The Thorns Under Pedals

“Help! Anyone please.” A woman shrieked horsley, breaking her voice's normal volume. The woman was terrified clearly by the way she shook, tears ran rivers down her dirty cheeks, irrational decisions, and the panicked fear shining from her brown pooled eyes. She had a clear reason to be after waking up tied to a nailed down built chair. That was hours ago which helped escalate her emotions from disbelief to horror. This was a classic habit for anyone. Even people like her believed they would be spared from the harsh consequences their actions came with. When no reply came again her horrified plea turned to survival. Her slim wrists were roughly rubbing against their leather restraint strap. The chains that were also restricting her arms dug into her shirt to her skin. Blood started to drip from her struggles to the tiled gray floor. Creaking was heard as her body lifted, shifted, and twisted only to tighten the chains against her. In her state it was no surprise that she would not think by doing so would actually tighten the chains against her body, cutting oxygen from entering her lungs. More blood dripped and heavy breathing was the result. Sweat began to appear around her brow as if she exhausted herself. Though that was not true. No. The cause was from the temperature increasing in the small four walled “room” she was held in. The hot air burned her cuts from fighting the restraints making the woman cry out. Her head bowed letting her red amber long straight hair crusade her shoulders. This shielded her face from any observer. It appeared as if she gave up or clearly passed out. Yet this was an attempt to fool the observer to come into the room. To show her who was doing this to her. The unknown factor that stopped her from being able to reason with the person to free her. All the lines that were classic pleas the person probably heard a thousand times. The woman was determined this could work no matter how long she had to pretend. It was the only thing she could think of. Pleading wasn’t working. Fighting was not either. She was not sure how long she tried to keep her breathing slow as much as possible but it felt like eternity. In reality she only lasted four hours before anger appeared again. The whole scene was quite laughable. Her head was light headed from the heat and jerking up to scream did nothing for her. “Show yourself. Stop hiding. You're too scared to face me while I’m conscious you bastard?!” She yelled to whoever was listening like acid was spitting from her mouth. Trying to hit a nerve to push someone to unwisely appear. Oh how much spite flooded from her mouth trying every trick possible. Still nothing happened. It was as if no one was there. Like she was by herself yet there was a sense that someone or something was in fact listening. A switch happened. Anger faded to hysteria. “Why?” She was crying again. Her tears wet her torn jeans that had knives slashed along her legs. It stung, causing her to flinch. This did not stop her tears or the quivering of her soft cracked voice. “Why me? What did I do to you?” The woman was the worst kind of person. The kind that was two faced. A b***h that gladly gave orders to kill anyone that was against her but in public hid behind a fake innocent smile. In fact most people that were involved with her would not believe the stories of blood caused by a few words from her full ugly red shade lips. There are so many people out there much like this woman that it is sickening. Who could laugh while destroying a person's life just because they rubbed you the wrong way? Did this woman believe that the person who gave her the list of people was working with her as an equal or did she see it as being the leader? Questions that may get answers if this was played just right. The light in the room flickered, leading the women to repeatedly say no in fear. Not that long after the room was pitched black. She was blind. A curling blood piercing scream filled the silence of the room. Surprisingly the woman was able to still have some volume in her screams which showed that she had a fight left in her. The noise hides the sounds of the door opening and closing. Even the soft footsteps were hidden from the woman. Chains that were under her throat were tightened dangerously close to suffocation cutting the screams off. Her heart pounded furiously. Once again survival instincts kicked in to try to grab at the metal chain trying to kill her. However, the effort was stupid as it just led to blood dripping in a small puddle under her. The woman was probably asking herself if she was going to die like this. That’s when the light came back to blind the woman. Black and gray dots covered her vision that was already unsteady from the heat. If she could see then she would know that the person pulling the chains tighter was another lady dressed in black. Hair that was cut to shoulder length that looked orange in the light but was really strawberry blonde. The eyes that looked down at the woman with such hatred and disgust were a light hazel. Under the light freckles could be seen on the girl's noise if the woman’s vision worked. All the woman could make out was the person was leaning forward close to her face. A smile appeared seeing the pain the woman was in. Payback was a b***h. “You wanted to see me?” I asked the woman in a calm voice that I noticed sent chills shivering down her body. Even the hair on her arms stood up adding to my enjoyment. Oh how much I have looked forward to this moment. I ever so slightly loosened the chains that were around her windpipes. The woman started to cough heavily. Knowing that she might, I had backed away from her face. The woman's face lightened in the red shade it had been turning. A tomato that was now becoming a peach. “Let me go you crazy bitch.” The word would have been more scary if they had been said in an even voice. Not the way she had spoken, pausing to breathe every other word and it was muttered making it hard to hear. I could