Living Among US - Part 2

By the time ah’ve droapped Priya back tae her parents safe and soond. Ah gie massel a well-earned self-congratulatory shiny gold star. Tensions naturally ran high the minute we sauntered through the front door, likes. Wae Priya gittin a detailed step-by-step guide ae the riot act fae baith Aisha and Brian. Although their tongue lashin did quickly turn intae a shower ae relieved hugs and kisses. Whatever wey yae balance this situation oan the scales. Suttin feels oaff aboot that dodgy cunt in the other motor. Ah kin feel it in ma waters. Plus, wae Bruce’s ain Spidey senses rattlin me, n aw. Ah soon decide that it’s time tae act. Within the comfort ae ma Lincoln Navigator ah remove ma mobile fae ma jaicket poacket and ring up Markie. And, as per, he answers straight awey.

‘’Aldo’’ he says, in a lively voice. ‘’Wis jist aboot tae bell yae, mate. Are yae droappin by The Marksman later?’’

‘’Nah, man’’ ah tell him. ‘’Ah’ll see you and the lads themorra. Phonin yae cos ah need a favour, though’’

‘’Anyhing, ma man. Jist say it?’’

‘’Gonnae reach oot tae that copper yuv goat oan the payroll? Ah’ll text yae through a reg plate. Git Kojak tae run it through their system and see what comes back, will yae? It’s pretty fuckin urgent, likes. Mean, it needs tae happen now. Soon as yae git the intel fae him gonnae gie me a bell back?’’

‘’Aye, nae bother, at aw. And is there anyhing else ah kin dae fur yae regards it?’’

‘’Yur gid, pal’’ ah tell him. Wae much sincerity in ma voice. ‘’But, nah. It’s sound. Ah’ll take care ae this personally if need be. Ah’ve jist goat a bad feelin aboot suttin, is aw. But ah jist need tae ken fur sure before ah kin dae what needs tae be done. Speak soon, man’’.

Efter the caw ends ah fire a quick text through tae confirm this boay’s license plate. Ah then hit the road again back tae mines. Awaitin the news as tae whether or no huntin season hus been brought forward this year.

Mibbie around sivin o’cloack. Roughly an hour later. Ma mobile starts vibratin. Yin peek at it confirms its Markie. Ah sneak oaff tae the bathroom tae answer it and tae see what he’s sayin. Carefully loackin the door behind me. Ah immediately run the hoat and cauld taps. Suttin ah usually dae in what is a cautionary measure. Tae muffle oot the conversation fae ma loved yins ears. Never want Rox or Jen tae tune in oan what’s bein said. No, when it’s ma day joab that’s bein discussed.  

‘’Speak?’’ ah tell him. As ah’m sat doon oan the toilet.

‘’Aldo’’ he replies, rather frantically. ‘’Ah dinnae ken what the score is wae this cunt. But yuv goat yin sick fuck oan yur hands here’’

‘’Elaborate, mate?’’ ah probe him, straightenin massel up.

‘’Well, ma copper ran the plate’’ he explains. ‘’ Word is the car belongs tae this wee scumbag cawed, Billy Marsh. He’s a nae gid fuckin nonce. The cunts no long oot efter servin time fur dain unspeakable hings tae a bairn at some caravan park oot west. Ah dinnae even want tae go intae the other twisted shit oan his chairge street. But ah’ve goat his haime address. He steys oan his ain. Yae want, ah’ll pey the bastard a visit in the middle ae the night massel?’’

Ah go quiet, briefly. Awready visualisin the million different weys ah’m gonnae make this fuck suffer.

‘’You still there?’’ Markie wonders aloud.

‘’Aye, mate. Ah’m here’’ ah tell him, snappin massel back intae reality. ‘’Although ah do appreciate the kind offer. But ah hink ah’ll pass. Ah reckon its best ah deliver ma message tae him personally. Yae ken what ah mean?

‘’Aye, mate’’ he says. ‘’Ah do’’

‘’But gone text me the address, will yae?’’

‘’Okay, nae problem, Aldo’’ he concludes before hingin up

Seconds later ma phone pings. It’s the postcode ae the boay who’s gonnae wish he wis still under loack and key.

At what feels like a literal blink ae an eye ah’m stood in this mutt’s gaff. Surroonded by complete darkness. Anxiously awaitin the cunt tae make an appearance. He doesnae disappoint, either. As ah soon hear the soond ae a key turnin and the front door openin. Whilst ah listen tae his fitsteps as he walks inside. Cannae help but hink tae massel how oblivious he is tae the fact that he’s jist been demoted fae the hunter tae the prey. And before he even kens what’s happenin ah enter centre ae stage. Quietly sneakin up behind him ah rattle the cunt wae the butt ae ma shooter. The shitheid instantly folds like a deck ae cairds. Layin spark oot acroass the flair wae blood oozin fae his temple. Ah’m surprised, tae be honest. He’s no exactly resemblin yin ae they grubby wee snakes yae see his kind portrayed as in the movies. In fact, the truth is he appears as an ordinary lookin bloke. Which ah suppose is probably the perfect disguise fur monsters like him tae slither aboot communities undetected. Anywey, it’s aboot time this perty gits started, ah decide.

Ah sit in an airmchair waitin patiently fur sleepin beauty tae wake up. And, eventually, there’s movement. Slowly, he starts comin back tae life. Groggy and terrified he immediately discovers that yin ae his wrists huv been cuffed tae the widden staircase banister. Momentarily, he glares at me wae a blank expression. Nae doot tryin tae figure oot if this is aw jist some soartae bad dream.

