Chapter 69: Chapter 69 – Trouble In The Store
Once we found the spot we’d all been looking for, Runo parked the car in the free parking lot nearby and...
- (Runo). "Try to stay close if you can, since this town is known for occasional outbursts of aggression toward visitors. I’m going to look for a restroom because... I need to go. Anyone coming with me?"
- (Karin). "I will. I need to go, too."
- (Runo). "Okay. Sohen and Phoebe, you guys handle the snacks."
- (Phoebe). "Okay!"
- (Me). "..."
(Grandma is still in a bad mood...)
We went our separate ways to take care of our own business.
A few minutes later, we were in the store picking out food we’d eat soon before heading out again.
I quickly ordered everything we needed and also bought a few extra bottles of cold soft drinks.
Phoebe, for her part, was in the next aisle, just looking at various items that could be bought as souvenirs.
After quickly paying for our order, we were about to leave the store, but at that moment two men in their thirties walked in — slightly taller than me, athletic-looking, and not very friendly.
The two bald men, covered in various Asian-style tattoos, began heading in my direction.
As soon as they entered, the clerk started getting nervous, and a look of panic appeared in his eyes.
With the groceries in my hands, these two guys walked past, and one of them bumped into me with his elbow; after making contact, he turned his head toward me and glared.
- (Guy Number 1). "Get out of the way, asshole, I’m coming through!"
- (Guy Number 2). "Are you the boss around here, kid? Looking for trouble?"
- (Me). "No! No! Everything’s fine."
- (Guy Number 1). "Get the hell out of here, you bitch!"
- (Guy Number 2). "Hey, clerk! Give us some beer and cigarettes. Hurry up, or you’ll get a free ride to the hospital if you mess with us. Got it?"
The clerk quickly started handing over the beer and cigarettes the two men wanted, while they stood there waiting, glaring at me.
(Probably local thugs... They act like they’re the kings of the world..."
- (Phoebe). "Let’s go, big brother..."
Phoebe nervously called out to me to leave, but those two guys noticed my sister and stopped us.
- (Guy Number 1). "Wow! We’ve got a sexy chick here. I didn’t notice her."
- (Guy Number 2). "You’re such an idiot, bro. I saw this babe the moment we walked in. Is she this jerk’s sister? Hah, he’s got some luck."
Suddenly, one of them walked up to my sister and started talking to her.
- (Guy Number 1). "Hey, babe. My name’s Gable. We haven’t seen a beauty like you around here in a long time. My bro and I are big shots in this town, and we love girls like you. What do you say? Don’t you want to leave this idiot alone and do some ’fun stuff’ with us?"
- (Guy Number 2). "Say yes, beauty. We’re great lovers and we’ll show you what real intimacy is."
When one of them got too close, Phoebe took a step back and...
- (Phoebe). "No, sorry. Let’s just leave the store and..."
They didn’t let the girl finish her sentence, as one of the thugs roughly grabbed her small arm by the elbow, while the other, having taken the beer and cigarettes, also began to approach Phoebe.
- (Guy Number 1). "Sweetheart, you must have misunderstood us. We’ve never heard the word ’no,’ and if you want to walk on your own two feet, take my arm and come with us. Got it?"
- (Phoebe). "Big brother Sohen..."
My sister’s eyes widened in fear and she began to tremble, while Guy Number 1 roughly started dragging her by the arm toward the exit.
I quickly set our groceries down on a nearby table and spoke up.
- (Me). "Please stop this and be reasonable..."
Guy Number 2, passing by me, swiftly pulled a knife from his pocket and quickly pointed it at me.
In just a moment, a rather sharp blade was already at my throat.
A single small drop of blood began to flow as the knife lightly pierced the skin and stopped only by the will of its owner, not going any further.
- (Guy Number 2). "You little bitch, you misunderstood me. I told you to get out of this store fast and go cry to your whore of a mother. Are you deaf or stupid? You little shit, tired of living?"
- (Phoebe). "Big brother..."
