by Bonny Capps
“Dimitri,” Vadim says as Vlad removes the bag from her head. “You need to reign yourself in a bit. We do this job because there are sick fucks out there willing to pay to see it. You seem to have become one of those sick fucks yourself.”
I chuckle as the girl begins thrashing around in the chair. “Perhaps,” I murmur. “But you’re no better than me, cousin. Quit pretending to be a hero. You’ve overseen many deaths in this very room, and now you question my methods?”
“You’re going off the deep end, Dimitri,” he says, his voice melancholy as disappointment reflects in his eyes. “You are to be the next Pakhan. You need to start acting like it. Leave the killing to those who we hired to kill. Leave the production to me. Let my conscience be the one to suffer. Pay attention to your job: being our future leader.”
I smile as I pull the black, lacquered plague doctor’s mask over my face. “That’s where you’re wrong, Vadim. I have no conscience to suffer. A good leader is an expert in all aspects of his business.”
Sauntering over to the girl, her screams are like music to my ears. I turn and look into the lens of the camera, and as I tilt my head slowly I hold the knife in front of the camera before turning to the girl.
She shakes her head emphatically as she begs in a different language. Leaning forward, I grip the arm rests as I prod her with the long nose of the mask. She presses the back of her head into the chair as she attempts to escape my touch, but she can’t go anywhere. She’s stuck, and unfortunately for her, I plan on using this session as an example of how these videos will be from here on out.
“Let’s begin,” I murmur as I stand straight.
I circle her as I let the knife lazily run over her collarbone to her shoulder. I place the knife under the strap of her bra before the sharp metal slices through the fabric effortlessly, then I move on to the other strap. I keep cutting through fabric until she is bare before the camera, her entire body is shaking from a mixture of fear and the cold. This room is the equivalent of a meat locker. The rest of the home depends on fire places and furnaces, in which this room has none.
Vadim watches me intently as I run the knife from the girl’s cunt to her neck. Her face is soaked from her tears as her head thrashes from side to side.
Using the knife, I sweep her black hair over her shoulder before leaning down and whispering, “Your time has come.”
The chair that she is strapped to is not your average piece of furniture. I had cut a passage down the center. Beneath the opening, there is a track that I’ve attached to a large table saw. I hold the control in my hand. With one push of a button, her body will be slowly sawed in half.
Vlad and Andrei stand on each side of me with their hands folded in front of them. The camera clicks on as the light flashes erratically. Upon pushing the button, my lips curl into a smile from behind the mask when the saw comes to life between her thighs.
The girl’s wide gaze stares down at the spinning blade as it inches closer and closer to her cunt. A mixture of sobs and screams escape her as the saw nicks the hood of her clit, and then all I can here is bone crushing as the saw begins to slice through her.
Her eyes roll to the back of her head as she howls towards the ceiling. She continues to convulse as the blade works its way from her pelvic bone to her midsection. Once it begins slicing through her vital organs, blood trickles over her bottom lip.
Eventually, the convulsing becomes an occasional twitch as the blade moves through her chest, to her neck and then to her head. The three of us are sprayed with blood and brain matter as the blade reaches the end of the track. I hold my arms out and smile deviously as I watch the door slowly close behind Vadim.
I run the knife along the wall as I approach my room where Sofia waits.
Pushing the door open, her gaze slowly moves from the book in her lap and then to me. Her eyes widen as she scrambles from the bed to the furthest wall. Her chest rises and falls erratically as she looks at me.
“Little mouse,” I whisper as I close the door behind me, turning the key in the lock. Her body noticeably trembles as I approach her. I didn’t bother removing the mask or cleaning myself off before going to her.
She holds her hand up as I get closer. “Dimitri, what happened to you? Are–are you okay?”
I hold my hands out as I step in front of her. “I’m okay, little mouse, but are you? You seem frightened.”
Her lips twitch into a smile, but it doesn’t reach her frightened eyes as she shakes her head haltingly. “I just thought you were hurt, that’s all.”
