by Tim Miller
Esteban considered this for a moment before hearing the door behind him swing open.
“Gentlemen! Glad I could get you both in the same place!” The man said as he walked toward them. Henry J. Thomas approached them as Beltran climbed out of his chair.
“No, don’t get up on my behalf.”
“You cocksucker!” Esteban yelled as he reached for a gun. Before he could get his hand on it, Henry had raised his hand, sending Esteban to his knees.
“Oh shit!” He screamed as his hands hung at his sides. Henry twisted his hand slowly from side to side while Beltran watched.
“What are you doing to him?” Beltran asked.
“Oh, just a little trick I learned. You know, I’ve had a bit of an awakening here lately. I’ve learned a few things about myself. And dammit, I think it’s about time I lived up to my full potential.”
Beltran looked on while Henry used one hand to control Esteban, and massaged his erection through his pants with his other hand. Henry slapped his hand shit into a fist as the back of Esteban’s head burst open. Chunks of blood and goo ran from his ears as his lifeless body hit the floor.
“What the fuck?” Beltran yelled as he jumped out of his seat. “What the hell are you?”
“I think that’s obvious, isn’t it? I’m death personified.” Henry pointed his fingers like a gun at Beltran and jerked his finger.
“Pew! Pew!” he said as Beltran’s head jerked back as the back of his skull also exploded. Once he hit the ground, Henry took out his phone and called Jimmy.
“Yeah, get in here. It’s done.”
Moments later, Jimmy arrived and looked at the bodies with a mix of horror and dread.
“Should I uh, clean this up, boss?” he asked.
“Yes. But first cut off their heads for me.”
Jimmy’s face turned white, but he did as he was told before throwing up in the back room. When he came out several minutes later, Henry was finished doing his thing. His hands were all bloody, and he took out a package of wet naps from his pocket, trying to wipe the blood with them. They were saturated in seconds. He tossed them aside and looked at Jimmy.
“Ok, now take me to that crazy whore witch lady.”
“Sable? You want another massage or something?”
“No, smart ass. Now I know what she can do, I need to see if she’ll work for me. That reminds me. Bag his head up for me. I got an idea.”
“Jesus, Mr. Thomas. Do I…”
“Yes! Just do it. There’s a duffel bag in the trunk. Just empty it out and bring it here, put the head in it, and we’ll head to her place.”
Jimmy went and did what he was told. Within the hour, they were at Sable’s apartment. He could hear two girls laughing from inside. He knocked again, this time louder. She opened the door and immediately froze.
“You,” she said.
“Hi. Sorry to bother you this way. I first want to tell you, my name isn’t really John.”
“I know. Everyone says their name is John. That’s why we call you guys Johns.”
“Right. May I come in?”
“You shouldn’t be here. You don’t have an appointment and I don’t take walk-ins. I’m off today.”
“Trust me. You want to hear what I have to say.”
For the first time in a while, he felt nervous as to how this was going to go. Unlike the other situations, he wasn’t as in control here. His powers didn’t work on Sable. At least, they hadn’t the last time.
“I don’t want to hear shit. Now get the fuck out of here!”
“Jimmy!” Henry called just down the hall. Jimmy walked up with the duffel bag as Henry reached into it and pulled out Esteban’s head. He tossed it to Sable who caught it as if it were a soccer ball. She looked at the head, and then back up at Henry.
“Like I said, you’re going to want to hear this.”
Chapter 17
Sable sat on her couch holding hands with Maria who was trembling as Henry and his thug, Jimmy, sat across from them. Thankfully they’d put Esteban’s severed head back into the bag. Henry had been talking for a while, apparently offering her a job.
“So, as I’m sure you can understand, our line of work comes with certain hazards. Santiago knew this as much as anyone. You had to, you read dozens of people that he’d killed. Well, we’ve had a change in management, as you can see. His rival, Beltran, is also dead. So that leaves me running this whole territory. Except, I’m not going to stop with this city. I mean, with you helping me, no reason I can’t move into Austin, Houston, and even Dallas. I’ve heard all about what you can do. I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well.”
“I’ve heard.”
He laughed as he nodded.
“Yes. I suppose you have, haven’t you? So what do you think? I mean you’d be doing the same thing for me that you’d done for Esteban. Maybe a little more frequently. I’ll pay you double what he paid. You can quit your little side job here if you want. You can still do your dominatrix thing if you want, but I’ll leave that up to you. Either way, a very simple proposition. I’m just visiting you as a courtesy. I figured you’d rather hear from me first before seeing Esteban’s body on the news. So far, all of Esteban’s and Beltran’s men are either dead or working for me now.”
She looked at Maria, whose color had gone from her face. Sable felt bad she’d had to hear any of this. She wished she’d never let Maria into this part of her world. This was not Maria’s world at all.
“I need to think about it.”
“Really? You just heard the options right?”
“I heard you. Let me think about it.”
“What is there to think about?”
“I don’t even know what you are.”
