Page 51 of Marked for Execution
“Old man, if that’s you, I need to ask you something.”
A dry chuckle came from behind a large, battered pillar in the middle of the room. “And why do you think I’d know anything?”
“You’ve probably heard enough of the leader’s ramblings if you’ve been here this long.”
“And you, my dear, should be dead.Quite fascinating.Why come back here? Unless you seek death once more? He might have more answers for you than I.”
This was getting us nowhere.PushingSilibehind me, I leaned down to the man in chains. His beard reached his chest, and his face looked weathered by the sun. “We’re looking for something. Has there been any talk of something being brought into this compound?”
The chains rattled and his wrinkles moved with his smile. “The only thing to be found here will visit soon enough.”
Scowling, I stood back up. What was the point of keeping this old guy prisoner here? What did it serve? Why not kill him off the way they killedSili?Something was not adding up.
Just then, howls filled the night air, ripping the silence of the compound away. I looked atSiliwho stared at the old man. He didn’t move, maintaining his sitting position with his head against the pole he was chained to.
Female screams could be heard as snarls and growls accompanied them. Leaving the building, I pulledSili,running between the houses until we came to the northwest side where three women were tied to poles in white dresses. Wolves the size of small horses clawed and devoured their flesh, maws glistening with blood against the light of the moon. Their innards spilled out onto the ground, making the beasts snuffle and snort with enthusiasm.
Backing away slowly, I keptSilibehind me.
The sound of wet crunches continued, the wolves snapping their jaws against each other as they fought for ripped human flesh.
Right as one howled again, I whispered under my breath, “What the fuck is this? Did you know anything about this?”
We turned to head back towards the prisoner building, when we saw another person kneeling down in front of the dead bodies.A change of shift.His head snapped to us as he yelled, “Hey! Get back here! You killed brother James and brother Lucas!”
Why the hell was this fucker yelling so loudly when there were wolves not far away?
The wolves growled menacingly and came running toward us. We bolted. Throwing a fist at the newcomer's face knocked him off his feet;Silipulled out her blade, jumped on top of him, and sliced his throat, spraying blood into the air. She leaped through the doors of the dilapidated building, and I followed right after her, shutting the creaky door.
The old man cackled as the sound of wolves devouring bone and flesh came from outside. A few minutes went by, and we could hear them pacing, but never came towards us.What was this?
“Seems you’ve met our nightly visitors,” the old man chuckled. “Fun lot, when you keep them fed and happy.”
“Let’s cut the shit. There are rumors of a human group that has acquired some petrified bloodsucker flesh. Do you guys have it here, or not?” I was done with all this shit. This place gave me the creeps.
“Ah, well, that’s all you had to ask.” The old man struggled to his feet, rattling his chains. The wolves growled and howled, but none of them even scratched at the door. Narrowing my eyes, I watched as the old man rolled his neck around. His posture was hunched over, and his body looked malnourished, covered in bruises. He took a few steps towards us with his bare feet and smiled with dirty, broken teeth.
“You, my dear, have stayed on my mind for a long time. Seeing you here only confirmed my suspicions the first day you were thrown beside me.”
“What are you talking about?”Siliasked, her hand still on the blood-soaked blade from her last kill.
The old man came forward until the chains on his legs were taut. The way he glared at her from head to toe made me lift my lip in a curl.
My fist shot out and grabbed him by the neck. His laugh turned maniacal as the wolves started battering against the doors, clawing and splintering the wood.Silipositioned her back to mine, her stance ready for whatever came.
I squeezed the old man’s neck tightly, bringing his face toward mine. “Let me end your misery here, you old fool.” We didn’t need him letting the rest of the compound find out about our mission. Something told me this old geezer knew more than he was letting on.
A black wolf broke through and lunged atSili,who swung her blade. Turning, I watched as the rest of the wolves entered slowly, circling us.
Why weren’t they attacking?
The old man choked something, and I sneered. “What the fuck is going on here?”
He tried to talk, his eyes bulging like they were about to pop out of their sockets.I should just kill him and get the rest of the men out of this damn place.From the High Father to this joker, I was about to lose my mind.
“Drop him, Eliseo,”Silidemanded.
“Why the fuck should I? He’s good for nothing and knows we’re here. I should just kill him.” I smiled as I watched the old man's eyes explode with broken blood vessels, reddening them.