Chapter Three
1069 Words
There are only two forces that unite men- fear and interest.
~Napoleon Bonaparte~
Mia
Over the next few minutes, I was tossed around, shoved, and pulled up by the arm while I remained silent, making sure not to utter a sound to avoid being taunted or slapped around. But I couldn't hold out a panicked shriek when one of them threw a matchstick at the truck causing an explosion that took me off guard. We watched as the truck flamed up, their pure enjoyment of my fear an indication of how evil they both were.
As the truck burned, I got to see their faces, and they looked at the same-identical twins. "Let's go," The one who seemed to be the leader said, swinging the bag over his shoulders. I heaved and puffed as they galloped through a route to nowhere while trudged behind, tired, restless, and downright afraid. I thought of running, but I was sure they would catch me, and the thought of the consequences kept me from taking the chance, but I was buying time to run the first chance I got, just not yet.
I climbed through steep hills with both of my hands and feet trying to keep up with burly men in army boots. My long hair was breezing all over my face covering my eyes. I stood for a fraction of a minute to knot it at the nape of my neck. One of them hissed, turning to face me before taking about three steps back to me, hitching me on tiptoes and throwing me in front. His anger increased when I fell, swearing as he walked on top me, his weight crushing me to the ground.
"Walk faster damn it!" he hissed again, giving my head one final kick, leaving me on the ground yelping in pain. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. One thing I had learned in my nineteen years on this earth was that crying didn't solve s**t, so I dragged myself up and painfully ran the distance to catch up with them.
"Ready Paulie?" the guy with the bag back asked, letting out a throaty laugh just as he turned to smile at his brother whose face lit up as he nodded. I stood beside both of them wondering what they were so excited about, and then I saw it-a a helicopter.
Suddenly it dawned on me that I was about to be flown out of my home to an unknown destination by men who seemed like sin, cruelty, and crime was what they lived for. More panic spread through my whole body, causing a shiver down my spine. The gravity of it all hit me like a wave swaying me in every direction, making me dizzy.
"Please" I begged with a meek voice I did not recognize as mine. "Please" I repeated, looking at the helicopter, altogether avoiding the eyes of these two men who held my life in the palm of their hands.
"You think we illegally sneaked into a foreign country in the dead of night like a couple of cheap thieves for sport?" Paulie barked, furiously glaring at me. His face so hard it looked as if it would break into two.
I shook my head frantically, fighting the urge to beg, but I was scared, bereft of words. "Didn't think so" I drew in a breath, feeling sick and nauseous as he pushed me towards his brother who was already running to the plane, laughing with his arms up.
Sitting inside that helicopter, the noise so loud I was afraid I would go deaf, I realized I might die. Maybe not today, tomorrow or next week, but somehow I knew my death would come. I would die alone among strangers who would probably take a turn in r****g me before shooting me in the head or starve me and wait for me to die from malnutrition.
"Look at how submissive and meek she sits, can't we have fun, Tony?" Paulie asked, his eyes sparkling as he looked at me. "We could share her as we do with the others" He insisted rubbing his hands in anticipation, gleefully and lustfully sizing me up, and for the second time, I was glad I was wearing pajamas as opposed to my usual clean-cut silky transparent nightie that I wear daily. But I had felt morose last night. It was my nineteenth birthday and no one remembered, not even my mother. I spent the day alone waiting and looking at the gate, hoping she would come. But she never did and neither did she call to wish me a happy birthday.
"Please Tony"
"No Paulie. No. We are supposed to deliver her without so much as a scratch on any part of her body. Remember our orders?"
Paulie pouted, sulking like a woman "But no one will ever know. We will make sure to spell out to her what we would do if she ever told on us, wouldn't we?" His voice was icy, not looking like a girl anymore but like manic. He had evil eyes. I imagined the devil had this kind of eyes, devoid of emotions, sadistic eyes.
I squirmed, trying to slide in my seat but the seat belt prevented me from sliding in completely. Hiding from their scrutiny wasn't an option, so I sat there and prayed they wouldn't r**e me.
"Remember what happened to Devito brothers?" I head Tony, ask softly, his voice almost soothing. It was interesting really; this relationship dynamic. Paulie was the out of control, irrational and impulsive one while Tony was rational and cautious. Both were dangerous, mean, and cruel, but part of me was glad Tony was keeping his bother from r****g me.
"Stefano had them hanged, Paulie, made sure they suffered up there before he finally killed them. Is that what you want for us?"
"Of course not!" Paulie said indignantly, clenching his jaw and the iPad he was holding. I watched him secretly, keeping him on my retinas just in case he decided to go against his brother and pounce on me anyway. I wanted to be prepared. But even as I did, I couldn't stop thinking about this man they spoke of, Stefano.
What kind of man hanged other people in this day and age? And why would he have an interest in me?
- Writer
