“We could leave them for the wolves,” Rose offered just as loudly and with cheerful relish.
“Maybe that grizzly we saw a couple days ago will get them instead,” Murdock offered, grinning at Rose.
“Oh, yeah, he would definitely fix their little red wagon for them!” Rose agreed with glee.
“How big was he, you think?” Murdock asked Rose with a smirk.
“He must have been twelve feet tall, at least,” Rose said, smirking back.
“I think it was closer to fifteen, but I wouldn’t want to try to measure him to settle it,” Murdock corrected. “Mean sucker, too!”
“I don’t give a damn what you two do, but you better make sure you kill me,” Metzger warned, a little panic edging into his voice. “You don’t, I’ll hunt you both down! And I have something special in mind for you, Miss Priss! I’ll make sure you experience every little thing, too!”
Murdock walked up to Metzger, eyes blazing.
“You’re going to hunt me? Like you have since we got here? It appears to me that your style is to hurt the helpless and defenseless,” Murdock said with menace through clenched teeth. “You’ll find I am not that easy!” He returned to Rose, trying to relax.
“Did he just say he had a little thing?” Murdock asked Rose, hooking his thumb back toward Metzger.
“It sounded that way to me,” Rose responded with a chuckle. “First thing he’s said that was truthful!”
14
Murdock turned and pulled out the twelve-inch machete he had taken from Burns and then walked slowly toward Metzger. As he walked, Murdock rubbed his thumb against the edge of the blade, testing its sharpness.
“We could always neuter him,” Murdock offered to Rose over his shoulder as he advanced on Metzger. “It would be fitting justice for Mister Rapist here.”
Rose came bounding over to Murdock’s side.
“I like that idea,” she said with malice in her voice. “Whatever you decide to cut off, stuff it down his throat.” She grinned with evil intent at Metzger. “But only if the knife is dull!”
“This one’s dull,” Murdock told Rose, still running his thumb over the edge.
Metzger’s face remained unreadable. Murdock could see that he was not bothered by what they were saying.
“You always were overly melodramatic, Rose, and very easy,” Metzger said.
Murdock kicked the side of his knee just gently enough so as not to break or dislocate it. Metzger slouched a little and choked some before regaining his balance.
“Such sass,” Murdock exclaimed. “You need to be more respectful of your betters.”
“I would,” Metzger said as he turned to look Murdock in the eye, “if I had any!”
Murdock stomped down with his heel on Metzger’s instep and felt a satisfying crunch. Metzger raised his injured foot, gritted his teeth, and refused to look away from the pair in front of him. Murdock turned slowly and looked down at Burns, who was conscious and listening quietly. Murdock kicked Burns, not too softly, in his paunch.
“What do you have to say for yourself?” he asked, looking down at Burns.
Burns said nothing, but from the look in his eyes, Murdock knew he was afraid. Burns’ fear was so strong that Murdock could smell it.
“I have an idea,” Rose piped in. “Why don’t we wait and see what Mei Lee and Collier have to say?”
“And if neither makes it?” Murdock asked her.
“We could always feed them to the monsters,” she replied.
“I think that would be too cruel,” Murdock responded, “even for these two.”
“It may be excessively cruel,” Rose reflected, “but only for the monsters. These two deserve whatever they get.”
Murdock rechecked the bonds on the two prisoners and, finding them secure, checked on Collier. His pulse was a little on the weak side for Murdock’s taste, and the injured man remained unconscious. After that, he checked on Mei Lee. She seemed to be doing a little better. He picked her up, carried her closer to the fire, and gently laid her on the ground. Rose had gotten out some smoked venison and warmed it a little in the fire. Murdock went to gather more wood, though he was never far from the fire.
“What are we going to do with them?” Murdock asked Rose softly, indicating Collier and Mei Lee, as he dropped the wood by the fire.
“I don’t know,” she said softly as she handed him a piece of venison.
Murdock sat close to Rose at the fire and looked across the clearing at the prisoners.
“Was I this bad?” she asked, indicating Mei Lee with her eyes.