“Neither do I, really. Look, I get it. You felt safe with Esteban because you’re different from him. You are special. He wasn’t, and you both knew it. That gave you the upper hand. With me, we’re both the same. We both can do things no one else can. You no longer have that upper hand. You don’t have that safe feeling. I get it. But I assure you, I have no desire to use my powers against you. As long as you do your job and stay loyal to me as you did with Esteban, everything will be totally fine.”
“Right. Like I said. I’ll think about it.”
Henry sighed and looked at Jimmy.
“Fine. You have forty-eight hours. I’ll call you then, and you will have an answer. I think you’ll make the right decision.” He stood, and Jimmy stood with him. She wondered if Jimmy could play fetch too. Henry nodded and walked out. As soon as they were gone, Sable got up and dead-bolted the door. She turned and looked at Maria.
“You’re not going to do it are you?” Maria asked. “These are the kind of people you’ve been working for?”
“Don’t start that. You knew what I’ve been doing. You went along one time.”
“Yeah, I guess seeing a severed head made it more real. Jesus.”
“Well Esteban was a criminal. Remember what I said? Scum killing scum. Except he’s different.”
“Yeah what power is he talking about? Can he read dead people’s guts too?”
“No. His is different. A few of the bodies I read were killed by him. He can do this thing. I don’t even know what it’s called. He can, like, read a person’s mind and use their own pain and suffering against them. He turns it into a weapon. Apparently he can kill you with it.”
“Holy shit,” Maria said.
“Yeah. If I don’t work for him, like he said, he’ll kill me.”
“What if we leave? Just pack up and get out of the city. Leave the state. We can go to L.A. like we’ve talked about. We’ve both wanted to visit there for years. You’ve got plenty of money.”
“I know. But mom. I can’t take her.”
Maria hung her head.
“Yeah, I know. She doesn’t have much time left. You think she could come with us?”
“No. She’s too weak. I’d have to hire a private ambulance to transport her and that drive could kill her.”
“Well I don’t know, Sable. You looked scared around him. I’ve never seen you that scared.”
“I know. I usually can’t read anything off of the living. It’s like I’m a psychic but only for the dead. This guy, though, he gives off this dark energy. It, like, radiates from him. Never felt it on anyone else, ever. I have no idea why, or what it means, other than it’s related to his weird powers.”
“That is so creepy.”
“Well, that and the severed head he’s carrying around. I have one question, though.”
“What’s that?” Maria asked.
“How did he even know about me?”
“Good question. I don’t know. Esteban told him?”
“Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know.”
“How about your witch friends? Or that Eugene guy. You think he’s ever heard of Henry or people like him?”
“He may know something.”
“He knew all about me, so just a thought.”
“We can go talk to him. Can’t hurt.”
“Good idea.”
“I thought you said my friends were kooks.”
“I never said that. I just know what I can do is just a part of me and it's scary. I don’t know why anyone would seek any kind of powers like this out.”
“You’d give it up if you could?”
“Fuck yeah, I would. Believe it or not, fondling dead people’s insides isn’t as fun as it sounds.”
“No. I imagine not.”
They left the apartment and headed to Eugene’s. They arrived at the large home about twenty minutes later. When they walked up to the front, the door swung open. Eugene was there, his white hair combed straight back, and he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
“Ladies! So good to see you!” He said with a huge smile.
“Thank,” Maria said. “Were you going somewhere? We come at a bad time?”
“Not at all! I’ve been expecting you.”
Chapter 18
“Expecting us, how?” Sable asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. I sometimes just know things. Part of the witchy ways!” he said as he nudged Maria. He laughed a lame but forced laugh. Neither of the girls were in a laughing mood.
“Some guy who can make people’s heads explode by waving his hands just brought a severed head to my place and wants me to do my necro stuff for him or he says he’ll kill me. You ever heard of someone that can do that? Or know what I can do about it?”
“Oh my! That sounds awful. Did you wash your hands?”
Sable turned and grabbed Maria’s arm.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“No! No! Wait!” Eugene called out. “I’m sorry. I tend to make jokes a lot. I try to anyway, Kind of lightens the mood. Come on in. Let’s talk.”
They walked inside and sat down as Eugene sat across from them.
“So, I think I’ve heard of this before. It sounds familiar. Tell me what you know.”
“His name is Henry. Henry J. Thomas. He’s like the new, big crime boss around town. One of the bodies I read told me what he can do. He holds his hands out and can make you feel your own pain. He snuck into my place a while back pretending to be a John. I even jerked him off. Oh my God! I feel so disgusted now. No wonder I felt creeped out by him the whole time. I had no idea who he was.”
“It’s ok,” Eugene said. “Just calm down. It’s fine. Wait. Why did you jerk him off?”
“She’s a dominatrix,” Maria said. “Well, kind of. She’s a full-time sex worker. So yeah this guy paid to be a client.”
“But I didn’t know who he was. I get new people all the time. He paid a lot of money. I should have known something was up.”
“It’s fine,” Eugene said. “This thing he does, I’ve not heard of that before. I mean that’s extraordinary if it is just like you say. Almost more extraordinary than a NecroWitch.”
