MICAH

twenty-two

The knife sliced through as easily as cutting into butter. I let the screams wash over me like splashing water over my face. I wiped the blade on my sleeve looking at the man strapped in my chair. His head wobbled from side to side as it hung close to his chest.

"I don't know anything." He whimpered as a string of drool and blood hung from his bottom lip.

The light on the ceiling hung on a thin wire. It swung from side to side casting shadows around the room. It almost made me sea sick from all the shifting movement. Almost.

I looked at the table I set up. Setting the knife down gently, I mulled over my options mumbling softly to myself. I could hear him fidgeting in his chair with the little effort he had left. The meat cleaver caught my attention and I picked it up holding it tenderly in my hands. Bouncing it in my hands I turned it over nodding in approval. It hung from my hand brushing against my leg lazily as I walked back to my captive.

I rubbed his bald head lovingly. Wiping some of the blood off his cheek, I pulled his face up towards mine. And pushed it from side to side smiling. I lifted the cleaver. One of his eyes was already shut from being beaten so hard, the other one had its lid drooping. Still the eye drifted towards the glint of the cleaver and grew wide in fear.

"P-Please. I-I don't know an-anything!" He stammerd.

I let go of his face and put a finger to my mouth shushing him. I leaned back and slammed the cleaver down into his leg. He cried out as his knee shattered and splintered. I dug the cleaver deeper into his knee, grinding it to dust.

He began to sob uncontrollably. I pouted mocking him. Chuckling to myself, I lifted the cleaver again to strike his other leg.

"Wait!" He begged.

I stopped mid swing and looked at him raising an eyebrow. I tapped my foot waiting impatiently.

"I don't know where she is-" I raised the cleaver again, "But! But, the techs are all on one source." I looked at him bored, "Find the source and you can find the tech."

I smiled brightly at him, "See, that wasn't so hard." I slammed the cleaver into the side of his head. His eyes dimmed as his head hunched to one side.

I walked over to the table and set the cleaver down in its rightful place. Grabbing the rag hanging off the corner I wiped my hands and threw it on the floor. I began to whistle the song the girl was humming before.

The girl was sitting on the bed staring at the wall in the room. Her hands were limp in her lap and her hair was slightly damp from the shower I assume she took earlier.

"Get what you need?" She asked.

I tossed my duffle by the bed and opened the backpack by the nightstand. I grabbed an orange and started to peel the rinds. Bits got stuck in my nails, that always annoyed me. I stuck my thumb in my mouth trying to get the rinds out of my nails with my teeth.

"Fine, don't tell me." She stood up and walked to the door opening it, "I need air." She slammed the door behind her.

I sighed hanging my head low. I bit into the orange letting the juice drizzle down my chin. I opened the door wiping my mouth with the back of my arm. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and her hair pushed to one side. I took my place on the other side of her pressing my back against the warm cement.

"You could at least acknowledge me." She said under her breath.

"Hey." I replied looking up at the sky squinting.

She pushed herself off the wall and pivoted to look at me. Anger curdled in her eyes, "I'm not some child, you know!" She yelled spitting each word out, "I know what happens! I can be useful!"

I raised an eyebrow looking her up and down in the only floral dress she didn't even own. I chuckled, "What do you bring to the table?"

She stood there thinking about it. I watched her chew the side of her bottom lip letting the question linger in the air. Finally her eyes brightened, "I'm a pretty face. I don't look threatening." She smiled, "I can be your lure."

It was my time to push myself off the wall, "Nope." I walked down the steps onto the flat ground kicking up dust behind me. She followed right behind pulling on my sleeve to make me stop. I turned to look at her. She had blue eyes, I never noticed how blue they were. There was this mole right under her left eye that looked like a freckle at first glance.

"Please." There was a cry in her voice. Like she had nothing left but a desperation to have a role again.

"No." I shook my head gently at her, "You can help me, but not like this. Not again, not this way." I placed my hand on hers and removed it from my sleeve. I held it for a few extra seconds, "I don't always remember to sleep or eat. I can use a caregiver. Someone to give me company." She looked me dead in the eyes as the bottoms rimmed with tears, "Can you do that?" I watched her nodd her head as one tear slid down her cheek. It was shortly followed by another one and then another. A storm of tears fell from the clouds in her eyes and she fell to her knees. She clung to my leg sobbing. I bent down and picked her up. Carrying her back to the room I set her on the bed and she curled into a ball and sobbed.

Closing the door quietly behind me I snuck out while the girl slept. The pub sat down the road. It was crowded even in the early evening. The bartender didn't see me walk in. He was tall and his black skin shimmered in the light. Calmly, I walked up behind him and snapped his neck dragging him out the back door. The bot fron earlier layed in a corner with other bodies I had to burn. I tied the bartender to the chair and pulled up another in front of him waiting.

After a few hours, I saw his eyelids flicker as his neck went back together. I ripped off the grey mustache he wore and smiled as he opened his eyes.

"Hello Lazarus."

Author's note:
What. The. What. Honestly didn't see that coming. I really hope everyone is loving this because I am!!!! What do you think is going to happen next? Vote! Comment! Much love!