“No, love, you were worse,” he said so the others couldn’t hear. “You know we have to guard them?”
“Yes, dear one, I know,” she said sadly.
“You take the first watch,” Murdock told her. “I don’t think Collier is going to be a problem for a while yet, if at all, and I don’t trust any of them. So, keep a sharp eye.”
Murdock got up and went to check the prisoners again.
“If either of you hurt Rose, you will face my wrath, which will be considerable,” he said to Burns and Metzger. He walked back to the fire, lay down, and closed his eyes.
Rose kept close vigil on the camp while Murdock slept. No one gave her any trouble. When she grew too tired, she woke Murdock with a soft kiss. He hadn’t been sleeping very soundly and was awake immediately. Rose lay down and went to sleep.
While he sat watching the prisoners and their victims, Murdock turned the available options over in his mind. Beating the hell out of them and turning them loose would solve nothing. They would continue to be a danger to others. He was sure that he and Rose would have to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives, and he would be no better than they were by causing more suffering. Would it be any better a solution if he killed them outright, slaughtered them like the animals they were, which had been his initial desire since finding Rose? Was there honor in execution? Not for them, not that they had any honor to begin with, but Murdock did have to live with any decision he made.
He did have the combat option. He hadn’t engaged in full combat for a long time. And if they managed to kill him, what would happen to Rose? If he killed them, then he thought he could live with that. At least they would have a chance. More of a chance than Rose, Collier, or Mei Lee had, he thought. And he knew it was his decision to make. He had declared, when he was ousted, that the land on this side of the stream was his, but that would be viewed as an empty threat by doing nothing and would never be respected.
As he mulled this over, Collier started to stir a little. Murdock went to him and saw the injured man would come around soon. The carving on his forehead had stopped bleeding, at least.
“Collier, you hear me?” he asked, shaking the man’s head by the hair.
Collier seemed to be coming around, but he was extremely weak.
“Collier,” Murdock repeated more loudly, shaking his head again by the hair.
“Let the thief die,” Metzger spat.
Murdock walked over to Metzger, grabbed the arrow, and pulled a little. Metzger winced from the intense pain.
“This arrow was not designed to pull out,” he said to Metzger softly and with menace. “To remove it, it has to go all the way through. Pulling it out hurts a whole lot worse and does a lot more damage. One more peep out of you, and you’ll see what I mean. Got it?”
Metzger glared at him in defiance but nodded that he understood. Murdock returned to Collier, who was a little more lucid.
“Collier, do you hear me?” he asked, again shaking the man’s head by the hair.
“Is Mei Lee okay?” Collier asked weakly.
“No, she’s not okay,” Murdock told him, “but maybe she will be, in time. Are you thirsty or hungry?”
All Collier could manage to say was “Water, please.”
Murdock gave Collier a few sips of water and poured a little over his head, which appeared to help bring him around. Murdock also gave him a small piece of v
enison to chew on.
“Eat that, slowly. It might help,” Murdock told Collier.
Collier took a small bite and chewed it weakly. From the look of him, Murdock wasn’t sure the other man was going to make it. He seemed too weak from starvation and blood loss.
“Had to save . . . Mei Lee,” he managed. “I had to bring her with me.”
“You see? He admits his guilt,” Metzger shouted. “She belongs to Whittier, you lyin’-ass thief.”
Murdock looked in warning at Metzger.
“Well, she is. She has his mark.” Metzger continued.
“Keep it up, asshole,” Murdock warned. “You’re not helping your case.”
“Did Whittier mark Mei Lee?” Murdock asked Collier.
“He marked all . . . the women,” Collier nodded weakly as he took another bit of venison.
“Why did they cut off your thumb?” Murdock asked Collier.
“They say I stole . . . Mei Lee,” Collier answered, “and they say I stole . . . food.”
“You’re damn right you did, thief,” Metzger yelled.
Murdock walked over to Metzger, who watched Murdock with pure hate in his eyes. Murdock gave the arrow a swift and firm tug. Metzger rose up and yelled out in pain.
