It was almost too disgusting to watch.
“What did I tell you?” Morco dodged another attack, sidestepping the blade before he redirected it with his hand then punched him hard in the stomach, making Krull kneel over. “What did I say?”
Krull quickly recovered then lunged forward on his knees, trying to stab Morco in the calf.
“Morco!” I screamed.
He already knew it was coming and avoided it—then kicked Krull right in the face.
Krull flew back, and the knife left his hand.
One of the guys grabbed it and got out of the way of the fight.
Morco grabbed Krull by the ankle and started to drag him to the fire.
Krull was momentarily unconscious, but after a few seconds of being dragged over the dirt, he became aware again. He started to fight Morco’s hold and tried to squirm away.
Morco yanked him every time he tried to escape, forcing him to turn onto his stomach and then onto his back again. Flopping back and forth like a fish out of water.
We all stayed back, horrified by the scene.
When Krull realized he was headed to the fire, he fought like his life depended on it. He yanked himself up, grabbed on to Morco’s arm, and tried to tug him down.
But Morco twisted out of his grasp, dropped to his knees on Krull’s chest, and then bashed his face with both fists, slammed them down at the same time, making blood burst into the sky like a geyser. “I fucking warned you.”
Krull heaved then cried out.
Morco stood and grabbed him again, lifting his limp body and carrying it toward the fire.
Allegra covered her mouth and gasped.
Morco lifted a grown man his size entirely on his own—and threw him into the fire. “And now you burn.”
When Krull felt the heat, he screamed then rolled his body out of the flames. But he was already on fire, set ablaze like a bonfire himself. He sprinted in a random direction then tripped to the ground, screaming in agony. He rolled over quickly several times, putting out the flames with the earth. He finally snuffed them out and went still—but his body was red and charred like meat on a skewer, and smoke rose from his flesh and clothes.
Morco slowly walked over, his eyes more maniacal than Krull’s had been a moment before. He looked down at him and stared for a long time, watching the other man struggle to breathe because every breath was raw pain. “I’m not done with you.”
He turned away from Krull and headed back to me, his eyes a storm of rage that burned even when the logs had already turned to ash.
Allegra left my side when she saw Morco approach.
My bare ass was in the dirt because I couldn’t get up. I was still in shock, my mind struggling to accept what had happened in the last ten minutes. It was a rush, a dream, a nightmare.
He took a knee then cupped both of my cheeks in his hands. “Tell me you’re alright.”
I nodded, both of my hands gripping one of his forearms.
“Tell me,” he said gently.
It was the first time I’d spoken without having to scream. My voice felt hoarse. “I’m okay.”
After a long hold, he released my cheeks and scooped me into his arms, the blanket dangling down on either side of me to protect my bare body underneath. He took a few steps toward his cabin before he turned back to the crowd that was gathered. “Restrain him.” Then he turned back up the path and carried me to his cabin, a place I’d been only once, when he’d been on death’s doorstep.
He carried me inside and set me on his bed, a bed that was double the size of mine. He sat beside me, his eyes still angry but not as intensely. He looked at the fireplace then the floor, at anywhere but me. “Before he’s sentenced, I need to know whathappened.” Cast in the shadow of shame, he continued to avoid my stare.
“He snuck into my cabin while I slept. At first, I thought he was you, but I quickly realized that was the wrong assumption. He took off my bottoms then pinned me down.” I relayed the events like they were elements of a story, not details of my life. “I bit his hand and made him bleed and was able to get away before anything happened.” I was lucky that was the worst that had transpired. If he’d been smart, he would have tied a rag over my mouth to muffle my screams and stop the bites. Perhaps I was fortunate that the Obsidians had so few resources.
Morco had no visible reaction, just focused on a spot on the wall. He didn’t seem relieved that the harm done was minor, far more minor than it could have been. “I knew he was vile, but I didn’t think he was capable of such depravity. The tribe has never experienced a crime such as this.”
