Chapter 27 FIVE: Revenge

It was midnight, and Kevin sat outside Pittsburgh bar, drinking himself to stupor. He sat there to process all that Leonard had said to him; it was just too much information to take in.

Just then, he painfully remembered Lena’s body hanging from the ceiling. Then he took a sip from the bottle of vodka which sat on the table before him— wincing as the fiery liquid found his tongue.

After a moment, the thought of his earlier encounter with Leonard was erased momentarily from his memory, but that of Lena hanging from the ceiling lingered like a parasite that just won’t go away—devastating him even more. He then blamed himself for their death; Lena, Mirabel, and Loretta even. If he hadn’t shown up in their lives, maybe they’d still be alive.

He woozily dropped the sixth vodka bottle, causing the rest on the table to rattle. “Another bottle, please!” he hooted to the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper went in to get his order. Kevin felt woozy as he stared at the empty bottles sitting on the table before him. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and his hands were shaking. Everything around whirled before his eyes. Thought he saw a masked figure standing at the dark corner—watching him. But then, he quickly brushed his fingers across his eyes, and turned to look again. This time it was just a tree.

I really got to stop drinking, he snorted.

Soon, the shopkeeper arrived with the vodka and set it down on the table before him. His lips carved out a scornful smile as he handed a dollar note to him. After the shopkeeper took the money, he turned to leave, but stopped.

Turning to look at Kevin, his face lit with recognition. “Hey… aren’t you the guy that got beaten up pretty badly the other day by Shady and his gang?” he remembered.

Kevin bit his lower lip, not uttering a word.

“You really should get going cus it’s getting pretty late. Shady’s gang would likely show up soon, and you don’t want to stick around when they do.” the shopkeeper warned.

Kevin gazed at him, a giddy expression on his face. “Look…” he tossed an empty bottle at him. “I appreciate yooooouuu trying to look out for mmmeeee… and all, but,” he slurred, pointing his shaky fingers at him. “Yooouuu reeeally need to mind your own business, okay?”

Seeing how wasted he was, he knew nothing he says would make any sense to him. The shopkeeper immediately left without a word.

The road seemed dark and empty. And the only sound heard from a mile was that of the wind howling in the trees. A stiff wind blew in his direction, slashing his face. Again, the gruesome image of Mirabel’s disfigured body filled his conscience. It made him puke. He cleaned his mouth with a towel.

Kevin thought about Mrs. Lena and how he couldn’t save her. Suddenly, he felt a powerful rage, one he couldn’t control, coursing through every nerve of his body. Veins popped out of his neck, and he swept the empty bottles sitting on the table, throwing them to the ground. He yowled as he turned the table over, breaking the bottles.

“Hey!” The shopkeeper rushed out and picked up the bottles. “Are you crazy?” he cried.

He heard Kevin laughing hysterically, and it puzzled him. The laughter intensified for a moment, then he stopped. “It’s all my fault!” he sniffled, the corners of his mouth quirking down.

“It’s all my fault!” his voice getting louder. Tears fell from his eyes, rolling painlessly down his face. “They would still be alive if I hadn’t shown up in their lives.”

The shopkeeper gazed at him, a perplexed look on his face. “Go home dude, you’re wasted.”

He picked up the last bottle from the ground and walked back into the store. Locked up the store, leaving Kevin to sit alone in the chilly waft of the night. Then all became still.

Kevin thought he heard a distant scream echoed. Quickly turned to see where it came from but found no one in a distance. He relaxed and listened. Then he heard the scream again, this time a bit louder than before. It sounded like a cry—someone was troubled, or in trouble.

He got up and walked right ahead, paying close attention to where the cry was coming from. The air grew colder with every passing second. Kevin tightened his jacket, but it did little good. He soon came upon a familiar group of thugs sexually assaulting a lady. They had ripped her dress, and she was standing half-naked amongst them. Kevin quickly recognized them—the same group that’d raped Natasha.

He felt a sudden surge of anger coursing through his veins when he saw them raping a lady—another innocent victim. Folded his fingers into a tight fist and kept them at his side.

“Hey!!!” his voice echoed across the street.

And they all stopped and quickly turned to look at him in grim curiosity and awestruck wonder.

And when he had gotten their attention, he snarled at them. “Let the lady go!”

The thugs jeered at Kevin. One of them, who had recognized him, pointed his finger. “Hey! Ain’t that the guy we were beating up the other night before his friend showed up, shot Shady in the leg, and took him away?”

Silence fell.

“Yeah. That’s him!” he heard another affirmed.

They left the lady and started walking towards him, slowly, silently, spreading out to surround him. She quickly made a run for it, leaving all her possessions behind. Whimpered as she ran, thankful for the stranger who had stepped in to save her life. She was unwilling to glance back—not even for a second.

“Hey punk.” another called out to Kevin with a hushed voice, a scornful look on his face. “Where did your friend take Shady, huh?”

“Where is our friend, Shady?” another yelled out at him.

Kevin glanced about, looking at their faces. They had surrounded him, and one of them hustled him. “Look man, you deaf? We’re talking to you, answer up!” he barked in Kevin’s ear.

