Page 123 of The Quiet Witness

“Me, good to know we were worth remembering.”

The man, Henry, had the guts to look around. “Yeah, where is that bitch of yours?”

Crossing his arms in front of him, Lucien slouched in the chair he’d pulled in from the black-painted, depressive kitchen. “Tsk-tsk-tsk, we don’t accept that language here, you’d do well to remember that. Lest the next part becomes even less… civil.”

“What you gonna do boy? Impress me? You better get me out of these binds before I—”

Lucien shot forward, the abruptness of his move making the man jump in place. Good. He should taste the fear, just as his boy had so many times in his short time on Earth. “You’ll what? This is the end of your street, my man.” He tilted his head. “Consider me someone your own size.”

Henry huffed, the sound one of pure mockery. That wouldn’t last long for him, though. “A friend of mine will visit soon, whatever you’ll do, you’re gonna have to be quick about it.”

“Oh, I know, I delayed that appointment for you a little bit, we need time for what we’re about to do together, but don’t worry.” There was nothing human in the grin that spread across Lucien’s face. “I’ll welcome your friend with open arms.”

That had the desired effect, Henry started to fight against his bindings, wincing as it dug even deeper into his skin. But there was no way out for him, well, not alive anyhow.

Lucien continued. “As I was saying. I made sure your boy could stay at a friend’s house tonight, a shame he won’t ever trust anyone resembling a parent for the rest of his life. But that damage has already been done. Now we wouldn’t want him anywhere near the hands of your ‘friends’ again, would we?”

Lucien’s grin faltered, revealing the coldness in his stare. “Your boy will have a shot at life, I’ll make damn sure of it.”

He shot up from his chair, grabbing the black gloves out of his pocket. “My plan was to be merciful for this one, end it quick and all that. Girls have an influence, am I right?” He winked at the terrified man, snapping his gloves in place. Fully relishing the sight of the man as he shrunk away from the harsh sound.

“Anyhow.” He shrugged. “I kinda changed my mind.” Lucien unsheathed the knife at his side, running his fingers along its edge, admiring the way it caught the light of the moon. “You see, I figured it’d be old school abuse, it was enough to rattle my girlfriend.”

Did I just call her my girlfriend?

Beside the point, grossly so. Even though it is something I’ll have to circle back on… later. He continued. “But what a friend of mine discovered… the brutalities of humanity.” He spat out the last word.

There was nothing humane in what Emilio and he had seen.

Lucien ticked against the knife. “We’d have ended up here anyway, but the manner of your execution would have been a lot less… painful.”

He closed in on the man. “I do feel guilty though, I’m not entirely a monster. I think it’s a shame my friend will blame herself for what takes place here. Most of all, that I will have to lie to her, sadly your demise will likely drive a bit of a wedge between us when she finds out. Only temporarily, I hope. But not to worry, I have a plan in place. I hope the silver lining will make her see, understand.”

At that Henry started screaming bloody murder. For what, though? It always bugged him how people did senseless things, like hollering their heads off when they lived in the middle of nowhere. There really wasn’t much use to it.

Probably one of the many reasons no one had discovered what was being done to his son. Pair that with the many soulless people wandering this Earth and Ethan hadn’t stood a chance at getting out of this place. Not until now, that is.

He laid the blade on Henry’s knee, watching the tremors of the man reflected in the weapon. “Dearie me, I’m blabbering, relationships will do that to you, but,” He bent down in front of Henry. “What do you care right?” He clapped his hands together. “Alas, here we are.” Another grin stretched out over his face. “Let us begin, shall we?”

Voice already hoarse from his incessant screaming Henry croaked out, “Your bitch will suffer the consequences for th—” Lucien’s hand shot out, grabbing a hold over a particularly painful pressure point in the man’s neck, effectively cutting off his vocal cords.

Henry wouldn’t go out without a bang. Lucien had guessed as much, still, the words rattled him more than he thought they would.

He bent even closer to his victim. “Said girlfriend really is something you know. Innocent in a way, though she’s seen too much because of men like you.” He tilted his head, still putting pressure on the throbbing vein below his finger. “She asked me once if anyone is ever off the table. You and I both know, that no one really is, huh? Well, except for said friend.”

Lucien picked up the knife, throwing it in the air and catching it in one fell swoop. Juggling with the blade and the emotions swirling in Henry’s flitting eyes. “I’ve been trying to change a little myself you know.” He caught the knife again. “But I guess none of us can hide what we are deep down. And maybe? In a moment like this, I really don’t want to either.”

Lucien stepped toward the radio he’d seen, pressing the play button. “Nirvana’s, Come As You Are filtered through.” The music gathered, swirling together with Henry’s screams as he went about his work. He took his sweet time, longer than usual, though Lucien still hadn’t extended the man’s suffering long enough. Knowing the crimes the man had committed, on his own son no less. But you had to draw the line somewhere.

Always such a bloody mess. At least, I won’t have to clean up this one. No, this time he would let Henry’s body be the message. Anyone visiting this house, fully expecting to see Ethan and his father awaiting them at the door would be sorely disappointed. And recorded, with the small near invisible camera he had placed beside the front door. If anyone showed up, he would be paying them a good old visit too.

Lucien took a red rag from the kitchen, running it over the blood soaked blade that had taken on the brunt of the job. Sheathing it by his side, he turned over his wrist to check his watch.

Just as a slow knock rapped over the front door— tap… tap… tap… too deliberate, almost childlike, as if someone was playing a game on the other side of the door.

Hmmm, not too bad. In fact, the timing is perfect!

He strode toward the door, opening it with a flourish and a wide grin on his face. Behind it was the man Henry had been expecting, Dash, it matched the photo he’d shoved into the back pocket of his black pants.