Chapter 22 K-nine Justice

Ruth’s blood went cold at 'Throw her to the dogs!'

She whipped her whitish hair back and screamed in anguish. The men holding her tightened their fingers and pulled her away. Ruth cried loudly the whole way upstairs. Because of her, Muriel was going to die just like her family. What hurt her the most was that, despite being younger than her, Muriel reminded her of her mother.

She was just as sweet and selfless—maybe even more than her mother. Because of her, Ruth forgot her suffering. Muriel gave her hope. She gave her life just when Ruth was sure that she was going to die. Now because of her, Muriel was going to be punished severely.

The guilt tore her heart to shreds. How she wished that her tears were blood instead of the disgrace they represented. Perhaps that way, she would have at least bled to death. The pain burning inside of her convinced her beyond doubt that she was never going to stop crying for Muriel.

Ruth shrieked at the sharp pain running across her abdomen. She stopped walking and bent her knees in an agonizing moan. The men forced her up, but she shook her head in despair. The more they tried to get her to move, the more the pain intensified. The men exchanged anxious looks and then nodded their heads at each other.

Together, they carried Ruth up the stairs. They hurried their way back to Ruth's room and laid her on the bed. One more man came rushing in with a briefcase.

Through her tears, Ruth saw the third man pull out an injection from the briefcase. He held his hand up to the light and stuck it into a tiny bottle. The sound of thunder roaring momentarily drowned Ruth's cries.

A set of hands held down her shoulders and another cold pair fixing her ankles in place. What followed next was the stinging feeling of a sharp needle penetrating her pale flesh. Ruth curved her neck and gasped at the painful liquid rushing through her veins.

She couldn't hear what the men were saying because only her heart beat filled her ears. Her vision turned blurry. She blinked once, twice, but nothing. The raspy voices around her turned abnormally deep.

She slightly turned her head but soon realized that she couldn't bring it back up. Her whole body couldn't respond to her desires. It was like she was dead. Darkness began to fill her sight and it brought forth great fear.

God, I deserve everything that is happening to me. This is why you have forsaken me. I no longer feel the excruciating pain in my belly but the one in my heart still lingers. It hurts so much that I just want to die. Perhaps I am already dead. That's why you aren't paying attention to me right?

Muriel, she... what did she do wrong by deciding to help me? She is a saint. A flower amongst thorns and a ray of light in the darkness. Why must she die for my sake? Why must everyone die because of me? I am still mourning my family God and now her death should be added to my burdens too?

God, I haven't asked anything from you since I got here because I assumed that you just didn't care. But please, don't let Muriel die. Don't forsake her like you have forsaken me.

Everything faded to the black.

****

Muriel could barely move her legs. A man roughly yanked her arm forward as they walked. Hendricks was right behind them scowling at Muriel's back. Muriel dropped her head down low and leaned onto the man holding her for support.

He grunted in disgust and shoved her back before bringing her face back to a tight slap. He felt wetness on his hand and gagged.

They finally got to a door. Hendricks wasted no time in opening it. A basement with no staircase was revealed. The stench of rotting meat filled the air. The aggressive growling from beneath brought a smile across Hendricks’ wrinkled face. He snatched Muriel away from the other man and smirked at the shiny eight eyes below.

Their jaws dropped drool. Daring wrinkles spread around their noses. They held their tails up and kept their hungry eyes on the three humans above—waiting for their next meal. Beneath their powerful paws of muscle were human bones covered in sand.

"Now, you will finally join your mother and father." Hendricks snickered, forgetting that Muriel couldn't even hear him.

Muriel didn't even struggle to free herself. She stared blankly at Hendricks through her hair. He threw her into the basement and banged the door closed to excite the dogs more. Hendricks laughed heartily at the loud and aggressive barking that followed. He dusted his hands clean and sang a tune to himself as he walked away.

"You are glad to finally get rid of her, Father?" the man smugly asked him.

Hendricks turned back and winked at him. "She has always been a burden to me. Good riddance."

****

Muriel crawled to a corner and hugged her legs. She watched the dogs fight amongst themselves for who was going to eat her first. Sadness was all she felt. It wasn't for herself but for Ruth. Once again, she failed to save her beloved.

A tear escaped her left eye, and she quickly wiped it off with the pad of her thumb. Muriel sniffed but more of her tears poured. She hoped that the dogs would just hurry up and put her out of her misery. Her life, after all was meaningless.

The dogs clawed and bit each other whilst Muriel helplessly looked on. Three of the four were locked in a fierce battle. Muriel observed two biting and charging at a dog that had its tail turned to her.

