The dim lights cast a hazy glow over the worn tables of the local bar in Wind City. The door swung open, admitting a customer who calmly took a seat at the counter.
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"Frank, give me some booze," the man said, his voice a low rumble.
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Frank, the bartender, poured a generous shot of whiskey. "Haven't seen you in days, Dave," he commented, wiping down a glass.
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Dave lifted his glass, a tremor in his voice. "Yeah, I was inside... The judge dropped my charges, so they let me out."
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Frank smiled. "Good for you."
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"They put a cop to watch me, though, so I'm not fully free, you see," Dave said, the bitterness evident in his tone.
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Frank broke some ice into a glass. "Bummer. I was hoping to see you at the party."
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A shadow fell over the table as another man approached. "I overheard you say you were inside. Mind me asking where?"
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Dave took a sip of his whiskey before answering. "Red Grave."
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The other man chuckled. "Believe it or not, I was there too, in the B section. Released a couple of weeks ago. I'm Dante, by the way."
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Dave laughed. "Really? What were you in for?"
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Dante grabbed a beer from the cooler. "Beat my boss with a chair. He told me to work on designs, then never used them. I stayed there for a couple of months."
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They shared a few laughs before Dave scanned the bar, noticing it was empty. "No ladies?"
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Dante wiped his face with a napkin. "Well, my friends were begging me to meet them at this place called Lastdrop. What do you say?"
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Dave grinned. "Let's go. I bet there are at least some girls there. Good night, Frank."
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They both exited the bar, Frank pocketing the money Dave had left on the counter. As Dante drove, he stopped at a house.
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"Why are we stopping here?" Dave asked.
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"Promised my friend I'd pick him up," Dante replied.
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They got out and walked to the door. Dante rang the bell, he grabbed the key and entered looking for them but there was no answer. He tried calling, but found a text message: "Where are you we are already here."
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Dave scratched his head. "You should have called them before."
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Dante smiled sheepishly. "My bad. Let's roll."
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Dave opened the door, only to find himself rolling onto the ground. He had been pushed by an unseen force.
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Confused and disoriented, he looked up to see Dante standing over him, a menacing glint in his eyes.
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"Wait, why?" Dave stammered, fear creeping into his voice.
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Dante didn't answer. He delivered a swift kick to Dave's stomach, sending him writhing in pain. Another kick connected with Dave's face, breaking his nose with a sickening crack.
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"Please, you're going to kill me!" Dave cried, blood streaming down his face.
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Dante leaned in close, his voice a cold whisper. "Stop crying like a little bitch."
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Dave coughed up blood, his voice barely a rasp. "Why? Please tell me why."
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Dante rained blows upon him, each punch a brutal reminder of his helpless situation. He could feel his ribs cracking under the relentless assault.
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Finally, Dante stood up and walked towards a drawer, pulling out a pair of gloves and a box of matches. Dave knew what was coming. He had been outmatched from the start, but now there was no escape.
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He tried to crawl towards the door, but his broken leg made it impossible. He saw someone standing outside, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes.
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Mustering all his remaining strength, Dave stood up and ran towards the door, screaming for help. But his jaw was shattered, his words garbled and unintelligible.
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Dante delivered another blow, a low kick that shattered Dave's other leg. He took a deep breath, his voice filled with a chilling calm.
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"Remember a year ago? You dated a girl, fed her all that crap about loving her," Dante said, using Dave's own hands to pour fuel on his body.
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"Then you invited her to see the house you'd move in with her, only to rape her. You and three other bastards."
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Dave tried to speak, but his voice was lost. Dante held a lit match to his body, setting him ablaze.
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Dave screamed in agony as the flames engulfed him. Dante watched impassively, his face devoid of emotion.
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After the fire died down, Dante changed his clothes, cleaned the place, and headed home. He checked the door for his keys, found them, and slipped inside, trying to be as silent as possible.
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He made his way through the hallway to a room decorated in a distinctly feminine style, clearly his sister's. He kissed her forehead gently and went to his own room, placing his phone on the charger before falling asleep with a satisfied smile on his face.
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The darkness in the room slowly gave way to the morning sun. Dante rose and closed the window, returning to bed. But a voice broke the silence.
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"Vi, Vi, wake up, it's 8:00 o'clock," a voice called.
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Dante cursed under his breath"fuck"and got up. He showered, changed, and headed to the kitchen, where his sister was already seated.
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"Victor, did you take the car back?" she asked.
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Victor swallowed his sandwich, avoiding eye contact. "How about 'good morning' first? And no, I'll take it after work."
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His sister put down her fork. "Then you need to give me a ride."
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Victor grabbed his keys and dropped his sister off at her therapist's office. On his way to work, he was pulled over by a police officer.
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Victor stopped the car, making sure he had his driver's license and registration ready. He felt a wave of relief wash over him as the officer approached.
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"Sir, may I see your driver's license, please?" the officer asked politely.
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Victor handed over the documents, his palms sweating slightly. "I'm sure I wasn't speeding, officer."
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The officer smiled. "I'm sure I heard him calling you dante yesterday."
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Victor's heart skipped a beat.
[Full book coming next month]
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