She cringes as I grasp her arms with my bloody hands. “I’m going to go take a shower, then I’d like it if we could watch a movie tonight? Does that sound alright? Will you watch a movie with me, Sofia?”
The gulp is audible as she swallows hard before slowly nodding her head. “Of course.”
I smile as I pull the mask over my head. “You are so beautiful.” I run my fingers over her cheek as a shaky breath escapes her lips. “I want to show you my art. I want you to appreciate it as much as I do.”
She licks her lips before forcing a smile. “I can’t wait.”
Dimitri has my arm in a vice grip as he pulls me down the hall. I’m only wearing the robe with nothing underneath as he leads me to our destination.
I can’t imagine what this movie is that he wants to show me, but I’m sure it isn’t your average film. My stomach lurches as I think of the blood that he was covered in when he came into the room earlier. I knew he wasn’t hurt. He hurt someone. I have a sneaking suspicion that that is what I’m to watch. I’m going to witness him hurting, possibly killing someone. The sickest thing is, he calls it his art. Painting and writing and dancing—that is art. Killing certainly is not.
Once we enter the room, my skin crawls under the many gazes that fall on me. The room is full of Dimitri’s men. Except for Vadim. For some reason, I’m wishing that he were here. Maybe he could keep me safe from all of this. I don’t know why I feel that way, but when we were in the library earlier, his presence was certainly different than before. He almost seemed human.
Dimitri leads us to a large armchair where I’m pulled onto his lap. I avoid looking at the other men as I try and pull the robe as far down my legs as possible.
Dimitri snaps his fingers next to my ear causing me to jump. One of the men dims the light before turning on some type of projector.
The quality of the video is weathered. The video itself is either really old, or it was taped with an old camera. All I can hear is an eerie clicking sound. My eyes travel around the room in which the video was taken. There isn’t anything other than an old mattress and cigarette butts on the floor. Several seconds tick by when I see two masked men situate a strange chair in the center of the room.
It reclines and has what looks to be a blade protruding from the center. Then, the masked men place a girl onto the chair before they begin strapping her down. She can’t be much older than me. She only wears a bra and underwear, and she looks drugged as her head sags to the side.
This reminds me of the beginning of a horror film. I love horror films, but this is frightening, because I’m afraid that this isn’t a fictional slasher film. This is horror in real life, and I’m stuck in the middle of it—I’ve been stuck in the middle of it for over a week.
“Watch,” Dimitri breathes into my ear.
The bigger masked man pulls out a syringe before plucking her in the neck, and it immediately seems like realization washes over her as she begins writhing. Placing my hand over my mouth, I force myself to look on as Dimitri steps into the camera’s view. I know it’s him because of that mask, the one that he wore when he came into the room soaked in blood. Chills shoot down my spine as he looks into the camera and tilts his head before holding the knife in front of the camera lens.
I keep telling myself that this isn’t real … because I want more than anything for this to be a gory film with incredible special effects. However, it is real. I know because of the unadulter
ated terror written on her face as he runs the knife along her collar bone. He cuts away the bits of clothing that she wears before she is left terrified and nude. When he holds up the remote and presses the button, her wide eyes watch in horror as the blade inches closer. I turn my face from the projection as tears stream from my eyes. I’m thankful that there isn’t any sound. It’s just clicking. Click, click, click. She’s dying, yet her screams are not to be heard.
Dimitri grabs my jaw and pulls my face forward, but I keep my eyes closed.
“Open. Them,” he grits out, and I shake my head as much as I can with my face in his grasp.
“Open!” He hollers, and my eyes snap open as the drill slowly works its way through her body.
I manage to squirm out of his lap and fall to my hip as I sob. The clicking stops and all is silent for a moment. Then, all I can hear is laughter as I try with all my might to keep the burning vomit from erupting from my throat. The men laugh in unison as I come undone. The reality sets in more than it ever has at this point. I just witnessed a murder … a horrific murder.
