by Tim Miller
Bailey hadn’t told her brother she was fired yet. There wasn’t really a need to, not like he depended on her for income and now she was really glad this bitch didn’t know, she’d have a field day. Though she wasn’t understanding the animosity. Brian was her brother, so there was no competition there. Though maybe Cassie was from hill country. No telling what they were into out there.
Bailey finished off her wine and asked for another. She hoped the evening would end soon, that or she would just numb herself until Cassie was nothing but noise.
“So what has been going on with you sis?” Brian asked. “I hardly hear from you anymore.”
“I know. Just been busy with work and stuff.”
“Still no boyfriend?”
“Nope. Just no time for guys.”
“That’s a shame,” Cassie piped in. “With that glowing personality.”
“What is your problem with me?”
“Hey, Bailey. Take it easy. Cassie’s just nervous.” Brian said.
“No she isn’t. She’s had a problem with me all night. What is your problem?”
“Problem?” Cassie said, looking around feigning confusion. “I don’t have a problem. I just speak my mind. You seem to be the one with the problem.”
“Look guys,” Brian said. “Can we just enjoy dinner? Take is easy Cass. I don’t get to see my sister often.”
Then why did you fucking bring her? Bailey wanted to ask that, but it would just upset things even further. Though she had a feeling she was losing her brother. He was all grown up now and doing great on his own. Not that he ever needed her before, but he needs her even less now. If anything, it felt as if it were a chore for him to come and see her and no girlfriend is going to want to sit through it.
Bailey noticed Cassie was looking down, so she sat up and took another drink. She was going to need a lot more wine before the night was over. Though the rest of the evening went pretty smoothly. They made meaningless small talk for the next hour and Cassie managed not to say anything to offensive. Finally, Bailey paid the check as they headed out.
Once outside, Bailey hugged her brother and nodded to Cassie who turned away. Bailey walked back to her Tahoe when she thought she felt someone watching her. She turned around and checked the street but didn’t see anyone. There was one car sitting in the dark a few cars down. The engine was running and she thought she could see someone inside, but it was too dark. She shook it off and climbed into the Tahoe and headed home.
Once back in her house, she realized it was only 9 pm. Way too early to go to bed, yet she felt tired and annoyed. She flipped on the TV and plopped onto the couch when there was a knock at the door.
“What the fuck?” She said as she stood and went to the door. Standing outside was an old man about her height. He was bald with a white beard.
“Bailey Hart?” He asked.
“Yes?”
“I need to talk to you.”
This was becoming an all too regular occurrence.
“You a cop or something? I already talked to Detective Schmidt.”
“I’m not a cop. I’m a friend of the family of Gordon ‘Graves’ Freidman.”
“Yeah. I talked to the cops about that. You can talk to them.” She said as she began closing the door. He put his hand out and stopped it cold. For an older guy, he was pretty strong. He pushed it partway open.
“Look. I just need five minutes. I’ve known him since he was a kid. His dad asked me to look into it.”
“Ok. He’s not believe the cops or something?” She stepped aside and let him in. She wasn’t liking him or this whole thing, but he obviously wasn’t going to just go away.
“My name is Ezra Tanner, as I said I’m a friend to Gordon’s father. So according to the police, you said Gordon and you had some drinks and he passed out?”
“That’s right.”
“What did you have to drink?”
“Excuse me?” She asked.
“I’ll say it slower. What. Did. You. Have. To. Drink.”
“I don’t see why that matters.”
“Oh it matters quite a bit, Bailey. You see you told the cops you two had drinks. You just told me as much. I’m asking you what you drank. So what was it?”
Shit. She had to make something up.
“Beer. Not sure what kind. He had some in his fridge.”
“Wrong. Gordon didn’t drink beer. There was none in his fridge because he despised it. He drank liquor. Usually Vodka, the most expensive shit he could find. Never beer.”
“Well he did this time,” she said trying to assert herself. He wasn’t buying.
“I doubt it. So you want to tell me what really happened that night? Right now, it’s just between you and me. I could go to the cops with this. I doubt you’ll want that.”
“Did the cops also tell you he was a serial killer? Fucker was going to kill me if I didn’t leave when I did.”
“Yeah, they mentioned that. His dad thinks its bullshit.”
“Of course he does,” she said. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s possible. The kid was rich and fucking weird. Had this whole American Psycho thing going on. I don’t know about serial killer though. That’s not what I’m here about. So what really happened?”
“I just told you,” she said firmly while crossing her arms to emphasize how serious she was.
“So you’re sticking with that huh?”
“I guess so.”
“Well. All right then. Thank you for your time.” He put out his hand and she took it for a quick shake. Instead he tightened his grip and pulled her forward as he stuck a needle into her arm with his other hand. Shit! That was stupid.
“What the fuck?” She yelled, grabbing her arm and stumbling back.
“It’s just a sedative,” Ezra said. “When it wears off, you’ll wake up. Then we’ll talk.” That was the last thing she heard before everything went black.
Chapter 13
Bailey woke up once again strapped to a table. Though this was more of a wooden slab propped up at an angle. She was bound all the way around her body with thick leather straps, at least that was what it felt like. There was a bag over her head. The air inside the bag was thick, as she coughed and tried to see whatever she could through the cloth, but it was too thick.
