Chapter 9 - Crucified

Chapter 9 " Crucified

There was a panic throughout the small town which awoke Scott from his slumber.  He felt the cruel and incessant itch of multiple mosquito bites on his feet and ankles, joining the ones on this a*s from the night before.  He scratched them uncontrollably reddening and breaking the skin. He stood up still scratching, bleary eyed and with the foul liquid still lingering on his palette he peered out from behind the make-shift blind.  Pulling back the black plastic sheet nailed to the window frame he looked out into the street.  With the sun stinging his squinting eyes he saw a crowd some were running others just walking a quick pace.  All the street was heading in the same direction though, the town square.

Scott looked around the room for his clothes with another question reverberating in his mind why am I naked?  Not a lot of details remained about his night drinking at Roy’s as was often case in that particular cantina.  He found his jeans and hurriedly pulled them on followed by his crumpled grey t-shirt and brown boots in between scratching his bites and coughing.  He quickly checked that he still had his meagre possessions then made his way down the stairs.

He rubbed his boots together as he walked in order to try and quell the irritation of the bites but to no avail.  He emerged out of the door and in the blinding light of the street, his eyes took a moment to adjust and pick out anyone.

‘What’s going on’ he said to the first person he could grab.

‘I don’t know, something bad’ he excitedly said without breaking stride.

Scott followed the path and pace of the excited mob towards whatever site he was about to see.  He emerged into a hushed silence on the main square where it seemed the whole town had congregated, and immediately it was apparent why. 

A man had been had been strung up against the virgin walls of the church. The building was now no longer as white as it was the previous day. The man was hanging by his neck from a rope which encircled the church steeple.  Steel nails fixed his legs and arms to a crude misshapen cross in the same fashion as the deity depicted inside.  He was hanging high, belly sliced open letting his entrails fall to the floor.  The rancid stench attracted every stray dog, and flying insect in the area while scavenging birds were watching on waiting for their time to feed.

His face was almost unrecognisable as human, holes where his eyes once dwelled, his nose could have only been cut off with a dull blade, and his skull smashed leaving his head deformed. His limbs twisted and broken, naked, this gruesome monument was on show for all to behold. Scott looked up instantly recognised this mutilated mystery figure, those toes, those gruesome twisted toes and those curled yellow toenails.

It was the beggar he had shunned the day before, looking down as he sighed a surge of guilt swept through him over the way he had behaved towards him.  Blood trickled down the high white wall leaving a crimson trail to the mess of innards below.  Upon his chest had been carved a crude letter J.  The crowd rumbled as they looked upon this horrific spectacle, Scott knew who was responsible for this.  The beggar was not the first and definitely would not be the last body to be found with a J carved into it.

He tried to steal a glimpse forward through the swelling mass of people, he could see a small group of Policia standing in front of the body.  Some were busy shoeing away the pack of stray dogs while others looked up unsure what to do.  He could also see Betty with child in hand berating them which was a pretty bad idea for anyone.  Luckily they were too preoccupied with the horror above to react with any aggression towards her.

He ambled forward seeking a familiar face in the herd, all were mesmerized and scuffling for a better view of the show.  Bodies pressed tightly against Scott’s as he pushed his way forward.  The heat built with every step he took further into the frantic masses.  Each step further into the frenzied excitement.

Some were disgusted by the site and appalled that such a thing could have happened but most were fascinated and excited.  With all this commotion no-one has noticed a long black car pull up at the edge of the square.  Its crisp black paint was matched by its black windows, hiding the passengers of this official vehicle.  It was adorned with a shiny chrome trim and one small flag on the front.

The flag of the Official State Police, they would only get involved in the most serious of crimes and this was definitely serious.  A huge spectacle in the middle of a town of the most horrific order.  An amplified and distorted voice called out from the megaphone on the cars roof.

‘Make way,’

The crowd turned to see the black vehicle and fell silent and with just those two words they parted a gap the width of the car.  Two men dressed in white emerged from the far side of the car running round to stand each side the rear door facing away the crowd.  One opened the door while the other sprang open a black umbrella, out stepped a man dressed entirely in black.