‘’Ah hope yae dinnae mind?’’ ah tease him, liftin ma empty mug up in the air ‘’But ah finished oaff the remainder ae yur milk’’

‘’Look’’ he says, tryin tae act calm. ‘’My wife is due home any second now. I have about two grand in a safe upstairs. Uncuff me and it’s yours. And I promise you. I won’t even contact the police’’

‘’That’s cute, Billy’’ ah tell him. ‘’But we baith ken fine well naeboady else is walkin through that door’’.

He stares at me puzzled wae blood still tricklin doon his forehead, ‘’How do you know my name?’’

‘’We’ll git tae aw ae that in due course’’ ah tell him, perchin massel at the edge ae the chair. ‘’But first hings first. Kin ah tell yae a wee story? Suttin that’s been botherin me fur a while now. Yae see, ma stepdaughter’ Jennifer. Well, her biological da showed up a couple ae years back. He started makin threats against ma missus and Jen. Now ah ken what yur hinkin, eh? phone the polis and problem solved. But that’s jist no me, eh? Isnae in ma nature. And this is the important part. So, ah suggest you listen very carefully. Jennifer’s supposed faithur learnt the hard wey that ah dinnae take kindly tae those who want tae herm ma faimily. Truth is ah actually sat and watched as a half dozen ae ma lads went tae work oan him wae an array ae baseball bats. Then efterwards ah hud him buried wae the fishes in Musselburgh”

At the conclusion ae ma wee speech ah stand up, gun in hand. ‘’Ken suttin?’’ ah announce, cheerfully. ‘’It wis as if a huge weight hud been lifted oaff ma shoulders. A problem shared n aw that’’

‘’Why are you tellin me this?! I don’t want to hear it!’’ he screams, pathetically thrashin at his cuffs.

Ah suddenly step forward taewards him. Adoptin a maire serious tone, ‘’Cos Billy, ma auld son. You’re the yin person ah ken who will never breathe that story tae another livin soul’’.

He hesitates at first; his mind is clearly racin. Until, that is, he arrives at the right conclusion.

‘’Wait’’ he begs, huddin his free hand up in the air.  ‘’Please don’t do this. I don’t even know you’’

‘’That young Indian lassie you wur tryin tae chat up earlier. Ring any bells?’’ ah remind him. ‘’She’s ma niece’’

In what is a last-ditch attempt tae save his ain skin, he goes oan the defensive, ‘’I don’t know what she’s told you but she’s lying. I only offered her a ride home. It’s the truth, now let me go?’’

‘’C’moan eh?’’ ah say smirkin. Drawin closer tae him. ‘’We baith ken yae hud suttin much darker planned fur her. And before you go intae denial again. Suttin that wid only enrage me further. You should ken that before yae arrived back haime. Ah checked yur oaffice upstairs. Ah foond yur fuckin portfolio oan ma niece and her mates…Photaes tae!’’

By now he kens he’s well and truly cornered. He’s fuckin convinced ae it. So, the scumbag starts dain what aw cowards dae in a situation as bleak as this. He starts hysterically throwin his entire weight backwards. Scream violently as he does so. The fuckin widden banister snaps under the force and suddenly he tries tae make a run fur the exit. Ah react fast, though. By sweepin his legs fae under him which hus him feebly laid oot oan his back again. Silly cunt starts pointlessly crawlin acroass the laminate. Wae me stood behind him. Shadowin his every movement. He’s at ma mercy. We baith ken it. And eventually he makes it acroass the room, cowerin in the corner.

‘’Please, don’t shoot?’’ he whines and moans, wae tears fillin his eyes.

‘’Shoot yae?’’ ah chuckle, tuckin ma piece intae back waistband. ‘’Is that what yae thoat wis gonnae happen? Nah, dinnae be daft. Cos there wis yin hing ah left oot fae ma biography earlier. Yae see, back in ma younger days ah wis savage. Oh, aye. A total fuckin psychopath. No, these days, though. These days ah jist need tae make a phone caw tae make a problem disappear. But given that your what ah wid call a special case. Ah hink bringin back the auld Aldo fur yin night only is rather fittin. Wid yae no agree?’’

‘’What the fuck do you mean?!’’ he trembles and stutters.

Ah crouch doon tae peer deep intae his frightened gaze.

‘’Well, you should ken ah took the liberty ae settin up a wee workshop through in that bedroom ae yours’’ ah inform him. ‘’And ah’m no gonnae sugar coat this fur yae cos the fact ae the matter is ah dinnae need tae. Ah’m gonnae take yur eyes, yur tongue, and ah’ll leave yur mind tae fill in what yur gonnae lose nixt. Then and only then um ah gonnae really start tae make you suffer. And efter aw that pain and sufferin you’re aboot tae endure you’re gonnae take yur final breath lookin intae ma eyes’’

‘’No, I’m begging you… I’ll hand myself into the police’’ he squeals, pissin in sweat.

Ah stand straight up, ominously hoverin over him, ‘’Interesting fact aboot the filth and gangsters. We aw hate fuckin pedos. If yin ae your lot turn up lookin like a Grizzly chew toy. The polis jist file it under ‘who gives a fuck’’

That’s when lean doon and grip him by the ankles. Draggin him intae ma impromptu DIY torture room. His heids bangin oaff the flair and he’s squirmin. Desperately tryin tae grab oantae anyhing he kin. Pure fuckin comedy, if yae must ken. And yince ah finally git him in the room ah slam the door shut behind us. Ready tae show this monster that there’s a true price tae pey fur aw his crimes.