by Bella Lamour
“Hey, getting these guys off the streets was a public service.”
Yuki nodded. “And remember what to say if the police come knocking.”
“You were out of your mind from undedicated PTSD and told me if I didn’t come along you would kill yourself.”
“Hmm, try to sound a bit more victimized.”
“I’m not really comfortable making you into the bad guy for this. You’re only in this position because half the police department is corrupt!”
“I know. But hopefully you won’t be involved. Just promise me you’ll cover your hide.”
“…I promise. Are you sure I can’t come for this last part? It doesn’t seem right to leave you alone with these…these monsters.”
“It’s fine, Julie. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You promise?”
Yuki smiled as the redhead turned her own words around on her. “I promise. Goodnight, Julie.”
“Goodnight, Yuki.”
The med student took the van out of park and headed back onto the highway. She turned on the radio and cranked it up.
The last step of her journey is one she had to make alone. And neither Buck nor she was ever going to forget it.
Part Four
Yuki patiently cleaned under her nails as she waited for Buck to rouse. She probably should have been manic, or enraged, put she was honestly just enjoying the peace. The moon was so bright, and shining in the forest sky, the air was fresh and heady, with the slight spice of frightened blood to it.
Who knew how much time passed before Buck let out a groan and rolled onto his back.
“Careful there, hot shot. Head injuries are nothing to play with. You probably have a concussion.”
Shaking, he tilted his head towards her. “Please,” He breathed, “Please stop.”
“Hmm, now why does that sound so familiar?” She hopped out of the back of the van and approached him. It was utterly satisfying to seem him cower and try to scuttle away from her. “Kinda sounds like what I said, all those nights ago, doesn’t it?”
He nodded, normally cutting eyes as wide as saucers.
“Now, refresh my memory. Did you stop?”
“…no.”
“Huh, just like a rich man, isn’t it? To grant no mercy of his own, but demand it of others. Well, you’re in luck. Because I’m going to give you something so you don’t feel pain anymore. Doesn’t that sound nice?”
He nodded emphatically.
“Alright then, I’ll make the hurt go away. For all of you, actually. But first, I just need to situate you all a little more conveniently.”
She grabbed his ankles and yanked, knocking him prone. He let out a cry of pain, but stayed relatively still. Then next was Jean-Luc, then Thomas, until she had a nice little row of bleeding demons.
“Here comes the medicine!” She cooed, loading up another three syringes with vial she had yet to use. “Now I just want to take a moment to remind you of the importance of proper needle hygiene. Notice how you’re all getting your own and that none of them will ever touch. Cross contamination can be quite dangerous. You’re all so lucky I studied for my practicals last semester.”
They didn’t seem to appreciate her fine medical care, but she shrugged, and knelt next to Buck. With a flourish, she jabbed the needle into his hand for a second time that day. He flinched at first, but quickly relaxed as the drug flowed through him. His eyes got that hazy sort of expression, and he let out a long, quiet sigh.
“Good boy,” She murmured, patting his abused chest. “Told you I would make it not hurt.”
She crossed over to Jean-Luck next, who was still weeping piteously. Briefly, she worried about dehydration, but shrugged it off. Curtly, she delivered the anesthetic, waited for his expression to glaze over, then moved to Thomas.
Of course the banker was none too happy when she moved his injured hand, but she responded by slamming her fist into his solar plexus. He started behaving after that, and she injected the drugs into the vein on his wrist.
She returned to her seat on the van’s floor and waited as the paralytic and numbing agent flowed through their entire vascular system.
“It’s funny how circular life is, isn’t it?” She asked, although she knew they couldn’t respond. Heck, they couldn’t even turn their heads. “You rape me, and beat me within an inch of my life. I steal your car, you torment me for months. Now I’ve stolen someone else’s car, to torment all of you and possibly end your lives. I haven’t decided on that last part. I hope you don’t mind.”
She wasn’t lying. A couple of hours ago she was sure she wanted to slit their throats and bathe in their blood. But now…now that she had cut them, mutilated them, made them hurt like she hurt…well she wasn’t sure she could cross that line.
And if she did, was she any better than them? Could she ever claim they were just executions when they were drugged and completely at her mercy?
She wasn’t sure. This wasn’t exactly a topic they covered in her ethics class.
Speaking of education… “So guys, I know I’m not the first woman you’ve done this to. I saw a few of your little videos. But I wonder how many others there were before you decided to make your personal smut movies.
“Did you know that pregnancy is twice as likely to happen from a rape, than consensual sex? Crazy, isn’t it? And if I remember right, none of you guys used condoms. I mean, I was lucky I have an implant. But what if I wasn’t? Could you imagine me as a mother?” She let out a dry, cracking laugh. “Oh my god, I’d be such a terrible parent. Some people are just not meant for children.
“But you guys didn’t even think of that, did you? The thought probably didn’t even cross your mind that I was a living, breathing human capable of producing other, smaller, living, breathing humans. So my thought is, if you’re not going to be responsible, I’m going to make it so that even if you do get free, you’re not going to put any more women at risk with those weapons of yours. Sound fair?”
