Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
“You know what our fathers think of us doing this without telling them.”
Nevio snatched the lighter out of Alessio’s hand, with a cluck. Alessio tried to get the lighter back from Nevio and they began to shove each other, but I could tell they were high on adrenaline and not out for a real fight. Massimo let out a shrill whistle from the bedroom of the caravan to get their attention. “They have quite a stash of weed here. No wonder they didn’t want to sell the caravan.”
Nevio and Alessio went over to him, completely forgetting about the lighter they’d dropped during their grappling match.
I put it in my pocket and sank down on the steps of the caravan and looked off into the distance, trying to ignore the bodies sprawled on the ground in my peripheral vision.
When a pained yowl caught my ears, followed by another and then an ear-piercing scream that sounded almost human though I knew it was a dog, I began running, not even thinking about it. I’d never run this fast in my life but I knew I didn’t have much time. I turned a corner into an abandoned alley and my pulse jerked higher, adrenaline spiking higher than I’d ever experienced. Two men stood over a dark dog which was crying like a baby and twisting on the ground, obviously unable to get up. One of them poured liquid over the dog from a canister. Gasoline. They were going to burn the dog alive. The other kicked the suffering creature into the side. Shrieking, I stormed toward them and barreled into the man with the canister. He stumbled backward and fell over his own feet, landing on his back, spilling the rest of the gasoline over himself.
“What the fuck, you fucking cunt!”
His friend laughed. “Tiny girl wants trouble.” He made a move as if he wanted to kick the dog again. I lunged at him, the rushing in my ears quietening down until there was nothing. Until I felt nothing, until I heard and saw nothing but the poor creature on the ground and the two monsters torturing it. He laughed again, widening his eyes comically.
“Fuck, help me. I’m covered in gasoline!” the other man screamed.
I collided with the guy but he braced himself for the impact. He gripped me by the hair and held me away from him, then he slapped my face hard.
“Motherfucker!” Nevio roared somewhere behind us in the alley. Then three sets of steps stormed toward us.
I didn’t feel the pain in my scalp or anywhere else. I stared up at the guy and then I sunk my teeth into his arm as hard as I could. He roared and released me but I didn’t let go until a piece of his flesh ripped off then I dropped to the ground and spit it out.
The dog lifted its head a couple of inches, meeting my gaze. His hind legs looked broken and his tail was burnt. I shoved my hand into my pocket and took out Alessio’s lighter. I met the gaze of the man on the ground who was trying to get out of his gasoline-soaked jacket. With a flick of my thumb, I opened the lighter, bringing the flame to life. I watched it snatching at the air hungrily, ready to destroy and consume.
The man’s eyes latched on to mine, growing wide with panic. “No, plea—"
I hurled the lighter at him. With a whoosh he burst into flame.
I watched as he jumped to his feet, screaming at the top of his lungs, hitting at the flames that were ripping at his flesh. He staggered toward us.
“Damn it!” Nevio snarled. He picked up a steel rod from the ground and struck out like a baseball player, hitting the burning man’s head. As if a plug had been pulled, the burning body dropped to the ground. I watched as the flames consumed the body.
“Your turn,” Nevio told the other guy, taking out his knife.
“Make it quick but painful,” I heard myself say as I crawled over to the dog and touched its neck. It trembled. “We need to get the dog medical help.”
“Quick isn’t my thing,” Nevio muttered but his eyes were on me with an intense worry I’d never seen on his face before.
Massimo stepped forward, pulled out his raptor claw and dragged it along the man’s abdomen. His bowels spilled to the ground. “Done.”
“Where’s the next vet?” Alessio asked.
“Call our doc,” I said. Our Camorra doctor was always the quickest to respond to emergencies. Even if this wasn’t a human patient, he’d come if we called.
They exchanged a look but Massimo picked up his mobile and agreed upon a meeting spot with the doctor close by. It was one of the fully equipped hospital rooms that the Camorra had all over the city.