His immaculate shining boots, his straight trousers, his crisp shirt, all as black as the car he emerged from.  He stood up tall paused a moment to pat down any wrinkles in his clothes, adjusted his hat then cast his gaze forward through his thin rimmed dark round glasses.  Without reaction to the site he cleared his throat and stepped forward with his two underlings stalking his every step.  They made sure he was well attended with shade and that the crowd were not within a few yards brandishing batons and fierce gazes.

The only thing that wasn't black his chalky pale face which in contrast looked as lifeless as the beggar hanging above.  His leisurely stroll brought him to the front with the crowd closing back in around him.  The small mob of disorganised Policia were trying to look as professional as possible standing to attention with mistimed salutes.

This man in black stopped and opened his jacket he pulled a small white packet out.  He then opened it pulled out a long pure white cigarette and pushed it to his lips.  At the instant it touched flesh a flame was at the other end provided by one of his faithful servants, he inhaled once and blew out a light blue trail of smoke.

‘Well get the poor f****r down, come on!’ his voice gravelly and explosive.  The small mob of policia sprang into disorganised action, running to where the rope was secured to.  All getting in each other’s way, one of them pulled out a knife and cut through the rope.

The cross structure and man plummeted to the ground causing further mutilation already battered the corpse.  ‘What the f**k are you doing? He yelled, ‘you retards better have this mess cleaned up quickly.’  The confused looking band of policia rushed back towards the body forming a wavy line in front of it as if to obscure it from view.

The man sighed, ‘you, come here’ he pointed at the closest policia and he rushed to him, ‘turn around’ the policia responded.  ‘Now, bend over’ he hesitated and half turned back around, ‘bend over,’ he repeated in a more stern manner and the policia complied.  His second underling produced and opened a briefcase inform of him, the man in black pulled out a document and an elegant pen.  He placed the document on the policias back and signed the paper following it with a rubber stamp.  ‘Ok, stand up and face me,’ the policia turned back around, the man separated a page from the main document ‘here is your copy, now clear this area and dispose of the body.’

A voice shot from the crowd ‘what are you going to do about this!?’  

The underlings ran to the edge of the crowd where the voice had come from with baton drawn and hate in his eyes.

‘Who said that?’ the man in black demanded an answer scanning the crowd for the offender.  The crowd was deadly silent and still each person trying to blend in to the next.

‘I did!’ shouted the voice.

The man stepped towards the voice with the crowd moving out of the way as the trio moved towards them.  Finally a lone figure remained in the space left by the retreating crowd.  It was Betty.  She looked up to the tall man’s powdery white face.  He took another drag on his cigarette removed his glasses and looked her up and down before frowning about the baby strapped to her chest.

‘Go on’ He prompted.

She quivered and looked down then repeated much quieter and with less gusto than before ‘What are you going to do about this?’

‘Do?’ he asked seemingly puzzled, ‘I’ve done, the report is complete and filed.’  He paused taking another puff, ‘this is a case of suicide.’  He opened his voice and posture out to address the crowd.  ‘A troubled and destitute beggar has hung himself,’ he said to the dumbstruck and now rumbling crowd.

He turned and began his slow journey back to the waiting car, the crowd scattering as he and his men advanced.  ‘You can’t do this’ Betty said with her bravery returning as she called out.  The dull din of the crowd began to rise.  He continued to walk away paying no attention to her words, his work was done here and it was time for him to leave.  He stepped into the back on the dark car and it pulled away.  Only two things were left, confusion and a clean and tidy police report recording a man’s suicide, signed and verified.

The volume increased as the car moved further and further away rising to a hysterical incoherent jumble of noise.  The remaining Policia brandished their batons and took a swift swing at anyone that got slightly close to them.  Many of the crowd began to disperse with the spectacle now over and their curiosity met.

‘Scott!’ A voice emerged from the crowd, it was Mike along with Carlos who had seen the action unfold further into the crowd.  ‘This is fucked’ said Mike, ‘did you see that mess up there’ he enquired.

‘Yes’ replied Scott ‘this is too far, they can’t keep getting away with it’

‘No-one will do anything, they are totally protected by the Policia and their f*****g father’ said Carlos.