“Why?” I choke out as my gaze travels to Dimitri’s smiling eyes.
His chest shakes several more times as he comes down from his fit of laughter. His face drops into a frown as he stares down at me.
“Why?” he asks sardonically, before drawing out the word. “Why? What must you know, little mouse? You could have asked a better question; don’t you think? You already know the answer to your inquiry, do you not?”
I lift myself with shaking arms and legs until I’m standing. “No. I don’t know. I don’t know why anyone would do that.”
He smiles as he stands. He is inches from me as I back away, but my back hits something hard. I try to step away but two large hands grasp my arms. The other men begin to stand and slowly surround me as my heart thunders away in my chest.
“I am not anyone, Sofia. Soon, I will be the Pakhan of this bratva. Soon, I will lead these men. The videos? I’m afraid that you will need to accustom yourself. They are not going anywhere. I saved you. I didn’t save you so that you may look down on me. You are mine, therefore you must accept what I am.”
I grit my teeth as I stare up at him. “You’re a monster, and I will never accept it.”
He sneers at me. “A monster? Little mouse, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
The man behind me releases my arms and my eyes travel for an escape. They stand shoulder to shoulder as I turn on my feet frantically. I attempt to squeeze between two of them, but they don’t budge. Instead, they begin shoving me back and forth. I cry out as I’m shoved into their hard chests as they bound with laughter. Tears streak my face as I pound on chests, but it’s no use.
They stop laughing when a bang sounds from the door. The crowd disperses leaving only Dimitri and I standing in the center of the room. Vadim stands in the doorway with a stern look on his face. Dimitri’s smug smile never lets down as he stares down at me.
“That is enough!” Vadim barks at the men. They all sit down as Vadim stalks into the room. He narrows his eyes as he approaches Dimitri. “I’ve sent for your father’s early return. He isn’t happy.”
Dimitri scoffs as he turns to face him. “You ran to Dyadya Albert because you couldn’t keep the peace. There hasn’t ever been an issue before. What’s the difference now?”
Vadim’s eyes soften as they flit to me, but they immediately harden when they land on Dimitri once more. “I think you know what the difference is, Dimitri.”
I wring my hands in front of me nervously as I look from Dimitri to Vadim, and then to the open door. That could have been me in that video. It could still be me someday soon. I can’t imagine the imminent fear that she felt when that blade came to life, or the pain she endured when it sawed through her body relentlessly.
My heart races when I think about running. I’m fast, but not quicker than a bullet. It’s either that, or being raped again … even worse, killed—not just killed, but tortured.
He showed me that tape because he wants me to know what he’s capable of. He wants me to know that he can end me without a second thought, without any repercussions.
So, I run. I run on a wing and a prayer. I run hoping that my mother will somehow reach down from the heavens and scoop me up to safety.
Once I escape the room, I turn momentarily to see Dimitri on my heels. I grab the door and swing it as his face with all my might. My heart beats abnormally fast when I hear him grunt behind the heavy wood.
My feet pound the floor as I search for the stairs. Once I find them, I grip the rail. Looking down, I see two men waiting by the double doors as they talk casually. I opt to search for another escape down a different hallway when Dimitri slides to a stop. My wide eyes lock onto his as he pulls a strange cat mask over his face. It’s eerie and has realistic whiskers protruding from the cheeks. It doesn’t cover his mouth, and I watch as his lips curl into a wicked smile.
“Go on, little mouse,” he whispers as he takes two steps toward me. “Run.”
I turn and run with all my might through this maze of a home. I hear his feet hitting the floor behind me, and I don’t have enough time to stop and check the doors throughout the hallways, though I’m not sure how intelligent it would be to trap myself inside of a room. I could possibly barricade myself inside, but he’d get to me eventually. What if I did actually make it outside? I wouldn’t make it out there either.
He has me under his thumb, and I realize that I’m running just to run. There isn’t any feasible reason for it, other than I’m fucking terrified. My will has been condensed to fight or flight—I’m running like a scared mouse trying to escape a much larger animal. Cat and mouse.
