Page 48 of Poison Aches
“And which Family do you bleed for, Freddy?” I ask softly.
Immediately, the chains rattle, the mangled body hanging there starts to shudder and tremble.
“You…”
Slowly, I unfold from the chair and stand up.
The room falls silent until all I hear is the labored breathing of a dying pig.
The man hanging from the concrete ceiling stops struggling as soon as he notices that something has changed.
I watch as he whips his head from left to right in a frenzied panic. He starts sweating profusely as I approach him.
When I step at the edge of the shadows, before the light… I’m right in front of him.
Freddy’s bleeding eye immediately widens in shock and then I watch the guilt, horror… and ultimately my favorite,fear,flashing in his eyes.
His face pales so fast, ghosts have nothing on him.
“M…master!” he stutters brokenly. I almost wince, remembering my own speech impairment from years ago. “M-master, y-you… why are y-you…”
“Freddy,” I start softly, as if I’m talking to an old friend. The rest of my shadows in the room visibly react to my cadence, stepping back slightly but holding still regardless.
“Master Easton, sir!” Freddy pants.
“Tell me, who’s this ‘they’ you’re working for right now?”
“S-sir,” he croaks, his eyes almost bulging out. “You know me, I work for you!”
I stare at him.
Blood starts gushing from his wounds more profusely than before, as if the very sight of me is enough to drain the life out of him.
“I only work for the Easton Family, sir!”
“Really?”
“M-master Easton, please, sir, you have to believe me. I’ve only ever been faithful to one Family and one Family alone! I’d never do anything to disrespect you!” he cries.
I nod. “But you would do anything to get ahead, wouldn’t you?”
His one eye widens like a freaking saucer.
“No, sir, I would never!” he shouts, lying through his tobacco-stained teeth. “I’m very grateful for the nice life the Family has given me.”
The nice life… at what expense?
“Of course you wouldn’t, Freddy. How long have you been with the Family?” I ask conversationally.
“Over twenty years, sir!”
“Yes,” I mutter, sinking my fisted hands deep into my suit pants pockets to prevent a rage-induced accident from happening. “So why are you here now?”
Freddy’s pale, sweaty, bleeding, and bruised face jerks up. I see the many thoughts passing in his eye and then I see the moment he decides to play me.
“Sir, I don’t know what you’ve heard about me or what accusation of disloyalty they’ve accused me of, but I’d never bring harm to you, Master Easton!” he gasps, his mouth wide open.
I shake my head slightly. “I’m not him. Master Easton is your boss.”