“Hurts, don’t it,” Murdock said through clenched teeth. “Now, shut! Up!”
Metzger had raised enough of a fuss that Rose finally got up and came over to Murdock.
“Morning, my love,” she said as she kissed him. Then, grinning at Metzger, she said, “Looks to be a nice day for mayhem and torture.”
Murdock continued to stare at Metzger, seething.
“If he makes another sound,” he told Rose without looking at her, “pull the arrow out as slowly as you can.”
“Will do, my love,” she said as she put one hand on Metzger’s shoulder to brace herself and the other on the arrow. “Can I twist it as I pull?”
“If you like,” Murdock said as he went over to Collier. I spoil her terribly, he thought.
“Wha — what is going on?” Mei Lee asked as she stumbled towards Murdock’s and Rose’s voices.
Rose stopped what she was doing and ran to help Mei Lee back to the fire.
Murdock went over to Metzger.
“It doesn’t matter what Whittier does,” Metzger said with vitriol. “We elected him leader, and that means he can do whatever he wants!”
“Tisk, tisk,” Murdock said as he slapped Metzger’s face lightly. “I almost feel sorry for you, if that’s what you truly believe!” He walked over to the fire and knelt down next Rose. “How is she?” he asked.
“She’ll live,” Rose responded.
“How are you doing, Mei Lee?” Murdock asked.
“I could use some water and a little something to eat,” Mei Lee told him quietly.
Rose handed her a chunk of venison and gave her a few sips of water.
“Better?” Murdock asked after she had a chance to chew on some venison and swallow a little water. Mei Lee nodded her head. “Do you know who we are?” he asked. She shook her head no. “Murdock and Rose,” he told her.
“Rose?” Mei Lee asked.
“Right here, hon,” Rose said softly while caressing Mei Lee’s shoulder.
“You’re supposed to be dead,” Mei Lee responded. “Raped and killed by Murdock.” Mei Lee started crying. “That’s what we were told, but I couldn’t believe it when Tom told me otherwise.”
“Nah,” Murdock responded, “she’s much too pretty to die.”
Rose looked up at him and smiled coyly.
“Why don’t you tell us what happened,” Rose told Mei Lee.
Mei Lee related the story as best she could of herself and Collier, how they came to be together, and how they were trying to escape so Tom could help with the hunt.
“Metzger and Burns have standing orders to take anyone to Murdock for the proper punishment as agreed upon,” she stated. She went on, “Everyone was stripped a while ago, and the women were all marked.” Mei Lee unconsciously touched the mark. “When Burns caught me, they started beating and kicking me the whole way. Tom was helpless. They had him restrained. We got this far before I passed out.”
Rose looked up at Murdock. “Pretty damned handsome for the Bogeyman,” she said.
“Why does Collier have a ‘T’ on his forehead?” Murdock asked.
Mei Lee started crying harder.
“He has the mark of a thief,” Metzger yelled out. Then he spat in their general direction, “They both lie! They were treated very well.”
Murdock got up and went over to Metzger.
“I’ve had enough of you,” he said as he grabbed the arrow and pulled slowly.
Metzger began screaming loudly and long. After a short while, he passed out from the pain.
“Maybe now we can have some peace,” Murdock said. He looked over to Burns. “Anything from you?” he asked threateningly. Burns shook his head fearfully.
“They found out about the fish you gave Tom,” Mei Lee continued when Murdock returned. “They say all food belongs to Whittier. They say he stole food so we could eat,” she continued, crying. “They also say that I belong to Whittier and that Tom was trying to steal me!”
“Who is Tom?” Murdock asked.
“I am,” Collier answered weakly.
“Are you and Collier married?” Murdock asked Mei Lee, ignoring Rose’s comments for the present.
“We wanted to be, but Whittier won’t allow it,” Mei Lee explained. “He says no one is married without his consent as leader. He just does what he wants with all the women.” She started to cry again, harder.
“To hell with Whittier,” Rose interjected. “Do you believe you are married to Collier?”
Mei Lee nodded her head and kept on crying.