Only silence answered her and she nodded. “I thought so.”
Grabbing her large medical bag once again, she traipsed over to Thomas. It took a little work considering he was all dead weight, but she managed to pull his sweat shorts and underwear from his form. He let out a garbled sound, about all he could do, and she promptly shushed him.
“Now stop with the whining. I will have you know that I am a third year medical student and more than qualified to perform a vasectomy as well as a clean removal of the testicular sack. You’re not going to feel a thing, so just sit back and think of the new, much less violent life you’re going to live.”
More panicked squeaks and gurgles escaped his open hanging mouth, so she rolled her eyes and shoved some gauze into it. “Much better. Now where is my 11 blade again?”
She fiddled around in her bag until she found the protective scalpel travel case she had swiped. Smiling, she pulled it out and unrolled it on the leafy ground. She grabbed the blades she was fairly sure she would need –making sure that Thomas could see them too-before lowering them out of his line of sight.
“To be honest, I’ve never actually done this on a life person, before.
Just dead people.”
She looked over his bare bottom half, and his junk looked so much less intimidating from her current vantage point. To think that his floppy little grass blade had caused so much damage to her, inside and out.
“Alright! Here we go!”
She placed the first cut just along the inside of his thigh before letting out a long breath. This was the right thing to do.
She settled into her work, the chirping of crickets and Thomas’ weak whines her only accompaniment. She wasn’t sure how long it took before she finished, but she was aware that time had passed and that the night sky was just beginning to hint at dawn. She reached into her bag to put away her tools for a minute, then placed a surgically removed scrotum in his open palm.
“And don’t squeeze too hard as the anesthetic wears off. We wouldn
’t want you to lose your balls.” She laughed at her own joke but Thomas just wept quietly. Whatever. Some people just didn’t have the ability to laugh at themselves.
“Now it’s your turn, Jean-Luc!”
The man was completely drenched in nervous sweat when she reached him. Sighing, she grabbed some more gauze and tried to dry him off a bit. “Hey, calm down. There’s no need to freak out this much. This isn’t even going to hurt!”
His eyes still remained wide and frantic. Goodness, these men were certainly cowards. Apparently all it took was one sharp blade against a few of their juicy bits to turn them into hysterical puddles of goo. It was almost depressing how quickly and easily they fell apart. Where were the ruthless demons who haunted her dreams? The undefeatable behemoths that had turned her word upside down?
She didn’t know, but they certainly weren’t here.
She wrapped up once more, poured some rubbing alcohol on his junk and gently placing a now-cool pair of testicles in his hand. Whistling again, she traversed over to their leader.
She had never seen one human look so horrified. She stood there, staring down at the man for a long time. Over the days and haunted nights, he had become a sort of personification of all of her fears and insecurities. She recognized now that he had just been a man in the right place, at the right time, with the right tools to do what he did to her. He wasn’t some sort of all powerful manifestation of evil. He was just…Buck. A spoiled rich boy with a violent streak who never got told no.
Well. It was time he was told no.
Emphatically.
Yuki really took her time with this one, pouring betadine over the area, shining her blades with rubbing alcohol and gauze, making grandiose arm movements as she made an incision along the thigh. It was like a symphony of justice that she was conducting all on her own.
She drew it out as long as she could, but her legs were starting to cramp from her hunched over position, and her back was aching. Not to mention the sun was peeking just above the horizon.
“There we are.” She breathed, holding up the last bit of manhood. A keening whine issued from the back of Julien’s throat but she just laughed and put his balls in his hand as well. “Don’t worry. I’m sure a taxidermist could stuff these for you, or something. Shouldn’t be too hard.”
And with that, she stood, shaking feeling back into her limbs. “Man, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m about ready for our time together to come to a close. But first, let me tell you everything I’ve done behind the scenes. You know most of it, but what can I say, I’m a very thorough woman.”
“Thomas, you’re already aware of what I sent to your girlfriend. But I’m pretty sure you didn’t know the retired detective who’s been watching over me has a couple of connections at Scotland Yard from a country crossing serial killer they teamed up on. Turns out they’ve been investigating you for a little fraud, can you believe that? Well I hope you don’t mind, but I kinda sorta hacked into your email a few weeks ago and sent them your credit card statements. But I’m sure you’re on the up and up, so that won’t be an issue.”
“And Jean-Luc, poor, creepy, pervy Jean-Luc. Not only did I sent misleading pictures to you mother, but I really have to advise you to lock your personal electronics whenever you’re not using them. You see, when I visited your hotel, nosey little me couldn’t help but snoop on your laptop. You couldn’t imagine my surprise when I saw your little directing project! Well of course I sent it to each and every contact saved to your business email.
I’m sure they’ll love it. You have real talent.”
“And Buck. Darling, darling Buck. Everyone knows now. Everyone will see through this carefully constructed façade you’ve made for yourself. You can try to pay off all of them, but I doubt even you have that much money.”
