Story 31/1001

• drag
• nuclear
• bloodshed

Malik entered the long driveway of an abandoned mansion. This wasn’t his first time here. He already knew where he had to park, who he had to call, what he had to say.

He waved towards a group of men and got out of his car.

“In the trunk?” One of them asked. Malik nodded.

“This one shouldn’t be damaged.” He looked at Malik while the other two walked towards the trunk.

Malik frowned and locked the trunk with his keys.

“Payment first.”

“Look at our little Malik.” One of the two near the trunk said, smiling. “I remember when your brother had to drag you here, and now you demand payment.”

“You did grow up.” The other near the trunk said. “Your brother raised you well. Good for you to continue in his footsteps.”

The first one took some money out of his pocket.

“You’re not afraid anymore.” He said. “Every time I saw you, back then, I thought you would piss your pants.”

A loud scream echoed. He was right. Before his brother’s death, Malik would be scared of everything, especially screams like these.

“She’s a feisty one.” He smiled. “Your brother’s death changed you for the better.”

Malik just looked at him. These words would annoy him, if he wasn’t preoccupied with more important things.

“This girl.” Malik spoke. “She’s his daughter, right?

The three looked at each other.

“And you’ve become smarter.” The first one said and handed him the money.

“What will you do with her?”

“Look, Malik. You know how this goes. And even this conversation is above your paygrade.”

“He killed my brother.”

“I know. We know.”

“You got the money.” The other one stated and lightly patted the trunk doors.

Malik hated them. He hated all of this. He hated how calm they are when a girl was crying and yelling in the trunk. He hated how they got accustomed to this kind of life. He hated how they smiled while a girl he just kidnapped from her dorm room thought she will die.

“Hey, we know how you feel. We all want to see you get your revenge. But don’t go all nuclear on us. Let the boss handle this one.” The first one said, putting a hand on Malik’s shoulder.

But what Malik hated the most was his brother’s killer.

Malik unlocked the trunk and took the money.

They got the girl out. She was screaming and kicking, but in a split moment between her screams, as they were dragging her inside the mansion, she locked eyes with Malik.

Malik froze.

He heard those words loud and clear.

“Dad didn’t kill him. I loved him.”

They heard them, too. The three picked her up and ran to the mansion.

Malik opened the back seat door. Under the seat was a metal bat. He knew what this meant. Even the boss will not forgive this bloodshed.

But he needed to get that girl.

Malik smiled.

This isn’t his first time here, but it will be the last.