“Thanks.”
“No, I don’t mean that…I’m sorry. Never mind. I’ll have to do some research. Maybe I’ll check with the elders.”
“Elders?” Sable said.
“Yes. You know the older witches in our coven. They are very wise and experienced.”
“How fucking old? You’re what? Sixty?”
“Jesus, Sable,” Maria said.
“I’m fifty-two. I know the white hair makes me look older. I get that a lot. It’s ok.” Eugene stopped as his phone rang from his pocket. He dug it out and a look of concern crossed his face as he answered. “Um…hello? Yes. Yes. Yes she is here. Her friend is with her. You want to what? I—I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Ok. Ok fine here.” He held the phone out to Sable. “He wants to talk to you.”
“What? Who?” She took the phone and held it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Sable! It's Henry! Good talking to you again. It’s been…wow almost a few hours!”
She looked up at Eugene with a stare that could have turned him to stone. He sunk into his chair as she glared at him.
“What the fuck?”
“Yeah. I know I said you had forty-eight hours, but as it turns out. I’m not big on patience. So I’m going to send you a picture.”
Sable held the phone out and a photo appeared on the screen. In the photo was her mom lying in bed with a strip of duct tape over her mouth and Henry leaning over her holding a knife.
“Motherfucker!”
“Now, I know it’s tough to see. But your mom is really sick anyway. I mean she has what, a few months left at best? She’s in a lot of pain too. So here’s the deal. Come work for me like now. Or I’ll cut every tumor out of your mom’s body. This sound like a better deal for you?”
Sable’s grip tightened on the phone. Her fingers turned white as she spoke.
“Don’t hurt her. Ok? I’ll work for you. Fuck. What do you want me to do?”
“Meet me at the Chesty Chola. It’s a strip club.”
“Yes. I’m familiar with it.”
“Good. Meet me in the parking lot in two hours. If you’re not there, I’ll cut out her tumors, deep fry them and send you a video of myself eating them. You understand?”
“Yes. Yes. Fuck. I get it.”
“Good,” Henry said as he hung up. Sable stood and hurled the phone at Eugene. The large smartphone clunked off his head like a brick. He cried out as it cracked against his forehead, splitting his skin open as a trail of blood ran down his head and face.”
“Sable! What’s going on?” Maria asked.
“I’m sorry!” Eugene said.
“Your fucking coven leader here sold us out to Henry. No telling how long he’s been feeding him shit.”
“What?”
“It’s not like that, ok? He came to me first, after the first night Sable was here. He’d been following her. He used his trick on me. It was just like you said. It was horrible. I’d do anything to make it stop.”
“So you handed me over to him.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Fuck.”
She looked at Maria.
“He’s got mom. He’s going to cut her all up if I don’t work for him. He wants me to meet him at the Chola in a couple of hours.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No. I already put you in enough danger. So has asshole here. Just go back to my place.” She turned and pointed at Eugene. “And you, I should fucking kill you right now, then bring you back to torture you.”
“Please don’t! I’m so sorry!” Eugene was near sobbing at this point. He looked so pathetic, Sable could only shake her head as she and Maria headed out the door. What they didn’t see after they left was Eugene wiping the blood from his forehead as he stopped his fake crying. He picked up the phone and dialed Henry’s number.
“Yes, it’s me. They just left. Sable is on her way there. Her friend is going back to Sable’s apartment.”
Chapter 19
Henry sat in the VIP section of the Chesty Chola as some kind of 90’s techno music blasted over the speakers. He hadn’t
been to the place in a while. He could afford somewhere more upscale, but there was a simple feeling to the Chola he liked. Especially the girl who was coming up to him. She was a beautiful, petite blonde with a huge rack. She was wearing high heels and a pink bikini. She leaned over him as he handed her a twenty-dollar bill.
“Hey you,” she said.
“Well hi! What’s your name?”
“Mirage.”
“No it isn’t.”
“It is too!” she leaned back and playfully slapped his arm.
“What’s your real name?”
“I can’t tell you that!”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills and handed it to her.
“Sure you can.”
“Holy shit! Ok, fine. It's Mandy.”
“Mandy! See? I love that, such a pretty name. Mandy what?”
“Mandy Tyra!”
“Ok, Mandy Tyra. Show me what you can do.”
She reached back and removed her top, letting her plump but perky breasts fall free. Henry felt his erection immediately stiffen as she leaned forward, rubbing them in his face. Her full nipples rubbed against his lips. He leaned forward trying to kiss one of them but she pulled back just in time. She looked down at him with her big green eyes and winked as she bent down and pressed her tits against his erection.
She rubbed them against his pants, his cock bulging against his fly as if it could break free at any second. Mandy stood and began twerking. Her bubbly ass bounced up and down against his face. She slid her ass down his body and onto his lap, grinding her hips into his boner once again.
“Hey, how about we take this more private?” he said wondering how much longer he could hold it.
“More private? Like what?”
“I know you guys have a private room here. Take me there.”
“And just what would you want to do there?”
“Oh, I got a few ideas.”
