enjoy this. I normally write speculative fiction (Fantasy, SF, Horror) but this time decided to write a contemporary story.

ONE



Williams fingered the trigger of his Beretta and sipped what was to his mouth, the coldest Budweiser on earth. There were ice crystals on the surface of the can. Very cold. Williams smiled. You don’t drink a beer the moment it arrives from the brewery. First, you refrigerated it. The colder the better.

Vengeance was like that.

But Williams couldn’t wait anymore. Of course, he had made a plan intricate enough to make Sun Tzu proud but he was at that point where planning became procrastination.

The time was now. In five minutes, he would get the call that would start the most enjoyable phase of his life. For now, he enjoyed the beer.
Before going to prison, he had not understood the need for drugs or liquor. Stupidity, he had called it. Why would someone contaminate their body with such thrash? Williams smiled as he remembered that long-ago foolishness. Alcohol was life. A cold Budweiser was as good as, if not better than, having hands on well sized, well shaped bosoms.

He gulped the last of the beer. Yeah, alcohol over women, he thought as he put the Beretta inside a small bag. He surveyed the one bedroom apartment. All he could see was dust. Dusty sofa, an old TV that looked like it had been unearthed from a grave in the desert and windows covered with spider webs that looked expansive enough to trap an elephant.

Very dirty, very old apartment, it was and that made it perfect for living. What would he do with a clean house?

His phone rang. It was a Tecno phone and Williams had thought it necessary to use a ring tone by Tekno, the singer. In a strange way, it brought some order to his disordered life. If he couldn’t get along with people, at least he could match phones to ring tones.

Williams answered the call.

“What’s the update?”

‘It’s a wrap,” the caller said.

Williams got an instant erection. It had started. His journey. The closing of his story. He licked his lips.

“Thank you.” Williams coughed. He didn’t want his voice to betray his excitement. “Keep him in the condition we discussed earlier. Tell John to wait. Your money has already been credited.”

“Na man you be,” the caller said and ended the call.

Williams rubbed his palms together. This was it. Don’t Bleep it up, Williams. He wanted to have some fun. An eye for an eye was the Mosaic Law. A stupid law that didn’t take note of such economic concepts as inflation and time value. As he grabbed his bag and walked towards the door, Williams reminded himself of his own rule: two eyes for an eye.

*******

Ngozi charged out of the Coldstone Creamery store with a wide smile on her face. Passers-by gave her a glance, probably wondering why anyone would be smiling and laughing so much in these bad economic times. Surely, it couldn’t be the ice cream? Ngozi paid them no mind and dialed a number on her phone.

“Babe,” she said when the call connected. “I have been promoted.”

“Wow,” he replied. He didn’t sound happy enough to Ngozi.

“Aren’t you happy for me?”

“Of course, I’m happy.” There was a pause. “This calls for celebration.”

“Yeah, surprise me.”

“Sure babe,” he said. “I need to get something for my boss. Would call you after so we can celebrate the good news. Congrats, love.”

“Thanks babe.”

Life was good even though she sometimes had problems with her fiancé, Seun. She was now the youngest ever Area Sales Manager in Castle Brands. Very soon, she would be married. What else could a woman want? She would share the good news with her parents when she got home.

She opened the door to her Honda Civic and got into the driver’s seat. She was about to start the car when she heard a cough. There was a masked man at the back of the car. She tried to jump out of the car but she had already jammed the door.

“Tranquillo,’’ the masked man said. “I know you speak Spanish. Calm down.”

Ngozi was breathing hard. Her brain refused to give command to her body but her heart was working hard.

The masked man moved to the passenger seat. He had a gun in his gloved hands. “I don’t want to kill you. Relax. I can hear your heart beat.”

“What do you want?”

“Let me first inform you that your mother has been held in trust by my colleagues.”

Tears ran down Ngozi’s cheeks. “What have I done? What’s happening?”

“Just follow my instructions.” The man pointed at the steering. ‘I will drive. Don’t scream. No drama. Follow me and you will be safe. As will your mom. Of course, if you misbehave, your mom dies a very painful death. As will you.”

The tears were rapid now.

“Your choice, Ngozi.”

*********

Victim One was naked.

He had been chained to a comfortable bed but he didn’t look comfortable. He was blindfolded and a duct tape around his mouth prevented him from screaming. Williams knew the look on Victim One’s face. The look on an antelope’s face at the moment a leopard sinks its teeth into the antelope’s neck. Williams’ favorite satellite channel was National Geographic; he knew prey when he saw one. Victim One was prey now. Just this morning, he had been strutting around Victoria Island confident that his money and his looks made him the lord of the manor.