One of them clutched his arm. “Yoo, answer up before I do something terrible to you.” he threatened

Kevin glared at him. “Get your hands off me.” he warned, voice sounding dangerously low.

A stale smell hung in the air and the thug quickly covered his nose, a foul look on his face.

“Gross. What have you been drinking?”

Kevin’s eyes narrowed at him. “Get your hands off me, I will not ask again.” he repeated.

Moving closer, until he came nose-to-nose with Kevin. “Or what…” he spoke to his face. “You are going to kill me?” he quipped. Turning around, he laughed, and the rest joined in.

And when he returned his slightly amused gaze to Kevin, a punched he hadn’t expected found his face. He stumbled back, feeling woozy from the blow. The thugs immediately stopped laughing when they saw this.

Kevin turned to him, raised an eyebrow, and simpered. “Yes, I’m going to kill you.”

He recoiled in shock, surprised at his confidence. Blood trickle down his nose. As he stood up from the ground, he groaned in pain. He touched his face with the tip of his finger, that’s when he realised he was bleeding.

Turning to look at the rest of the group, he scolded. “Y’all just going to stand there and watch this dude punch me in the face and then do nothing about it?”

They set into motion, charging at him. From the corners of his eyes, Kevin saw one of them pick up a long branch and sauntered towards him.

“I’m so going to enjoy beating you, just like the last time.” The thug who’d armed himself with the branch said in an over-friendly voice. “Your friend won’t be here to save you this time. Too bad.”

He swung the wood at him, but Kevin caught it in mid-air and crushed it to pieces with bare hands. “Who said I need help to kill you all?”

“What the hell!” his eyes widened.

It was at that moment that he noticed Kevin’s eyes were deeply colored. It felt like staring into the eye of a beast. Moving away from Kevin, he sounded scared. “What the hell are you?”

Kevin lunged forward, clutching his neck and sweeping him off his feet. “The last creature you’d ever set eyes on.” he answered.

His nails grew into claws, piercing into his neck. It drew blood. He piped up as Kevin squeezed his neck with powerful claw, his legs wiggling in mid-air at the intense pain. In an instance, Kevin tore his neck out, his head dropped and blood trickled down his lifeless body. He tossed him aside, and the rest watched in horror at what just happened.

Hair sprout from Kevin’s skin and his body structure grew bigger. A tail dropped from his back. His large fang became visible as he let out a terrifying roar which echoed off the dark streets. The thugs turned ghost white, and at once they leaped away from him. One of them staggered backward and fell, then quickly got up—terrified of what Kevin had become.

“I’m out of here.” he bawled.

Heart pounding against his ribcage, he turned to run, and Kevin gave him the chase. Swept him off his feet after he caught up with him. The thug fell hard on the floor, landing face first. Kevin grabbed him by the neck and slowly lifted him off his feet.

“Please man, let me go—don’t kill me.” he pleaded, visibly trembling in fear. “I am begging you, man. Please, don’t kill me.”

Kevin took a second to look at him. Feeling nettled from the constant pleading, he snapped his neck as if he was nothing, then tossed him away. A thud sounded behind after his body dropped. He turned to glare at the rest of them.

They huddled together, shivering in fear. They knew not to move. One of them peed his pant when Kevin started walking towards them. He wasn’t in a hurry to kill them all. He wanted to hear them beg first before he killed them.

One of them quickly picked up an iron rod and charged at him, while the rest watched in horror at such bravery. Kevin trotted towards him—faster than his eyes could process, and kicked the rod off his hands, grabbing his neck.

He struggled to break free, but then Kevin squeezed his neck. The helpless thug gurgled as his vertebrate tore through his neck—eyes wide and wild, then his head dropped. Kevin tossed him aside and turned to glare at the remaining two, his lips peeled back in an ungodly smile.

They remained unmoved at the spot which they stood; for they were too scared to run. Both their legs were trembling as Kevin walked towards them. His intention was obvious to them now. He plans to kill them all. One of them ran in the opposite direction, away from Kevin.

Kevin kicked up the iron rod lying beside his feet in his grip. Then he threw it with such powerful force—as if it were a spear. The rod struck into his back while he was trying to escape. It came out through his chest and pinned him to the ground as he fell. His blood pooled around him.

Kevin walked up to him, and pressing his foot to his back, he pulled the rod out, then turned to look at the last guy—the one whom he had punched earlier. He was still on the floor, looking up at Kevin in horror. Sweat shimmered on his forehead as he watched Kevin sauntering towards him—with the rod in hand. Blood dripped from the pointy end of the rod as he walked.

He crawled away from him, a pitiful look on his face. “Please…” he begged, his voice sounding low. “Have mercy.”

“Have mercy?” Kevin—puzzled, stood before him, sneering at him as he watched him beg for his life. “Like the mercy you showed to all those women you’ve raped?”

“Please, I’m begging you, I don’t want to die.” he sputtered.

Kevin raised the rod and wiped his face with it, silencing him. His jaw broke. Controlled by an unrestrained rage, he stabbed the rod forcefully through his eye. The rod broke through his skull and pinned him to the sandy ground. Kevin looked around at the piles of bodies that surrounded him, then walked away.