“He’s looked after me and treated me better than anyone else did,” she said between sobs. “I love him.”
Murdock had heard enough. He got up, went over to Burns, and nudged him. “What’s up with the food rationing, Burns?” he yelled.
Burns shied away from Murdock. “Umm . . . Whittier is trying to make it last through the winter,” he said finally.
“Goddamn him,” Murdock cursed. “He knows it won’t last that long!” Then he yelled at both Metzger and Burns. “You two don’t look like you’ve missed many meals.”
Just as he started to come around, Metzger heard part of what Murdock said.
“We don’t answer to you,” Metzger said deep in his throat so that it sounded more like a growl. “You have no authority over us!”
Murdock walked over to Metzger and stared him up and down. “What do you think, Burns?” Murdock asked Burns while glaring at Metzger. Burns gave no response.
“Rose,” Murdock bellowed. Rose promptly ran over to her husband’s side. “Do you believe I have authority here?” he asked her.
“Yes,” she stated emphatically. “I know you do!”
“Mei Lee?” Murdock yelled.
“Yes,” she said quietly, but everyone heard her.
“Collier?” Murdock yelled.
“Yes,” he replied weakly.
“You’re all whores, cowards, and thieves,” Metzger yelled. “You’re all going to pay!”
“Well, I can tell you that two of the cowards are definitely going to pay,” Murdock said emphatically. Metzger and Burns pulled away as best they could.
When dawn broke, Murdock was still seething with anger. He finally walked out of the clearing a little way and selected a small tree. He gave one angry swing of the eighteen-inch machete, and the blade rang and the small tree fell. A few minutes later, he walked back into the little clearing carrying a two-inch diameter pole cleared of all branches. Rose had not spoken. Murdock walked to the fire, laid the pole close by it, and then walked over to Metzger.
“Guard him,” he commanded through clenched teeth.
Rose immediately took up her guard position.
Murdock roughly untied the rope holding Metzger and threw him t
o the ground at the base of a tree. He then retied the rope around the tree. He had enough rope to loop it twice around the tree, as well as Metzger’s neck. He took out another length of the sturdy rope Rose had made and tied another double loop around his waist and the tree. On the ground, Metzger now sat on his hands, tied to the base of a tree.
When Murdock finished with Metzger, he walked over to Burns, who shied away immediately.
“Now, this one,” Murdock ordered, indicating Burns.
Rose shifted her aim without changing her body position.
Murdock swiftly tied Burns to another tree and in the same sitting position so that he faced Metzger. When he finished retying the prisoners, Murdock picked up the water skin and gave each some water. Then he dumped some water on the dirt close to Metzger and knelt down. He took out his six-inch knife from his boot and spun it nervously in his hand.
“Coward,” Metzger started in. “You’re going to slit my throat while I sit here helpless? It’s what I’d expect from a coward like you!”
Murdock said nothing. Instead, he took the knife and scored the arrow shaft buried in Metzger’s shoulder several times around before grabbing it and snapping the shaft, leaving two inches sticking out of the wound. With the nock-end of the arrow, he mixed the water into the dirt to make a thick mud and then packed it around the arrow still in Metzger’s shoulder. He did all this without emotion, gentleness, or caring. When he finished, he returned the knife to its place in his boot and stood up, flipping some of the mud on his hands at Metzger.
“Hey, what are you trying to do?” Metzger complained. “That was dirt! You’re going to give me an infection!”
“That’s the least of your worries,” Murdock said with menace, glaring at him.
He walked to the fire, tossed in the arrow shaft, and got two pieces of their meager venison supply. He gave each a piece, mostly to give their mouths something to do so he didn’t have to listen to them. Then he walked over to check on Collier. Collier was either sleeping or had passed out, but Murdock thought his pulse was getting a little stronger.
As he stood, he spotted something in the dirt, tucked under the log that Collier had been tied to. When he picked it up, he was even more livid. He had found the knife that Metzger had used to cut off Collier’s thumb — and he found the end of Collier’s thumb. He picked up both.
Displaced Page 20