“I doubt that. Among other things, you gave me a rather nasty case of syphilis that went undiagnosed just long enough to make me sterile. The little ankle biter isn’t mine and she won’t give up the father’s name. I tried to get her to tell but she’s every bit as stubborn as her whore of a mother. So off she goes, back to boarding school, carrying that little parasite inside of her. Then the school calls me—Sir, do you know that your daughter is pregnant? Heh. They ship her home with her stomach sticking out like a fucking beach ball. I was so fucking mad I wanted to rip her open and pull the bastard right out of her. But too many people had seen Angela pregnant, so we had no choice but to carry it to term.”
Gloria sucked in a breath. She looked at Angela, who still looked bored, like she wanted to be anywhere but here. This little routine was apparently a major inconvenience for the teen. Vlad’s Cheshire grin spread even wider.
“So we don’t want the kid.” He reached down and lifted up Angela’s shirt, revealing the cigarette burns around her areolas. “I’ve convinced Angela that she doesn’t want it either.”
“You sick son of a bitch! You’re worse than this fat freak. She’s your own daughter!”
Ryan shrugged.
“So—what does all this mean? You want me to take the child?”
“Not exactly.” Ryan turned to Angela. “Get her.”
Angela moved to the corner of the room and approached a basket that Gloria hadn’t noticed before, and lifted the infant out. It (she) started to cry, and Gloria recognized that mewling bleat as the noise she had thought belonged to a cat.
Angela placed the baby on the table.
Vlad reached beneath the table and pulled out a butcher knife, offering it to Gloria. “Remember what I said. You have no choice in the matter. You will do as you’re told, or you will be made to do as you’re told.”
Gloria shook her head, started to back away from the table. “You’re crazy. You’re out of your fucking minds!” She stared with bulging eyes at the infant wriggling on the table. “Why me? Why do you want me to do this?”
Vlad templed his fingers beneath his chin. “You see, my dear, there’s a demon waiting for you in hell, waiting to fuck you raw for the rest of eternity. You kill your granddaughter and you’re guaranteed a trip to inferno where your demon lover will greet you with open arms and bulging cock. Or you can let Angela kill her and she can go to hell in your place. I don’t think her young pussy can accommodate a cock that size. She’s tight as a virgin, not like momma’s old stretched-out snatch. But I’m sure he won’t mind tearing it a little to make it fit.”
What little color that remained in Gloria’s anemic complexion drained away as she stared in horror at Ryan. This was not the man she had known. Her sweet, shy, loving Ryan, who had always seemed so awed and intimidated by her. This evil thing could not have been the same man.
“But why? Why would you do this? I loved you.”
“Because I’m dying too, you filthy fucking slut! You killed me with your diseases! You’ve killed us both! But I don’t want to die. I’m not going to die. I refuse. And Vlad is going to cure me. As soon as I help him get you. You or her.” He pointed at his daughter and for the first time Angela showed a hint of genuine emotion, flinching away from Ryan’s finger as if it were the barrel of a loaded gun pointed at her face.
“You mean …”
“Yes. I have AIDS. You gave it to me. I loved you—and you killed me.” His lips twisted into a sneer of profound disgust, as if he had a mouth full of bile and was looking for a place to spit it.
“I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know. I hadn’t been diagnosed when we were together. We’d been separated for almost three years before I found out.”
“I don’t give a fuck if you knew or not! What does that change? You want me to forgive you or something? Fuck you! You want my forgiveness? Then kill that little bastard and give me my life back!”
There was a desperate madness in Ryan’s eyes. Fear of his own extinction had driven him right out of his mind.
“But if you have it, then …”
“Yeah, Angela’s HIV positive, but so far she doesn’t have any symptoms, and her kid appears to be fine. But who knows? We all might be dying anyway.”
Gloria turned toward Angela, her eyes brimming with tears. “Oh my god. No! Not you too!”
Angela nodded, stared at the floor. “I was diagnosed last month. None of this matters now. You might as well just do what they want.” The little teenager stared at both mother and father with an expression that boiled with hatred and a bitter resignation.
Gloria’s eyes swept the floor as she turned away from that fearsome gaze. What could she say to defend herself? She had left her only daughter in the care of a rapist and pederast who had molested her and given her AIDS; a disease he had caught from Gloria herself. She was just as guilty as Ryan.
“You’d let your whole family die just so you can live a while longer? Even your own daughter?”
“I can always start a new family. I’m young. I’m fucking rich. I can meet a new woman and start a new life without the taint of your filth and disease to ruin it.”
“Then what?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if I kill the baby, I’ll go to hell, but eventually you’ll die too, and where do you think you’ll be headed?”
“That’s not for a long time, sweetheart. All I’m worried about is the here and now and right here, right now, you need to decide which one of you is going to spend the rest of time in hell getting their insides dug out and rearranged by that demon’s dick.”
Unclouded by narcotics for the first time in years, Gloria’s mind struggled to find a way out. Ryan and Vlad flanked her on either side. And in front of her stood the daughter she’d abandoned—and the granddaughter she was supposed to murder. There had to be a way out of this. But she couldn’t imagine what that was.