‘F**k, Come on let’s get out of here, you can smell him from here’ said Mike.

Is he just pretending nothing happened last night?

‘Where’s Puerco?’ Scott asked Carlos.

‘I don’t know I’m not his mum’ he snapped and after a pause ‘He’s doing garbage today.’

‘Lets go to Roys,’ suggested Mike

‘No not again, never again’ said Scott coughing out a chuckle.  He was already looking for Betty in the crowd and ignoring the confused faces of the pair. 

Carlos laughed ‘Puto! Ok, how about the ridge.’

‘Just wait here a second, I will be right back,’ said Scott.

Scott pushed against the now rapid stream of people getting away from the main square.  As one of the faces stopped in front of him, he stopped.

‘Scott’ said Karla

‘Oh, Hi’ his cheeks reddened

‘where are you going’ she asked

‘Oh, it doesn’t matter’ he replied

The awkward silence drowned out the sound of the stampeding crowd.

‘Pretty terrible, right,’ said Karla

‘Yeh, it’s f*****g crazy’ said Scott

‘How’s the bike,’ he smiled

‘It’s good thanks,’ she said

‘Yeh what you done to it,’ asked Scott

‘Just slowly fixing up your mess,’ she laughed and Scott Frowned.  ‘No, seriously, I’d like you to show me how you did a couple of things if that’s ok?’ she said.

‘Yeh sure,’ said Scott, ‘I will come over some time.’

‘Scott come on, let’s go,’ shouted mike. 

Scott looked around and most of the crowd had dispersed and there was no sight of Betty anymore.  ‘Well, I better go,’ said Scott.

‘Yeh, Ok, I will see you around,’ Said Karla

‘See ya,’ he said and walked back over to Mike and Puerco.

‘Are you coming or what’ asked Carlos

‘See I know it, you must have fucked her,’ said mike and began to thrust his crotch forward, ‘ugh, ugh, ugh.’

Scott shook his head, ‘I will see you guys later,’ said Scott, ‘I’ve got to work on the bike.’  He zoned out a little as he caught a glimpse of Betty through the people walking from the square and didn’t really take in what Mike said next.

‘Hey come on’ said mike, ‘I’m sorry about last night if that’s what you’re sulking about.’

It wasn’t quite the apology he was hoping for and he was too hungover to discuss it anymore.  He let it go but the bad feeling still hung in the air like the smell of the beggars innards.  ‘It’s not that’ said Scott, ‘I’ve got to get the bike working, really.’  He saw her again in the distance.

‘OK,’ said Mike, ‘well do you wanna grab a drink then Carlos? It’s the weekend man.’ He was already walking away towards Roy’s.

‘I guess…’ said Carlos, ‘see you later Scott’

‘Ok, Bye’ said Scott without looking and started walking towards where he thought Betty was.  There she was walking off the north side of the square to his left.

‘Betty,’ he shouted as he ran over.  ‘Are you alright,’ he asked and for the first time he could remember she wasn’t smiling.

‘I can’t believe it Scott, who would do something like this?  Well we know who.’ Said Betty

‘Yeah, animals’ said Scott

‘And those f*****g Policia’ said Betty, ‘and that official, they don’t care about any of us, they just ignore it all.’

Scott shushed her, ‘just calm down, you were lucky they didn’t hit you before, if you didn’t have a baby… well you know what they are like,’

‘Yeah…’ she said, ‘Do you know who that poor man is?’

The beggar who I called a stinking b*****d, ‘erm, I don’t know’ said Scott.

‘It’s terrible that’s for sure, anyway I better make some deliveries, the car works great by the way’ said Betty

‘Well it was Trevor who did it,’ said Scott

She smiled, ‘I will see you soon.’

He watched her walk away a little too long and gathered a few disapproving looks from passers-by.  They were right everyone did notice, he was a pervert.  He imagined someone telling her what he was doing and grimaced.

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Reviews

[Cyndy Robinson]

Still enjoying the story, but alas I have come to the end of it for now. Until you write more....Well done.