Psychopath

Chapter 18, back to Mr. Andrews

Brian walked over to their bed collapsed face first into the soft mattress. After a few seconds of blissful relaxation, he fell into a deep sleep. James glanced at Brian, and decided to let him sleep. He was just as exhausted as James and he deserved some rest. James decided he would take this time to unpack his bag. He left the bedroom and walked into the living room. He grabbed his duffle bag, which was lying on the couch in front of a 40 by 40 inch plasma wide screen TV mounted to the wall. He slowly unpacked his canned goods, pots and pans. He carried them over to their kitchen and began placing them in cabinets and drawers. He had just finished when he heard the metallic jiggling of a lock being picked, and the soft creak of the front door opening behind him. He slowly slid his skinning knife out of his sheath and turned around. Standing in the doorway, right outside the threshold, was a man dressed in dusty denim jeans, and a white tank top. On his feet where a pair of dirty, dusty beige boots. He held a bowie knife in his right hand.

"Who are you?"

"Ma name's Paul. Mista Andrews says he knows you two left town. He says he want ya ta come on back. He says you two have gotten him more organs in two deliveries than most people have gotten in ten."

"He's been watching us?"

"Of course! He knows yeer kids, but he don't care. He wants ya back."

"Tell Mr. Andrews that is he wants to talk to us, he should talk to us in person, not send one of his men."

"I can't go back to him without ya."

The man slowly started making his way over to James, bowie knife extended, knees bent. James bent his knees and prepared for the man, his skinning knife gripped tightly in his right hand. The man watched James for a few seconds, before sprinting toward James, forgoing any caution whatsoever. Caught off guard, James wasn't able swing his knife quick enough. The man lowered his head and slammed his shoulder into his gut, forcing every ounce of air out of James's body. They both fell to the ground, James's knife flying out of his hand, the man falling the man on top of James. The man straddled James, and rammed his fist into James's jaw. James felt and heard his jaw pop out of place, and after a second of numbness, unbearable pain quickly began spreading along the entire right side of his face. He tried to scream in pain, but his lungs were still devoid of air and his jaw was impossible to move, making is scream of agony come out as a pathetic whimper.

"You ain't so tough. Look atca! A couple of hits and yer helpless! It's pathetic!" The man looked down at him with a toothy grin. "Now you stay right there, ima get yer friend.

James was drifting in and out of consciousness, but he managed to hear and process what the man had said. He rolled over to his stomach and saw the man walking toward Brian's room. He struggled to yell, to wake up Brian before the man came, but all he could do was mutter incomprehensive sentences, and struggle to breathe. The man walked into the room and walked toward Brian's sleeping body. James watched helplessly as the man grabbed Brian, hoisted him up by his shirt collar, and proceeded to mercilessly beat him. Brian kicked and struggled, landing punches on the man's back and scratching his arms, but it was pointless. After a few powerful punches to the sides of his head, James saw his friend's arms and legs stop moving and hang limply at his sides as Brian fell into unconsciousness. The man turned back to James and walked toward him, dragging Brian behind him. When he was a foot away from James, with a cry of rage he propelled himself across the floor toward the man's leg. He grabbed his right leg, shoved his pant leg up and sunk his teeth deep into the man's calf. His leg tasted like dust and sweat, and as soon as the man's blood entered James's mouth, he gaged and unlodged his teeth from the man. Despite not having his teeth in the man's leg for long, the damage was significant. The man screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground. He clutched his leg and let out a string of curses. While he was distracted, James got to his feet and attempted to run toward the front door. He didn't get far. The man easily managed to jump to his feet and catch up with James, and grabbed him by his hair avd ddragging him back. He threw James to the ground and began slamming his foot into James's gut. James curled up into a ball and attempted to protect himself form the barrage. After he was sufficiently beaten to a point where he couldn't fight back, the man grabbed him and Brian by their collars, and began dragging them out of the apartment before anyone came to see what all the commotion was about.