TW: Violence, domestic abuse, mentions of rape
"Pick up the gun and shoot him, Mariah," Mr. Woods yelled, belligerent with his rage. Mariah Woods trembled beside him, sweat dripping from her heavily concealed skin and salty beads forming around her perfectly sculpted brows. She moved to fix her blonde wig as if that mattered right now. She stared at the quaking man in front of her, begging for his life. His skin was covered in a thick layer of dirt, courtesy of his transportation to the location. Underneath the onyx night, the only thing that Mariah could make out was the whites of the man's eyes which were coated with tears and regret. Mariah didn't remember why her husband had brought him here. All she knew was that she was the one who had to kill him.
The room smelled like blood and sweat. Outside was pitch black. Not even the moon in the sky dared to purify this poisonous night. The only light source in the room was coming from a dirty light bulb hanging from the ceiling.
"Are you sure Stephanie should be around this? Isn't she too young?" Mariah queried, gesturing to their child who was standing behind them, looking calmer than anyone else in the room. In her pink overalls and Care Bear sparkly rainbow t-shirt, she looked like she had been photoshopped into the area. Her assumed purity didn't belong in the evil darkness.
"She wouldn't have to be around this for too long if you would just hurry up and shoot this bastard," Mr. Woods spat, shoving the revolver into her manicured hands.
"Daddy," Stephanie inquired, tugging at his long trench coat, "I thought you said torturing was the best."
The man's veins shriveled up, realizing that everyone in this room was under the control of the man he had wronged. He had no way out.
Mr. Woods turned to his prodigy with a smile. "Yes, that is the best method, but this man isn't even worth my time for that. He needs to disappear."
"You all are crazy," the man breathed shakily, moving against his restraints. "I can't believe you brainwashed your own daughter into thinking that this kind of behavior is okay. Pathetic."
"Kill him! Coat his worthless brain matter on the walls! Listen to him mouthing off on our family! Are you going to allow him to get away with that? Talking about our beautiful Stephanie like that?" Mr. Woods shouted. "I'm running out of patience, Mariah. You know what happens when I get angry. You don't want me to get angry, do you?"
Mariah whimpered before leveling her revolver with the man's forehead. His eyes seemed to swirl with sadness as he realized he wasn't going to be leaving here alive. Tears ran down his cheeks, and she could hear him desperately whispering the Lord's Prayer under his breath.
Mr. Woods chuckled at the man's desperation. "See? This is your problem. You never realized I am your God. I am the ruler of your destiny. Maybe if you remembered that, you wouldn't be in this position."
Mariah took deep breaths, trying to focus on the task at hand. She steadied her hand and pulled the trigger, brain, and flesh spraying on the walls and the couple. The man's body slumped forward and made a satisfying thud on the concrete floor.
Mr. Woods grinned with relish and kissed his wife's cheek, blood lingering on her skin like ink on paper. She was shaking so hard that she dropped the gun, causing more blood to splatter on her clothes. "You were perfect. Now, was that so hard?" He turned to his daughter and ruffled her hair. "Daddy is going to get someone to clean up this mess. You stay here with Mommy for now, okay?"
She nodded with a smile. "Yes, Daddy."
"Good girl." He left the room promptly, not missing a beat.
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