Guy Number 1 stopped pulling my sister by the arm and turned toward me, then started smiling as pressed a knife to my neck."
- (Me). "Sir, please... Leave my sister alone... I have money, a lot of money in the car right over there! I’ll give you everything, just don’t touch her!"
- (Guy Number 2). "Money... Now that’s interesting. Alright. Hey, bro! Leave her here for a bit. First, this loser will hand over the cash, and if that’s not enough for her, we’ll fuck this babe right in front of him. You get me, kid?"
- (Me). "Yeah..."
Guy 1 actually let go of my sister and walked over to me.
- (Guy Number 1). "Go show us, you pussy, and hurry up! I’m really nervous and ready to kill you right here!"
- (Guy Number 2). "Calm down, bro. Money first, then everything else."
Guy Number 2 took his knife off my neck and slapped the middle of my back hard with his palm.
The three of us started moving toward the exit.
- (Phoebe). "Sohen!!!..."
Phoebe started crying hard as she watched me walk past with the two men.
- (Me). "Don’t worry, Phoebe. Everything will be okay."
- (Phoebe). "But..."
- (Me). "Everything really will be okay, my dear sister. Wait for me a few minutes. I’ll be back soon."
I gave Phoebe the sweetest, most tender smile I could muster, and a few seconds later we were already outside the store.
- (Phoebe). "Sohen... Sohen..."
Phoebe sank to the floor of the store and began to cry bitterly, blaming herself for what had just happened.
Together with the men, we walked on, and a few minutes later, I was at the spot.
- (Guy Number 1). "So where’s your car, bitch?"
- (Guy Number 2). "If it’s a nice car, maybe we’ll take it too? What do you think, bro?"
- (Guy Number 1). "Why not, ha-ha."
- (Me). "Ugh..."
About ten minutes passed.
Meanwhile, Phoebe was still in the store, crying nonstop.
- (Phoebe). "It’s all my fault... just me..."
- (Me). "What are you guilty of, my little crybaby sister?"
Phoebe snapped her head up and saw me, smiling and unharmed.
- (Phoebe). "Sohen!!!..."
My sister quickly stood up and began hugging me tightly.
- (Phoebe). "I’m so glad you’re here! Are you okay? Where did those two jerks go? Let’s call the police and..."
- (Me). "I’m fine, my sweet little sister, and those two guys... they suddenly had an emergency and left me in a hurry."
- (Phoebe). "Really? You’re not lying?"
- (Me). "When have I ever lied to you? Don’t pay any more attention to them, and let’s go look for others."
My sister soon stopped crying, and after I bought her some tissues so she could wipe away her tears and finally calm down, I picked up our groceries again and left the store with Phoebe.
- (Me). "We got a little delayed. Let’s hurry, okay?"
- (Phoebe). "Yes!"
We picked up the pace, and a smile returned to Phoebe’s face.
At the same time, behind the store.
Two men in their sixties, who looked like tourists with gray hair and receding hairlines, were walking past the store and saw a scene that would stay with them for the rest of their lives.
- (Elderly Man Number 1). "Shit!!! Look over there!!!"
- (Elderly Man Number 2). "What?... Oh my God!!!"
Behind the store stood several dumpsters, and in one of them lay two bodies — quite large and athletic, covered in tattoos — and they were... dead, their bodies severely mutilated.
- (Elderly Man Number 1). "I’ll call an ambulance right now, and you go into the store and tell the employee about... what’s left of these two young men!"
- (Elderly Man Number 2). "Right away..."
Meanwhile, in the parking lot where Karin’s car was parked.
- (Runo). "You’re late, my dear grandchildrens. Why did this happen?"
- (Phoebe). "We had an unpleasant incident at the store, so..."
- (Me). "I’ll tell you everything right now."
Sohen began to explain the reason for their delay, while his right hand remained tense from the number of broken other people’s bones that, just a few minutes ago, had been mercilessly shattered by his... cruelty.