This was the second time in the past week she’d been drugged and then tied to something. She needed to work on her awareness of those around her. After taking a few breaths, the bag was lifted off her head to reveal Ezra standing in front of her.
“Hello Bailey,” he said.
“What the fuck is going on?” Looking around she was in a large room with a concrete floor with a single florescent light just overhead. Ezra was standing there with the same cold expression he’d had at her place. She had a bad feeling about him from the start. It was fucking stupid of her to let him in her house. What was she thinking?
“I’m going to try this again. I tried being nice before, but that didn’t work out so well. So now we’re going to do it my way.”
“Try what? I told you what happened already.”
“Yes, but there’s one problem. You are completely full of shit.”
He put the bag back over her head and tilted the slab backward as if she were on a teeter totter. Now her body was almost upside down. As the blood rushed to her head, suddenly she was drowning. Water rushed into her mouth and nose. It burned something awful as it went through her nostrils and into her lungs. At the same time her mouth filling up, causing her to gag.
Just when she thought she was about to pass out, the board flipped her back up. The hood came off as Bailey coughed and hacked as water shot out of her mouth and nose. Air finally filled her lungs. Sweet, dry air she thought she’d never breathe again just seconds ago.
“Ok Bailey. What happened that night?”
“Fuck you,” she said as the hood went back over her face. Back again the board went as water flooded her face once more. This time she was ready and tri
ed to hold her breath, but it was too cold and hit with too much force. This time it lasted even longer before she sat back up. A huge part of her just wanted to tell him the truth, but he’d probably kill her anyway. Besides, fuck him.
“You done being a smart ass? All you got to do is tell me the truth kid and it all stops.”
“Suck my dick,” Bailey said. Ezra shook his head as he threw the bag over her once again and back she went. Finally he brought her back up as she gagged and coughed up more water.
“You know Bailey. You’re a really pretty girl,” he said as he held a knife to the side of her face. “I have no problem changing that. We could do it a lot of ways. I could make some big ugly scars along your face. Or I could get more drastic and cut your fucking nose off, or your ear. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like shit.”
“I thought you’d say that.”
She really didn’t want him cutting on her face. It wasn’t just the pain she feared but it was how she blended in to society. If her face were deformed, she’d never get another job, and she would always stand out anywhere she went. She needed to take some measures.
“Ok,” she said. “Ok. I’ll tell you.”
“It’s about damn time. So let’s hear it.”
She went on to explain meeting him in the bar, modeling for him at his apartment, his drugging her, the Wendigo mask and all his bizarre paintings. The whole time Ezra just stood there blank as she spoke.
“So that’s it.”
“Ok.”
“Well? You wanted to know. That’s what fucking happened.”
“And you just happened to get away from this guy who had you tied up and over power him, a guy much bigger than you, and cut him up like that?” He asked.
“I told you how it happened. The guy was cocky as hell. Not my fault he got sloppy, but it’s true!”
“So you had no help at all? No one?”
“No. No one else was there. I spent all night cleaning that place up. It was a mess.”
“All right then,” he shrugged as he walked behind the plank.
“So? You gonna let me go?”
“Kinda.”
“Kinda? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? You said if I told you.”
‘I said I’d stop waterboarding you and I wouldn’t cut up your face. And I did.” He pushed something up against the plank and leaned her back. She was on a dolly.
“So what the fuck are you doing?”
“I’m delivering you.”
“Delivering me? For what?”
“Gordon’s dad would like to have a word with you. In person.”
He wheeled her to the back of a black van that had no windows. He opened the back doors and put the hood back over her face. Ezra lay her back flat and slid the plank with her strapped to it inside the van.
“It’s going to be a long ride,” he said. “Sorry for the discomfort. If you have to go to the bathroom, just piss or shit yourself since I can’t make any stops for obvious reasons. No food on the way either, so I hope you ate dinner.”
“I’m going to kill you both,” she said through the hood.
“I kind of doubt that. Talk to you in a few hours,” he said as he slammed the doors. As she lie there in the dark, the van started up. Any fear she may have been feeling had left her. All she could think about was cutting that stupid look off Ezra’s face and fucking up Graves’ dad. It was time for her to step up her game.
Chapter 14
The drive was indeed several hours. Bailey had no idea how much time had actually passed. She often drifted in and out of consciousness, her resolve never changing. In her dreams, she was the Wendigo stalking her new victims, Ezra and Graves’ dad, whoever that was. When she broke free, she planned on causing them suffering unlike any human has ever known. The mere thought brought her a smile beneath the hood.
Whoever this guy was, he must have had some money and reach. For him to figure out who she was and where to find her, someone from the cops had given her info out. She wondered if it was Schmidt. If it was, she’d have to kill him too. Cop or no cop, she didn’t give too many fucks at this point. Despite her dire situation, she refused to believe she was about to die. She was the Lady Wendigo. No old man or stupid rich guy was going to kill her so easily.
Finally the van came to a stop and the engine shut off. She heard the doors swing open and Ezra begin coughing.