He’s going to eat me alive. This is a game to him. He wants you to run. Well, fuck him.
I stop once I hit a dead end and whip around to face him. He skids to a stop and slowly removes the mask from his face before dropping it beside him on the floor.
His eyes survey my body and I quickly realize that the robe has opened slightly, revealing the inner curves of my breasts.
“Am I here to die?” I ask, summoning his eyes back to mine.
Dimitri stalks towards me, and I want to back away with everything in me, but I stand my ground. He wants to frighten me. He wants to intimidate me into submission. He wants to take away the life that I’ve worked so hard for. I won’t give that to him. He cannot bleed me dry of my determination. My resolve. I will get out of here.
When he grasps my jaw, I don’t take my eyes off of him. When he pulls my lips to his, neither one of us close our eyes. We gaze at each other with a promise; it’s either him or me. I’ve never thrown in the towel with anything in my life. I don’t plan on starting now. The only way to get to Dimitri is to make him trust me.
I reach up and run my fingers through his hair as I press my lips harder to his. He growls as his hands slide over my hips, beneath the robe, leaving a trail of fire in their path.
Gripping my hips, he backs me into the table at the end of the hall as he kisses me feverishly. My back hits the table and I gasp when he pulls his lips from mine before sweeping pictures and other breakables from the surface. Glass shatters and slides across the floor as he lifts me and plants me on the edge of the table. He frantically rips the robe open before leaning down and drawing my nipple into his mouth. He bites down, causing me to cry out before he moves to the other one.
I grab at the hem of his shirt and pull it over his head. Grabbing his hips, I lean down and run my tongue along his abs until I reach his nipple. He sighs as I circle my tongue around his nipple before trailing my tongue over his chest and to his neck. I bite down hard and he digs his fingers into my hips as he groans against my neck.
“Ya khochu tebya,” he growls as his fingers move to the button of his jeans.
He said ‘I want you,’ and I respond in the way that he would want me to in the throes of passion. “Yebat’ menya, Dimitri.” Fuck me Dimitri.
He grabs my face with one h
and as he lines himself up at my entrance with the other. I cry out when he thrusts into me and my head rolls back as he continues to fuck me feverishly. I hold onto his shoulders as I tighten around his length, the orgasm coming quickly as he loses himself in this moment.
I’m sure his fingers are leaving bruises around my hips as he uses them for leverage. I can’t deny my own enjoyment of this encounter as I hear my wetness each time he pulls out before re-entering me.
Something in me is changing. Unlike the other times, I’m just as much invested in this moment as he is. I’m enjoying it. I want it. It’s escapism in its rawest form; allowing my tormenter to also be my lover.
The table that he has me on knocks against the wall loudly as he seeks his release. My fingers curl around the edge of the table as I convulse around him. His head falls back as he gives one last thrust. He lets out a guttural growl and I feel him pumping his release inside of me as I look over his shoulder through lust drunk eyes.
Dimitri’s head falls forward before he rests his forehead in the crook of my neck as we both work to catch our breaths, and I watch as Vadim’s shadow descends down the hall.
I gasp as Dimitri sinks his teeth into my neck. “To answer your question, little mouse,” he whispers against my flesh. “You are not going anywhere as long as you continue to do that.”
Two Weeks Later
As I look into the mirror, I’m realizing how different I look with my cat eye makeup and crimson lips. My hair looks classic in a wavy side bun and my breasts are pressed up, displaying my cleavage. I pull the formfitting, black silk dress up over my hips before zipping it up the side. Then I slip my feet into the red stilettos before turning the light off and exiting the bathroom. I stop when I reach the new stand-up mirror that replaced the one that I broke.
Today is my eighteenth birthday. This would have been my senior year in high school. This year, I would have been moved from the Junior category to the Young Adult category for competition. I would have absolutely killed it this year, and it would have been for mom. Instead, I’m here, struggling to breathe.