For the first time in years, she began to pray. She fell to her knees and began to cry. “Our Father, who art in heaven …”
Vlad stepped forward. “Stop that.”
“Hallowed be thy name …”
“I said stop that!”
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
“I said stop!” Vlad’s fist collided with Gloria’s jaw, spinning her like a piñata. She collapsed on the floor in a heap. Eyes closed, facedown on the polished hardwood floor, she feigned unconsciousness. More time to think.
*
How did things turn out so wrong? she wondered for the millionth time.
From her prone position on the floor, hovering above her, Vlad and Ryan were discussing her fate—and the fates of Angela and the child.
“She’ll never do it,” Ryan said. “She may be a whore and a drug addict but she’s no killer.”
“Everyone has their price. Besides, she has no choice. She may not care about her own life, but I’m betting she cares about those little girls over there. Did you know that she’s been coming by here almost every week for years, just to catch a glimpse of the two of you? She knew your schedule better than you did. She’s even gone to Angela’s school a few times. She loves you. Both of you. Even now. And she knows that I won’t hesitate to tear you, little Angela and her little bastard apart to get what I want.” Vlad’s voice billowed out in a dense humid cloud of halitosis that made Gloria’s eyes water.
Gloria’s head was turned in an awkward angle, and it ached. But if they knew she was awake, she’d be out of time again. She cracked her eyes open, trying to get the tiniest hint of her surroundings. Vlad and Ryan were flanking her other side, and when she peeked out, she caught Gloria’s attention. She was afraid her daughter would give her away, but Angela didn’t change her expression.
Gloria licked her lips and mouthed the word run. She prayed her daughter would understand, and would act on it. How, she couldn’t imagine. Was there even a way out of that room? Could she get past Ryan and Vlad?
“Dad?
” Angela’s voice cracked.
“What? Why are you interrupting us?”
“I need to change her.” The baby was cradled in Angela’s arm.
“Stay put. The baby can wait.”
“No she can’t. She smells.”
Ryan sighed. “Fine. You’ve got three minutes.”
Angela disappeared from Gloria’s sight.
“Let’s get this bitch off the floor,” Vlad said. “Put her on the table.”
She felt their hands beneath her armpits and she was lifted into the air. The table was cold beneath her clothes, and she suppressed a shudder.
“I’ll just make her do it,” Ryan said. “Even if I hold her hand, force her to kill the baby.”
“No. Won’t work that way. If you help her, you might as well do it yourself—she won’t burn in hell, you will. She has to do it herself, using her own will. Otherwise the deal’s off.”
“Fuck you, then.” Ryan slammed his hand on the table. “You know I won’t be able get her to kill that fucking kid—so I might as well kill this bitch right now.”
She felt the cold steel blade resting against her neck, and she began to tremble. Tears flowed into her temples from the corners of her eyes.
“I knew she was awake.” Ryan laughed, withdrew the knife.
Gloria opened her eyes, looked up at Ryan. “Please don’t do this,” she whispered. “I’ll do anything you want.”
“Oh, like what? Have sex with me? Kill me all over again?”
“No, Ryan … I loved you.”
“You have a funny way of showing love, Gloria.”
She sat up, rubbed her aching head. “Can’t we work something out?”
“Where’s that kid of yours?” Vlad asked. “She’s been gone too long.”
“She’s changing the shitty diaper.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ll go check.”
Gloria was sitting on the edge of the table, legs dangling, and Vlad slid between her thighs. He leaned into her until their foreheads were touching. “I can make this miserable for you. I can make you suffer.”
“Your breath already is.”
“Very foolish to make jokes right now, Gloria.”
“Who’s joking?”
He leaned his head back a few inches but stayed between her legs, pressed himself against her. “You know what I’m capable of. You’ve seen what I can do.”
She nodded. “But I also know that you need me. Otherwise you would have killed me by now.”
“I’m just making your transition to hell complete, Gloria. Don’t think you ever had any hope of anything else—not with your past.”
“So that’s it? I’m an easy target? What, do you get bonus points for every soul you condemn to hell?”
He smiled. “Something like that.”
“She’s gone,” Ryan said, rushing into the room. “They’re gone.”
“What do you mean, ‘gone’?” Vlad snapped.
“I searched the fucking apartment. They’re gone.”
Vlad stepped back, his eyes slitted, his upper lip twitching. “Where the fuck would she go?”
Ryan ran his hand over his hair and dropped his head. His way of producing deep thoughts, Gloria knew. Or his way of attempting to, at least. “The park, probably.”
“Central Park? At this hour?”
Ryan nodded. “Shouldn’t be that hard to find. Young girl carrying a baby.”
“Let’s go then. What can we do with her?” Vlad jerked his head toward Gloria.
Ryan dropped his head again, scratched his scalp this time. Then grabbed Gloria’s wrist and yanked her off the table, pulled her behind him down the hall and into another bedroom. He threw her inside a small closet and slammed the door.
The closet was pitch black. A small crack of light tried to sneak in through the bottom of the door. She heard something scrape along the floor and then bash against the closet door. She assumed it was a chair or a large piece of furniture.