“Holy shit. You did let one go didn’t you?” He said. She’d had to piss herself a couple of times on the trip. Thankfully she didn’t have to shit, either way, the smell must have been strong enough. Too bad he wouldn’t choke from it. He pulled the plank out of the fan, propping her up back onto a dolly and began wheeling her into somewhere.
The hood was removed and there was Ezra again with another man in a suit standing there.
“So this is her? The guy in the suit said. He looked like a smug asshole. His hair was gray and feathered. Apparently he didn’t get the memo the 80’s was over. He had this smirk on his face that made her want to cut it off and feed his own lips to him. “She doesn’t’ look that impressive,” the guy said.
“She’s tougher than she looks,” Ezra said. “I’m pretty sure of it.”
“Well she’s not so tough now.” The guy walked over to her and stuck his face inches from hers. “Do you know who I am? I’m Lawrence Freidman. I own Freidman Foods. I also have more money than God. I can do the most unspeakable things to you and make you disappear. No one will ever know, and I’ll pay them to stop looking. It will be as if you never existed. Except you are going to feel pain like you never thought possible in the meantime.”
Bailey met his stare. She wasn’t impressed. It was obvious he’d rehearsed this speech dozens of times on her way here. This guy wasn’t like her. He was just an angry father who had lost his fucked up son. Not that he wouldn’t try to hurt her. She was sure he would. He would just be more skittish about it, and she planned on using that. For the time being she spit in his face. Nailing him perfectly between the eyes. He yelled as he stepped back, wiping his face.
“I told you she’s a feisty one,” Ezra said.
“Yeah. I see that. It’s ok. We’ll get that out of her. She’ll be crying and begging for her life when I’m done with her. Take her in back and get her ready.”
Ezra nodded as he wheeled her into a back room. This one was empty except for a large table. He lifted her onto the table and lay her flat, keeping her on the plank. He opened a duffel bag he was carrying and put on an apron and face shield. For the next several minutes he set up a variety of tools, not unlike the things she put together for her storage unit. She was beginning to wonder just how common this sort of thing was.
The door swung open and Lawrence came strutting into the room. He was also wearing an apron, rubber gloves and a face shield. He stood there looking down at Bailey, smiling.
“So you thought you could just hurt my son and there would be no consequences? I mean, yes he was a mixed up boy. He had problems. But he was no serial killer. And the part about you overpowering him? That’s just a load of bullshit. I think you’re the one who drugged him. I think you were targeting him for whatever sick shit you have going on. Don’t worry though. You might learn a thing or two from me.” He was fumbling through the tools as he spoke.
“I highly doubt that,” Bailey said.
“Trust me. I’ve been studying for our little encounter. I’ve watched Hostel and all of the Saw movies. I’m more than prepared for what I am about to do to you.”
Bailey immediately burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Lawrence asked. “What the fuck are you laughing at?” He looked over to Ezra who was just standing in the corner. “Ezra, what is she laughing at?”
“I think she doesn’t take you seriously. I also think she doesn’t like the Saw or Hostel films.”
“Well, she’s about to figure out what I learned.” He grabbed an icepick and walked over to her feet. Grabbing her big toe, h
e slid the tip of the icepick under her toenail. It hurt like hell and she did everything she could not to scream, but it was hard. She didn’t want to give the asshole the satisfaction of her pain. After a few seconds though it became too much as she let out a shrill scream.
“Oh yeah. There we go. Let it out little girl,” Lawrence said as he jammed the ice pick under another toenail eliciting a new set of screams. He went along each toe, sometimes wiggling the ice pick to make her writhe even more. With each toe, it felt as if fire were shooting through her feet, all up her legs and into her brain. At one point she feared she may pass out. She wanted to stay conscious and feel everything. That way she’d know just how much pain to pay back.
Chapter 15
After several hours, Lawrence had nearly torn her nipples off with a pliers, he’d raped her with the handled to a hammer and had cut her all along her legs and stomach. As much as all of these things hurt and even violated her, none of it was permanent damage. She wasn’t sure if he was building up for some big finish, or if he just didn’t have the stomach to follow through. At some point he would be handing things over to Ezra to finish up.
She suspected the answer to her question was the latter. Through the entire encounter Lawrence seemed nervous and awkward. It was unlikely he’d ever used a hammer for its actual use in his life, let alone to rape someone with it. Though as they went along, things got progressively worse. He was definitely warming up. When he started up the skill saw, she knew she was in trouble.
He’d plugged it in just above his work bench as it whirred to life. The saw screamed as he walked closer to her with it.
“You ready for your makeover bitch?” He yelled as he jerked it in her direction, taunting her with it. She turned her head to the side, not wanting to see what he was about to do. The other shit hurt like hell and she no doubt screamed plenty, but this would fuck her up for good if not kill her. She struggled once again against the straps, but it was pointless. They were just too tight.
Finally he committed and lunged at her, but the cord wasn’t long enough. He stumbled as the saw jerked out of his hand and swung downward hitting her in the side. She heard the blade squeal as it cut into her skin for a second before falling to the ground. As she tried to pull away, her arm came free. The saw had cut the straps.