not hold back my laughter. I had been right about her fighting spirit. The sound of my laughter made the woman clench her hands. My contentment was just beginning. Justice would be served very slowly with her. The woman glared at me as if she was showing her hatred but really it was to see me clearer. There was no way the woman would ask me who I was. She thought of hiding her weaknesses from me yet I already knew them. To prove it I slid my right hand to the dagger held against my ankle. Without the woman noticing the minimal movement of lifting the dagger I roughly dug its sharp blade into the top of her left thigh. Whimpering sounded and a voice that screamed too much was left soundlessly crying out. Knowing that leaving it in would keep the wound from bleeding out quickly I left it where it was. I watched the woman’s reaction as the pain flashed in her expression. She had a slight pain tolerance. It was time to test it. She would feel the same pain she put others through. I was determined she would and that she would live through it until the very last torture. Another knife I had hidden was stabbed between her wrist and elbow. Unlike the thigh I removed the knife and lunged it in her right shoulder where I let it stay. She tried to reason with me and when I just kept going, making slashes against her skin the woman begged for her life. I did not leave any part of her skin unmarked. Her neck wore nicks that were not too deep for a kill but would sting like crazy. When I was satisfied that her whole body was in pain against the hot breeze I stopped staring down at her. “Do you still not know what you have done?” I asked coldly. I was letting her believe that she had a chance to live if she revealed how “sorry” she truly was for my little sister being slashed to death. Just remembering how lifeless my sister had laid in a pool of her own crimson blood that had bleed out from thousands of cuts before multiple vital wounds were stabbed. Her death was excruciating and long. Now it would be the same for the woman who watched my sister die in the detailed way she ordered. My hands fisted and luckily I was wearing gloves that protected my palms from my nails. The pain of losing her was still fresh in my head that I had to hold back tears. This b***h was not going to see me cry and she would not get any symphony from me. Silence was my answer. The woman did not know or was playing dumb. My anger burned in my blood. Rage filled me as I jerked her head forward while I leaned in close. “Maybe this will help.” I suggested before pulling her hair tightly back with my left hand. My right hand followed but pounded into her face breaking her nose with the steel knuckle weights I had put on under my glove. Blood fell onto her shirt and my gloves. Next I connected my fist to her cheekbone under the eye. I let the motion lead her head back as my left hand returned to my side. I waited in silence as she blinked her eyes to focus. The pain made her wince as she tried to gather herself mentally. I paid close attention to her eyes knowing that they would tell me what she was thinking or feeling. After all they were the way to one's soul. Minutes passed as she worked to fight the headache that was splitting from my attack. Her ears were most likely ringing as well so there was no point in saying anything for a while. Her life’s blood stained the chair and the floor under her. If I didn’t watch my step I would have to get rid of my shoes when this was all over as well. “I don’t know.” She whispered in the fogginess of her mind. “Please.” “Ethel Greenvine.” That clicked. Her eyes widened just an inch signaling that she knew the name. If it was possible her face turned pale white. Oh yes she remembered now. A grim smirk lifted at the corner of my mouth. “She was my little sister. If I remember the details of the crime scene correctly you had her throat cut deep after all the marks from before that ended her misery.” “I…” The woman couldn’t find the words to make an excuse or try to get away now. “Did you have them slit her throat before pulling at her nails?” I asked innocently but I already knew the answer. I didn’t even wait for an answer that I knew wasn’t going to come. Instead I carefully took a test tube from the bag I had brought in. Her eyes followed me with uncertainty. When she saw the tube with clear liquid her body started to fight the restraints again. Did she know what I was about to do? Probably not. I twisted the dagger still lodged in her thigh. While she whimpered and focused on that I unscrewed the lid to the tube. Before she noticed I let drops of the liquid fall onto her right hand fingers. Her body fought not caring about how the chains dug into her more. Sizzling was loud in my ears as her fingers turned red. The tips of her fingers began to grow disfigured with skin piling back to her middle knuckles. Same as a chemical burn would scare skin. Instead of nails the acid burned through her skin resulting in blood splattering to the ground. This would leave very red or brown markings if she was going to be alive for it to heal. That would not be the case. Right now her fingers were agitated red with a dark red at her fingertips. Where her nails used to be was now open to see the damaged nerves under her skin. The sight was sickening and would make the weak vomit however I was not one of those. I threw the glass tube to the floor away from us after I had repeated the same to the left hand using up all the acid I had. I looked at her arms and saw them turning pink from her circulation cutting off. The knife that had been in her shoulder had moved to her chest during her struggle. I watched as her eyes glazed over from the excruciating pain. Before she could pass out however I threw a bucket of cold water at her. “You won't want to miss this.” I whispered. Her mind barely heard me. She was in complete survival mode after all. I moved behind her and unchained her body. The straps came next. The woman now was freed from her restraints. She