There was no point in yelling or crying or protesting. They weren’t letting her out of that closet. She sank to the floor and rested against a pile of shoes and boxes, pulled her knees against her chest. She thought she would be terrified right now but found herself numb, found that she was resigned to her dreadful fate and just wished they would get it over with.
There was no way she was going to kill that baby. She didn’t care what Vlad did to her.
About ten minutes had passed, she guessed, when she heard the noises outside the closet door. Scraping sounds, grunting. And a minute later, the door opened.
Angela held out her hand, and Gloria took it, got up off the floor.
“Where’s the baby?”
“In her crib. We were hiding when Dad was searching the apartment. I left the front door open a crack so he would think I had left.”
Gloria hugged her daughter, held her face in her palms. “I always knew you were a smart girl.”
Angela smiled, a blush blossoming on her cheeks. “Where can we go?”
“Anywhere but here.”
Gloria followed her to Angela’s bedroom, and they gathered the baby from the crib.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Gloria said, leading them to the front foyer. She threw open the door, and Vlad and Ryan were waiting on the other side.
“Good try,” Ryan said. “But I’m not stupid you know.” He pushed his way into the apartment before Gloria could slam the door shut.
Angela began to scream, and Vlad wrapped his hand over her mouth.
Ryan shoved Gloria, sent her reeling down the hall. They were headed back in the direction of that black room, the room where they expected her to murder a baby.
Vlad threw Angela into the room, and she went tripping in until she stopped herself against the far wall. Vlad had already taken the baby from her.
Ryan had his hand clamped on the back of Gloria’s neck and pushed her inside the room as well.
Vlad lay the baby on the table, unwrapped the blanket, her small legs kicking, small hands groping air. He lifted the knife, turned to face Gloria.
“Games are over. No more stalling. No more bullshit. If you try to pray, I will cut out your tongue. I swear to God I will.” He smiled at his little joke. “Listen to me, and listen very carefully. You will do this, and you’ll do it now. I’m out of patience. Do it now!”
He handed the butcher knife to Gloria, and she dropped it to the floor. “I won’t do it.” He couldn’t stop her from praying in her head. God, it’s been a long time since we spoke. Since I’ve asked you for anything at all. Please get us out of this. Please save Angela and her baby.
She didn’t expect an answer. God had remained strangely silent for most of her life. But if he was there, and if he was listening, maybe he would help her. Though she knew better.
Vlad nodded. “I expected as much. I really can’t understand why you would choose to fight me when you know I always win.”
His calm demeanor was more frightening to her than his anger was.
She tried to lick her lips but had no spit. She sucked in a breath, took a step back.
Vlad picked the knife up off the floor and slowly approached her. Gloria had backed up into the table and clutched it now, digging her nails into the wood.
He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to the floor. When she was flat on her back, struggling beneath him, kicking her legs, he planted his knees on her shoulders, pinning her down. Grabbed her by the hair and pressed the knife against her face.
“The Lord is muh-my Shepherd …” she said, her body shaking, her breath seizing in her lungs.
“No atheists in foxholes. Right?” Vlad dropped his head forward, leaned in to Gloria’s ear. “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
“One thing at a time, I always say.”
He lifted the knife and laid it against the outside of her eye. She cri
nged, tried to move her head but he held her too tightly. She squeezed her eyes shut and felt the point of the blade touch the lid. Less than a second later it penetrated; she felt the blade digging around inside her eye, felt the warm fluid pour from the wound and trickle into her ear. Heard a slight squeaky plop.
Then the pain hit, and she screamed, writhing beneath Vlad, wanting to escape him, wanting to comfort her wounded eye. Then he climbed off, and she pressed her hand against her eye. Eye socket, really. Nothing there but blood streaming from a hollow point in her head.
“Mom!” Angela screamed. “No!”
Gloria leaned forward and vomited. On her hands and knees, she tried to get up but slipped in her own blood.
Vlad handed her a towel and directed her hand to it, pressed it against her wound.
The eye couldn’t be missing. Couldn’t be. This couldn’t be happening.
She managed to look up using her good eye. Vlad was in front of her, his feet planted wide. On the end of the knife he still held was her eyeball.
“Get up, Gloria. Let’s get this over with.”
“No …” she moaned, using the table to pull herself up on quivering legs.
“All right. It appears that torturing you won’t make much difference.” He turned his head in Ryan’s direction. “Fuck her,” he said, indicating Angela. “I’ll fuck her when you’re finished.”
Not even a moment’s hesitation and Ryan was unzipping his pants.
Angela started sobbing, begging her father not to.
“Wait,” Gloria said, extending her hand toward them. Speaking was difficult, exhausting. “Don’t do it. Please.”
Vlad pulled the eyeball off the blade tip and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly, viscous fluid oozing from between his lips. He flipped the knife around in his hand and offered it to her shaft-first. “Do it now, Gloria.”
“Please don’t, Mom …” Angela cried. “Please!”
She raised the knife over the infant, stared with her one eye at the innocent child lying on the cold table. As horrible as the rape of her daughter would be, this was worse.
She slowly lowered the knife.
Wrath James White presents Poisoning Eros I & II Page 6