Even if it was two against one, the dog fought with all its might. Muriel was so caught up in the ongoing battle that she didn't see the fourth dog approaching her until it was too late.

It pounced on her and pinned her down. Muriel closed her eyes and turned her face away. The dog opened its jaw to bite her but was sent flying into the wall. The dog that hit it got over Muriel and growled at the other dogs narrowing in.

It had fire in his eyes; a look so daring and vicious. It furiously barked at the other dogs. One was bold enough to jump at it but it was slammed down and clutched in between jaws by the neck.

Muriel crawled away from the dogs and took refuge in a corner. The dog released its jaw and the defeated one ran away whimpering with its tail in between its legs. The remaining two dogs backed away but kept their eyes on the dog standing in front of Muriel. When it was certain that they weren't going to attack, it turned back to Muriel.

Muriel's brown eyes locked with the dog's dark eyes. Now that she trapped herself in a stare off, she had to keep it that way. Breaking eye contact was a sign of weakness and at that moment, it wasn't an option. In as much as she wanted to die, dying at the jaws of a beast was terrifying.

The dog took four steps forward and Muriel held her breath. It suddenly dropped its ears and whimpered to Muriel's bewilderment. The dog lowered its head with its tail in between its legs and Muriel got on her fours. The moment she set her eyes on the scar on its chest, gasped in disbelief.

A chocolate birthday cake with eight pink candles brought a smile to a little girl. Her mother and father happily sang happy birthday to her in their simple and modest home. Another man sat away on a couch. He wasn't singing along but watching a football game whilst downing a beer.

He rolled his eyes at the girl's mother helping the girl to cut her cake. Taking a gulp of his cold one, he watched the mother get fed cake. The father was next and they all cheered. As tradition, the next ritual was present giving. The mother set a present on the table and the little girl beamed with joy. She squealed at the doll in it much to the annoyance of the loner changing the channel.

The father set another box on the table and for some reason, it was shaking. The little girl looked at her mother surprised, but she sweetly tucked her hair behind her ear and gave her a kiss on her forehead. That gave the little girl the courage to open her present. She lifted the top off and peeped only to receive a warm tiny lick on her nose.

She dropped her jaw surprised at the adorable German shepherd puppy barking at her and then clapped her hands happily in excitement. That only made the TV's volume get turned up. The little girl hugged both her parents in content. They smiled at each other mirthfully and ushered the girl back to her dog that was struggling to get out of its box.

Muriel blinked once and returned to the reality of the scar in her face.

Blood—everywhere. Her hands red from touching the bodies of her beloved parents on the carpet. Deep wounds covered their once warm bodies. Barks rang in her ears, but she was too busy staring at her shaky hands.

The attacker stood talking away on the phone. He had a smirk on his face and his eyes were as cold as ice. The blue shirt her father bought for him was covered in blood just like the machete hanging loose in his hand. The man cut his call and flashed a smile at the little girl. He dropped the machete and slowly made his way to her.

He took one uninterested look at the bodies and tucked the little girl's hair behind her ear. With his two fingers, he softly moved her chin to face him. The tears that wet his fingers didn't bother him. He just pulled the girl close and hugged her tight.

"Don't worry, uncle Hendricks will take care of you from now on."

Muriel stretched out her hand to the dog and it leaned closer whilst the other dogs just growled.

"Don't hurt me, I promise that I will be a good girl from now on!" she cried.

"No!" he exclaimed. "You must be punished for your meddling."

Hendricks grabbed Muriel by her hair and threw her to the ground. He took off his belt and whipped her as she screamed. Suddenly, a dog sank its teeth into Hendricks’ hand. He hissed at the pain and tried with all his might to shake the dog off.

Hendricks reached into his pocket and pulled out a dagger. Muriel screamed in anguish at the whimpering dog with a deep cut on its chest. She crawled to it but her hair was pulled back.

"Take that thing away and shoot it." Hendricks ordered a man and Muriel let out a cry of pain.

"Please don't hurt her." she cried on her knees.

Hendricks snatched her off the ground. "You think you can change my mind?" a devious grin crossed his lips, "Because you are my niece, I will show you mercy. You will not hear your dog die." he laughed hard.

Hendricks dragged Muriel into a shed and banged the door closed. Her deafening screams didn't drown the sound of the gun shot that scared the birds out of their nest.

Muriel hugged the dog and it happily whimpered as it licked her face. It dropped Muriel to the ground, and she giggled merrily at it. She still couldn't believe it. 10 years went by after that incident. The bubbly dog backing away from her as she sat up filled her heart with so much joy. Muriel smiled brightly and gently held the side of the dog's face. She tickled its ear and it licked her face.

"Fiona," she called out.