The Last Spade Master

CHAPTER 20: Plucking nails

CHAPTER 20: Plucking nails

Sara opens her eyes with difficulty as the throbbing pain in her forehead made her dizzy. She realised that she is still in her own apartment. She blinked to get accustomed to the darkness. Her mouth was taped tightly making it difficult to make sound and her body was tied to the chair with her hands tied at front.

Suddenly a torch was focused on her face, she closed her eyes due to the blinding light. When she opened her eyes the room turned dark once again. 

When a person in a ghost mask appeared in the focus of the flashlight she screamed with all her might  which came out only as a whimper. The person tilted his face and closed the gap between their faces.

Sara tried to inch backward but her movements were restricted because of the chair. The person holds the chair from moving before placing the knife on her neck.

Sara was terrified seeing the sharp knife, her eyes welled up with tears. The tape was forcefully pulled out making her let out a soft cry, but before she could scream for help the knife was pressed against her neck.

“Shhh…. Scream, then i will explore your neck inch by inch with the knife”

Sara shut her mouth, “Who…who are you?”

“Guess it” the person playfully grazed the knife against her neck making her hiss at the dull sting.

“I.I.. I don't know. What do you want? If you want money then I will give it to you. Please leave me”, Sara choked on her voice.

“Who wants your measly money?” he scoffed at her.

“But if you insist on giving then I might be interested in taking something”

The man brought his gloved hands towards her and held her hands in his grasp. He caressed her slender hands softly like obsessed lover before saying, “You have beautiful nails Sara” 

Sara’s eyes widened hearing her name from the person’s mouth more like from a scream ghost mask. She couldn’t guess whose voice it belonged to. Moreover, the voice came out a little hoarse and gruff as the mask hides the original voice of the stranger before her. By the way the man staring at her nails gives unsettling feelings to her. She tried to pull her fingers out of his grip but he tightened it immediately.

“Please…leave me” she pleaded with him.

“Of course I will let you leave but before that…..” the man put the knife away before taking a long nose pliers from his pants.

“Let me discipline you” he took the rag nearby and stuffed it into her mouth. He gripped her entire right hand fingers in a tight grip, using the plier he clutched her index fingernail.

Dread filled Sara's mind. She seemed to find what this man was going to do. She tried to escape from his clutches but more she moved the grip of the plier tightened on her nails.

The man clicked his tongue, “ How cute. Your eyes look lovely with fear flowing in them”

She cried with tears continuously poured out of her eyes. She pleaded with her eyes telling him to stop.

“Scared? This is why you should not offend someone you can’t afford” he didn't hesitate to pull the nail out of her fingertips. Blood started to drip immediately due to the force he plucked it out.

Sara screamed in agony but that didn't stop him from plucking out her middle fingernails. The entire room was filled with her sobs. 

“Hmm…That was very tiring, you won’t mind me using your kitchen right” 

The man strolled towards the refrigerator, upon finding only a bottle of mineral water and some canned foods, he rummaged through the cupboards in the kitchen. Finding a pack of noodles he simply fixed himself with simple lazy noodles.

“Tch..Tch…you should go shopping to stock up your fridge. Eating canned food always is not good for your health”

He dragged a stool and placed it in front of Sara whose sobbing turned into sniffling. She glared at him with her eyes red.

The man held the bowl and seated on the stool, “Is that a glare what I see? Seems like you don't like your thumbnail. Should I pluck it out for you?”.

Hearing this she turned her gaze away from him and continued to sniffle. She could feel the burning sensation of flesh where her finger nails are missing.

Only when he begins to eat does the man remember that he wears a mask.

“Fuck”

Seeing the man curse, Sara turned to see that he was about to remove the mask. She wished at least she could get a glimpse of the man’s face so that she could report it to police later. But it is just her wishful thinking, because the man turned, showing her his broad shoulder before removing the mask. 

After finishing a bowl of noodles he wore his mask and obediently washed the dish before placing it on the shelf to dry.

“Ah! I am full, hope my baby doesn't wait for me for dinner” he whispered to himself.

He kicked the stool aside and came to stand behind the chair and warned her in a dark tone.

“Hope you learnt your lesson. Make sure to behave or otherwise it won't be just the fingernails that would be missing”

Even though Sara didn’t know why she was tortured like this, she nodded her head vigorously not wanting to lose not even a strand of hair from her body.

“Good girl. See you again Sara, it was nice to meet you” saying that the man ran towards the window and jumped out of it.

Her eyes widened seeing that. She also realised the rope that tied around her came loose, she unbound the rope and pulled out the rag that was stuffed in her mouth. She gently clutched her fingers that were still dripping blood and made her way to the window.

She looked out of the windows. Even though her apartment was located on the second floor it was pretty high for someone to jump and come off uninjured.

She shuddered thinking about that. She only hoped that they won't cross paths with each other again in future.