did not move however. I smiled as I twisted the dagger and knife at the same time then pulled them out. Blood poured out in great heeps from the wounds. The woman did not have long left to live. I put the weapons away after cleaning them. When the woman still did not move as if she was barely alive I pulled her hair using it to lift her body up. Strands of her hair fell around us as her body landed with a thud head first in front of the doorway. “You wanted to escape. Now's your chance to try.” I paused with a deep breath. “I’ll give you a five minute head start Miss Willams.” It took the woman a couple minutes to register what was happening and to actually get up to limp off into the hall. Now the chase was on. What weapon should I use? I wondered as I walked to the table that held different weapons of all sizes. I ran my finger along all of them as I thought about it. There was a chainsaw, long needles that could be used as claws, a meat cleaver, more knives, a bat with barbed wire, a hook, a screwdriver, and a pitchfork that laid against the table legs. The sound of dogs barking signaled time was up. My fingers wrapped around the handle of the bat. With ease I carried it as I followed after the woman. The hallway was dark on purpose but it had no effect on me. I knew this place in my mind. The floor was squishy as I stepped on Miss Williams' blood trail. I would have to get rid of them after all. I sighed. As much as I was enjoying getting back at her I was not looking forward to the cleaning after the kill. Hiding the evidence would be a b***h to keep the cops off her trail. This would not be the only kill she planned to in the months ahead. There were at least three others. Most likely there would be more than that just to get the information I need to find the three bastards. I have to be careful with the disposal. Should I leave her buried somewhere or dump her into a lake nearby the scene that was far from my place? I could always burn the evidence however that left a noticeable smell that could draw unwanted attention. A groan brought me back to the present. My eyes at some point adjusted to the darkness. I spotted a door that led to the exit opened wide with a blood hand print. I did not have long to decide. All is well. I’ll just enjoy the moment justice is served. A smile lit on my face and I lowered the wired bat so that scrapping could be heard like nails on a chalkboard. Seconds later I heard the locked exit door being frantically moved. Miss William was banging on it trying to yell for help. The laugh that escaped my lips echoed through the room. I saw Miss Williams' body facing me and started to slide down against the door. Her head looked to either side as if she was judging her chances of escaping. I lifted the bat to swing it but I missed my mark on her head. She moved out of the way just in time so the blow grazed her wounded shoulder. I could hear the hiss that left her lips as the wire ripped at her skin. Before I moved to remove it she bashed a pan against my head that I had not seen beside her. My ears rang against the impact. Miss Williams used the pause in my actions to move towards my left to escape. The pan stung me but not long enough for her to slip away. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. A gasp left her as her head hit the wall beside the door. Little did she know that there was a hook to hold coats. That hook was now inside of her just below her heart. “Please.” The word whispered between us. I looked her straight in the eyes for a little while. I could not see the details that would tell me what she was thinking but by this point I did not need them. I knew she was asking me to spare her. That she did not want to die. “I’m sure my sister asked for her life too. Yet you clearly just let her die.” I took one of the daggers from my hiding spots since the bat was on the ground. “You tortured her slowly and now you feel how she did.” And with that I slowly cut across her neck creating a deep gash. I cut her vocal cords and blood vessels. Her body went limp with the hook being the only reason her body stayed up right. I felt life leave her. All I thought was how finally my sister was avenged and that she can rest in peace. Tears spilled over my eyelids as I let my heartache take over from my loss. This was my first kill to bring my murdered family peace. These kills were my way to grieve since I could not sleep from haunting images the last time I saw them dead. “I’m so sorry that I could not protect you sister.” I sobbed. My head bowed. “Please rest in peace now.” I stood in front of Miss Williams' body crying for hours crying and remembering the times I had with my little sister. We were not super close but as the oldest I had always been there for her when she needed someone no matter how small. That was until the day she died. One day I went to visit some possible schools out of state only to return weeks later to find each member of my family murdered brutally all scattered around their house. I learned later that they were killed by three different people. Miss Williams was the one who killed Ethel. A man by the name Andrew Williams killed my parents. Then there was my older brother who was killed to the point of being unidentifiable to the police. The one who killed him was Connor Williams, their father who was the head of Williams Machinery that illegally sold guns to extremist groups. How my family got mixed up in theirs was a mystery to me but it did not matter. My family was gone and the police were doing nothing about it. They were too scared to go against a powerful man in the state. That was why I decided I had to do it with my own hands. Now the other two would know that revenge was headed their way. They started the battle and I was going to finish this bloody f*****g war with their bodies lifeless along with whoever else I had to go through. “My family will be avenged.” Anger shone in my watery eyes as I glared at Miss Williams. “You were just the start of it.”