Corrupted Values

Chapter Eighteen - Numb

I slowly wake up with my knees pulled to my chest. I roll to my back, exhausted and let out a yawn. I’m tired but the image of what happened yesterday plays through my head and I know I’m not falling back asleep. The sun is barely showing through the blinds into this grey gloomy room. I let out a sigh before getting up, throwing on a black top and grey leggings. I brush my teeth and throw my hair in a messy bun. Once ready, I decide to fix up my bed.

“Azaliah.” I hear a rough voice say from behind me. I turn to see Sergio standing in the doorway.

“Come with me.” He says coldly before he turns and walks out of my room. I tiredly follow him to a long hallway in a part of the house I’ve never been to. We pass a bunch of doors on both sides of me before we come to a stop at one on the left. Sergio unlocks and opens the door. I look in to see one of the men on his knees inside that I had previously ordered to be brought back.

“Go in.” Sergio commands. I hesitantly step into the room with Sergio coming in behind me. Once the door is closed, a man outside the door locks it.

“Take out your gun.” He orders, crossing his arms over his chest. I look at him anxiously and now fully awake before slowly doing as he says.

“Now point it at him.” He says emotionlessly. I look down at the man looking up at me. I see the fear in his eyes. I look down and slowly bring my gun up to meet his forehead.

“Shoot.” He says bluntly.

“... W-what?” I stutter out.

“Are you deaf? I said shoot. The door won't be unlocked for you until you do as I say.” He says with annoyance in his voice. I reluctantly put my finger on the trigger. I slightly look at Sergio standing behind the man on his knees.

“Why are you making me do this?” I say trying to understand his intentions.

“I told you I would teach you everything I know. It’s in your blood to kill. Now do it.” He says flatly while scowling at me. I look down at the man who is looking up at me with pleading eyes. I feel tears build in my eyes before I let out a breath and pull the trigger. I watch as the man falls back on the ground and tears gently fall from my eyes. Sergio walks around the man's body and stops in front of me. He harshly wipes away my tears.

“You're weak… but I’ll fix that.” He says heartlessly before he walks around me to the door. I hear the door unlock and Sergio exit the room. I take a quick breath feeling guilty of what I've done. I leave the room and slowly follow him down the hallway once again. We stop outside a door on the right and Sergio unlocks it before opening it wide and motions for me to go in. I feel anxious as I hesitantly walk into the room. It’s bigger than the other one. I then look to my right and see a man chained to the wall by his arms. I look to my left to see a woman and two children standing in the corner.

“Who are they?” I ask nervously.

“His family.” He answers coldly. I look at the little boy and girl crying for their father. Neither could be more than seven.

“Why are they here?” I ask looking back at Sergio.

“His friend gave them up for a quick death. However… he didn’t talk, so instead he gets to watch us kill his wife.” He says maliciously with a smirk while looking at the man. The man starts screaming and pleading, but Sergio pays him no attention.

“What?” I ask, stunned.

“You are going to shoot her while he and his children watch.” He says savagely.

“No…” I say quietly.

“Either you kill her or I kill them.” He says as he points his gun at the children.

“Your choice.” He says remorselessly. I look at him, shocked by his words. He’s barely talked to me in five months. I’ve trained hard hoping to please him. I’ve done everything asked of me. Now he wants me to kill an innocent woman… in front of her children? I think to myself.

"You're testing my patience. Hurry up." He says, roughly. I look at the woman before looking at my gun in my hands. A man brings her over and places her in front of me on her knees. She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. I look over to her children being held back by men as they scream for their mother. I look down at her once again and my heart aches. I look away, unable to watch as I pull the trigger. The room fills with cries from the children and the man as the woman's body falls and soaks the ground around her with hot blood.

“Now him.” Sergio’s voice speaks through the chaos. I look up at him, and he points to the man on his knees. I take a moment before I walk over to the hysterical man. I bring my gun up to his head.

“Please… I’m all they have left.” He pleads. I look to Sergio to see him emotionlessly waiting for me to kill him.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper before I pull the trigger one last time. His body falls limp, only being held up by his chained arms. The room goes quiet and I look at the children. They are no longer being held back by the men. They're just sitting on the ground stunned by what they've witnessed.

“What will happen to them?” I ask quietly, looking at Sergio.

“They’ll be raised by someone at the other property before they are trained to join us.” He says carelessly before exiting the room. I stand speechless by his words before looking down at the young children apologetically. The kids look up at me sadly with tear-stained faces before the two men drag them away kicking and screaming. I look around the room bewildered by what had just happened. I let out a shaky breath before I leave the blood-covered room and make my way back to my bedroom. I enter my room and close the door behind me quietly.

“I need to shower.” I say numbly. I turn and walk into my bathroom before closing the door. I turn on the shower and allow the water to heat up while I walk back into my room to put my knife and gun back in my nightstand. I walk back into the bathroom and look in the mirror at myself recovered in blood. I remove the bloody clothes before taking out my hair and letting it loosely fall. Tears make their way down my face, freely turning red as they mix with blood. My mind is flooded with thoughts of the people I’ve killed as I slowly enter the hot water to wash away the blood. After an hour of crying, I feel myself go numb from everything and my tears run dry. I wash myself off before getting out and drying myself off. I hear my phone ringing in the other room and I decide to wrap my towel around myself before going into my room.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Azaliah?” A quiet voice asks. I let out a breath hearing her voice.

“Hey Remi.” I respond.

“Hey. Are you okay?” She asks with concern in her voice. I look down at my hands. For a second, they're covered in blood but when I blink it's gone. I let out a shaky breath. I want to talk to her, but she’s not part of this life and I don’t want to tell her what I've done. She'll think of me as a monster.

“Yeah.” I say comfortingly.

“Okay…” She says doubtingly.

“What’s up?” I ask, trying to sound lively.

“Nothing. We haven't talked in a few days, so I thought I’d check in.” She says serenely.

“Yeah sorry I've been busy. I have to go, but we’ll talk soon.” I say reassuringly.

“Okay… don’t forget you're always welcome to come back.” She says sincerely.

“I know.” I answer softly before hanging up. I take a breath before getting up, getting dressed, and heading downstairs to the kitchen.

“Azaliah.” I hear a voice say. I turn to see Zuria coming into the kitchen.

“Oh hi Zuria.” I say as I sit at the kitchen island with a chocolate-chip muffin.

“How’d it go?” She asks.

“I killed…” I start to say as I trail off while looking down at my muffin.

“I know but they attacked the warehouse. It was you or them.” She says comfortingly.

“Not at the warehouse.” I say sadly.

“What do you mean?” She asks, confused.