Williams was ready to be a predator.

“Remove the blindfold and duct tape."

John, Williams’ assistant for today’s episode, was a seven foot body builder who had muscles on his muscles. He spent half his day in the gym and it showed. However, he was here today for what he did with the other half of his time.

John removed the blindfold and the duct tape.

Victim One’s eyes narrowed in recognition. He blinked tears away.

“Please Will, let me explain.”

Williams smiled and turned to John. “Get me a beer. You know my brand.”

‘Please Will,” Victim One was begging.

“No beer. Only kai-kai.”

Illicit gin, Williams thought. Not the type of alcohol he preferred. Still, it was better than nothing.

“Oya now, bring it.”

John swaggered out of the warehouse. Williams walked towards Victim One. “We meet again, Victim One.”

“Please Will, “Victim One pleaded. He was trembling and was obviously not excited at his new moniker. “I can explain. I would do anything you want. Don’t kill me. Please. I can help with-“

“Shut up!” Williams breathed in. He had to enjoy himself. No use getting riled up. John was back with two sachets of gin. Williams tore one with his teeth and gulped the content.

“Give the other to Victim One,” Williams said. “He would need it.”

John was an obedient assistant. In seconds, Victim One got a dose of gin, his protestations dealt with in the purest of ways: slaps on both cheeks.

“As you can see,” Williams said. “John here packs a lot of punch. He slaps well too.”

“Please, I beg you in the name of God.”

“You are actually crying, Victim One, “Williams said and laughed. “You are crying.” His hands went to his crotch. Yes, this was really exciting. And it was yet to start.

“Don’t kill me please.”

“Oh, don’t be naïve, Victim One, “Williams walked towards him. ‘You think I brought you here to kill you? “Williams shook his head. “That would be unfair to both of us. After all, you didn’t kill me. You merely slept with my first wife while I was in prison. Surely, that can’t be enough to kill you."

Victim One’s face was covered in tears. His body rocked as he sobbed.

“No, I won’t kill you.”

“Please, I beg you, don’t hurt me. It wasn’t my fault.”

“Yeah, I expect you to say that, “Williams said. “Do you know what is going to happen to you?”

“Please…” The look on Victim One’s face was not of anticipation.

“I thought for a long time,” Williams said. “I could use a pen to slowly gorge out your eyes. It would take seven hours. Eight, tops. It would not be boring, mind you, as I would regale you with some prison gist as I make the incisions around your eyes and watch the bleeding and hear your shameful screams. Drilling your eyes out would be fun for both of us.” Williams paused for effect. “You know the good part? You will be alive at the end of the day.”

“Abeg,…”

“Relax,” Williams cut in. “I am a reasonable man. So I won’t gorge out your eyes. How about castration? I am sure you have heard of a burdizo. It’s used to castrate bulls. We can try that on you. I mean, why do you need testicles anyway?”

“Bro please.”

“Bro?” Williams asked, shaking his head. “Victim One, you are my prey not my bro. And what do you think of my proposal to make sure you never get to call yourself bro again?”

“Please, I would pay any amount.”

“True to form,” Williams said. He was thinking of how to make his announcement of Victim One’s punishment witty and dramatic. Nothing had come to mind yet. “True to form. You’ll pay anything to retain your balls.”

“Please---“

Williams glanced at John. Like the loyal assistant he was, John was disinterested in the whole thing yet ready to act should his services be needed as they soon would be.

“Victim One, do you know why you are naked?”

There was no reply, only barely controlled sobbing.

“One of my hobbies is photography,” Williams said. “You know, I had never thought of photography as a skill. But it is. I am average myself but gradually improving. So I would do today’s honors. I do well at filming too.”

Williams rubbed his palms together and nodded at John.

“John here would give your backside some loving,” Williams said. “Of course, I would document it. He won’t use lube. No, no.”
Williams shook his head as if he could not think of a more disagreeable thing. “The video and photos would, of course, be made to reach a wide audience. Have a nice time.”

He nodded again at John and as John prepared to do what he was paid to do, Williams was already thinking of Victim Two.

einsteine:
Hello readers, I hope you enjoy this. I normally write speculative fiction (Fantasy, SF, Horror) but this time decided to write a contemporary story.

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Been trying to reach you since. Hope all is well?
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