One For Three

Chapter 63: The last words and words of honor

Big

When I see Boss Kinn, Pete and Boss Korn approaching, a feeling of terror invades my whole being. I feel a deep and visceral fear that squeezes my heart and makes my pulse beat to break everything. This fear is different from anything I could feel before.

I feel in danger...well more really...they came with new intentions, without chance. My thoughts are jostling in my swirling mind. The uncertainty about what they are capable of doing now terrifies me to the highest degree. I feel powerless, as if the world was going to collapse around me.

Fear also manifests itself physically. My hands become sweaty, my knees tremble and my muscles stretch instinctively, ready to react to the slightest threat. My breath is accelerating, and I have trouble breathing normally. My senses are on maximum alert, and I am hyper aware of every detail of the situation, looking for signs of imminent danger.

Although I am very weakened, I try to stand up straight to show them that I am invincible, that I will never talk about what they want to know and that I am ready to die for the cause I defend. I stare at them with hatred despite the growing fear. Boss Korn approaches me, without any more ounce of benevolence in his eyes.

Boss Kinn and Pete put a huge chest at my feet, which they don't waste time opening. I am horrified when I see parts of freshly cut human bodies piled up in them. Judging by the size and thickness of each of them, I deduce that they are not pieces of men but of women.

Boss Korn looks me in the eyes.

- Since you don't want to tell us anything about who Tiger's eye is, we took matters into our own hands by going directly to see your family. We cut out a hand of your mother, a leg of your older sister and an arm of your two smaller sisters.

He says this with such seriousness that I can't find out if it's a tactic to make me crack or not. My eyes become bright with tears, I scream at death, like a madman.

- DID YOU HURT THEM?????

- YOU DON'T REALLY GIVE US A CHOICE!!!!

Boss Korn screams at me, so loud that I curl up on the spot. I am all trembling, aware that these could be real body parts of my mother and my three sisters.

- You don't want to talk, Big...I had to torture them to find out if they knew a few things but they didn't tell me anything...

Boss Korn begins to take the hundred steps.

- They...they don't know anything sir...really nothing...

For the first time in four days of incarceration I open my mouth to talk about the Tiger's Eo. Fearful, I cross the gaze of Boss Kinn, posted in a corner of the room. Pete is close to him, his arms closed on his chest. They look at me as if we had never been friends.

- I'm sorry for you Big but if you told us what we want to know, none of this would happen.

I start to melt into tears, pulling on my chains. I lower my head.

- If... If I tell you something...he...he's going to kill them... He's watching me...I...I can't tell you anything...

Boss Korn looks at Boss Kinn. Too confused to talk, it's Pete who will ask a question:

- How does he keep an eye on you? Are they watching us?

I cross his eyes.

- I can't tell you anything, sorry...

But the second after, I hoove my head to answer his question. Pete then understands that I am spied, all the time, by the Tiger's Hand and that I can't speak. I see him taking Boss Korn and Boss Kinn apart and they exchange words in a low voice, which I can't hear.