She stood and gave a little twirl. “So there it is boys. Your lives are over. I’ve taken away everything you’ve ever cared about. Justice is served.”
She finished her theatrics and perched herself at the edge of the van. “But I’m not merciless. Unlike some people, I’m satisfied with your pain. I don’t feel the need to drag this torture out for ages, so I will give you an out.”
She fished into her bag for the last time and pulled three large meds from the front compartment. “Right now I’m holding three yellow pills. You can chose to take them or not. I don’t care and won’t punish your either way. But let me explain what they do before anyone raises their hands.”
Again, they didn’t seem to appreciate her joke.
“See, you take this pill and you will die. It’ll shut down you heart and lungs. It won’t be the worst death, but it won’t be painless either. I will not give this to you unless you absolutely, with all your heart want it.” She cleared her throat. “Now the other option. You don’t take the pill and you face the consequences of your choices. You will go to jail. You will have to live with knowing that everyone will revile your name. Should you ever get out of jail, you’ll be a pariah among all those who recognize you. And you’ll have to deal with forever being modern eunuchs.”
She let the gravity of the choice seek into the traumatized men before speaking again.
“So now, we just wait until the sedative wears off enough for you to speak. Thing long, and hard. There’s no do overs on this choice.”
She returned to the van and sat once more, surveying her small kingdom of retribution and pain. Her three half nude subject laid there, completely motionless. But eventually a chest heaved in sob, then someone’s hand tremored, until the gasping of the once powerful trio filled the clearing. Yuki waited, a bit bored, for their moaning to subside. The sedation was just beginning to ebb; there was no way they were in actual pain yet. Just mental anguish.
“Alright my friends, it’s decision time!” She jumped back to the ground and strode over to Julian. She crouched next to him and patted his head. “So what’s the plan, man?”
“I’m sorry.” He croaked. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I-I just, my mother was so cold to me when I was young!”
Really? He was going with the mommy didn’t love me strategy?
“All I wanted was for her to accept me, to be proud of me, but she kept me at bay like I was a social accomplishment and nothing more. As I grew up, I just wanted to be loved, but every girl I cherished rejected me. I was alone, and worthless. But then I grew taller, and broader and suddenly I could have anyone I wanted. But they never wanted just me. I just want someone to love me, not the money or prestige.”
“Not only does that entire line of reason just show how delusionally self-centered you are,” Yuki spat. “But why you have a deep seeded hatred and disrespect for women is not my problem. My problem is that I was held down, beaten and raped in this same forest. My problem is that you sought me out and tried to ruin my education and my living situation. My problem is you went after my friends and killed my fucking cat!” Her rage that had been previously sated welled up again and she punched the ground. “You don't get to play the pity card! What you get to do is make a decision. Either take the pill or live with everything you've done.”
He wept openly, and Yuki allowed him the tears, but she remained unmoved. She waited patiently for him to compose himself. She didn't need to bully the decision out of him. That would rob it of its crushing weight and character indication.
“Do you need more time?”
“No! G-give me the pill.”
“Are you sure? There's no coming back from this.”
“Are you kidding? You think I could live with this? The shame? I'm not even a man anymore!”
Yuki scoffed.
“Sure, because manhood is directly linked to your genitals. What a small world you live in. I can see why even you wouldn't want to live in it. If you're not the king of the world, then you're nothing right? You're just like me. And who would would ever want to be stuck in your world as poor, helpless Yuki?”
“Just give me the pill! Please, I want the pill. I can't live
like this!”
“Fine, have it your way.”
She tilted his head up, and placed it in his mouth. She waited until he swallowed safely and there was no way to choke on it, then put his head back on the ground.
“Rest in peace with your decision. And just know, when you wake up wherever it is people like you wake up, that under all those layers of machismo, you were just a coward.”
He cracked, and his sobs turned into racking wails until eventually his eyes fluttered closed and his breath slowed to a barely there gasp at all.
That was it. The grand finale of her game was over. She felt fulfilled, and like a whole world of possibilities was opening to her. But she still had the overture of her performance to complete.
“Alright, Jean-Luc, it's time for you.”
“The pill! The pill!”
She frowned, disappointed. “Now are you making that decision for yourself, or are you just following the path of your fearless leader? Because this need to be Jean-Luc thinking for Jean-Luc. You're a man, not some brainwashed lackey.”
“Si vous plait, the pill. I cannot ever look my mother in the eye again. Never know a woman!”
“Oh yes, because the only way to enjoy the company of a female is to sleep with her. I should have known. Shut up and take your medicine.”
Just like Buck, she lifted his head up, and placed the pill in his mouth. She waited until he swallowed it safely, blubbering like a baby, then put his head back down.
Next was Thomas.
“Save me your posturing and give me the damn pill.”
Yuki laughed. “What, you don't want a lesson of the day?”
“Consider me educated. Now end it.”
“As you wish.”
She helped him up and gave him the pill just like the others. And when he finally slipped into unconsciousness, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Detective White.
“Yuki!?” His voice punched through the speaker so angrily that she physically had to move her head away. “Goddammit Yuki, what have you done?”
