two hands came crashing down on his shoulders, holding him securely in place.
“Oh Nicky, did you really think it would be that easy? You can’t be a snitch and do what you did, and think I will just let you go.” My Dad sounded so evil, so menacing. It was the side of him I never wanted to see, and now I was front row and centre for the live show.
“But, but, but Joe, you said I’d live if I did that. I would live. You promised.” There was another sound now, like running water. The man had lost all bodily control in his fear.
“Jesus Nick,” another voice grunted in disgust. I saw feet shuffle away from the man.
“And I meant it Nicky. I am a man of my word. I do intend for you to live.” My Dad had moved away from the seated man to go and stand near his desk.
“I, I don’t understand,” the man whimpered.
“You know too much Nick. And once a snitch, always a snitch.” My Dad waved his hand at his associates. “Hold him down guys.”
The man tried to squirm out of the grasp of the other two men, but they were much stronger, and the man’s attempt to free himself from their grasp became futile. “What’s going on Joe? You said you wouldn’t kill me. You said...”
I heard flesh hit flesh. The man in the chair had been punched hard in the gut. I could hear him moaning and see his body topple forward and onto the ground. My Dad’s men picked him up and put him back on the chair.
“I’m not killing you Nicky. You’ll keep your life. That I promised you.”
There was shuffling again. This time my Dad spoke in his most terrifying voice. “Ian, remove his tongue.”
The men came up behind the chair which shifted again, and now my view from the slats changed so I could now see the man’s face in the chair. My Dad’s guys held him down, and the man called Ian withdrew a small pocket knife from his pants.
I tried to scream, and as if knowing exactly what I was about to do, Josh’s hand lifted and clamped over my mouth and he pulled me as hard as he could against his body. He moved so he turned my face as much as possible, trying to change my line of sight so I couldn’t watch the horror. The screams from outside the door intensified. Finally Josh leaned down and whispered into my ear, “Close your eyes.”
Tears streamed down my face and onto Josh’s hand as the screams of this man, who was having a part of his body cut from him, engulfed the whole room. The screams echoed in me and all around me. Josh held my shaking and terrified body, and didn’t let me go.
We must have waited in that closet for an hour. The sounds of the screaming eventually stopped and changed to an odd crying sound, and eventually my Dad gave the men orders to take Nick to ‘the doctor’ but it was their doctor, not a doctor at the hospital. When we were sure they were gone, we opened the closet door.
The first thing we saw was a steel chair, surrounded by a pool of blood.
Blood, more blood. More death. More pain. Memories of when I was taken, burst into my head, and my legs started to give out as I tried to walk forward and run from the room. As my legs began to buckle underneath me, Josh scooped me up and carried me from the room. He had seen me becoming weak before I hit the floor. I looked at Josh like my hero, as he carried me out and up to my bedroom, on the upper level of the apartment.
“The blood Josh…his tongue...I can’t get air...into...my...lungs.” I wanted to pass out from the massive head spin I was having. My eyes slammed shut as dark, evil thoughts were spiraling out of control and into my mind and body.
Josh lay me on the bed. “Breathe Norah. Just breathe. I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you. Open your eyes.”
I found the strength to force my eyes open and I saw the green ovals of Josh’s eyes. Warm, sweet, calming. I didn’t understand how he could be so calm, but he was. I wondered if he was putting on a brave face just for me? My breathing slowed. “I don’t know if I can handle any more of