A Kidnapping - Menace - 22.10.19

Shhhp, shhhp goes the broom. The air is still, perforated by the faint, still lingering smell of decaying flesh. Shhhp, shhhp the broom goes, as the shards of broken glass and pottery are swept aside. As the day draws to a close over Old Town, Menace and Carl are still busy tidying up the wrecked pawnshop. Shhhp, shhhp goes the broom.

The lifeless body of the undead that had come to haunt them had been disposed of. Menace’s friends had taken their leave, after an eventful day of chasing leads throughout the town to find his kidnapped apprentice, following the cryptic instructions of a ransom note that demanded a series of good deeds in exchange for his apprentice’s life. Some good (and bad) deeds later, they had found Carl, and the corpse-walker, back in the pawnshop, where after a brutal fight the undead that Menace had instantly recognized as Brokenose from Daring Heights, had been put to final rest.

“I think this will do.”
Menace sets the last pieces back on the shelf, the selection of pawned wedding bands once more ready to sing their song of broken promises to the gathering dust.
Carl still sweeps the floor of the small store with utter determination. Shhhp, shhhp.

“Carl, put down the broom.”
He walks over to the boy, and stops the broom mid-sweep. Shhhp.

“Look at me.”
The boy hesitantly lifts his head. He has grown during his time with the boss, shaken that haunted look of malnutrition - but at this moment, he looks as ashen as a dead body.

Menace goes down on one knee, levelling with the boy.
“I am sorry this happened to you. None of this should have touched you. And yet it did. I am sorry that you got caught up in my problems.”

Carl sobs quietly. He has learned a long time ago not to show weakness on the streets. Weakness makes you a target for the older urchins. Weakness begets pain. But right now, none of that matters.

“I am sorry I told him about you, Mr Mace! He… he broke into the shop when I was still setting up. Came right through the locked door as if it was nothing! Barged in, pinned me to the wall; I was sure he was going to kill me right then and there…”
The boy’s eyes have gone glassy, going back to a memory he would rather have never revisited. “And then… he sniffed me. Like a dog! Sniffed me, and said “you are not the one”. Must have cold-cocked me, everything goes dark after that...”

Menace puts his hands on Carl’s shoulders, “go on.”

Carl sniffs back the tears, “I came to a bit later. I couldn't see, he put a bag over my head. He asked me about you, boss, what you do, where you go… I...” he pauses, but Menace squeezes his shoulders to encourage him to go on. “It’s ok, tell me.”

“I told him. I'm sorry, Mr Mace! I told him all I knew, i didn't know what else to do!” Carl says, tears running down his cheeks, diverting his eyes in shame.

“You listen to me.”
Menace grips the boy’s shoulders harder, capturing his eyes, drawing them toward him.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
He stares right at the boy, his flint-black eyes focused, holding his gaze and not letting go.

“You did everything I would have wanted you to, Carl.”
The boy’s tears’ continue to flow, but he holds his gaze.

“This is not your fault - it is mine. I am sorry that you got dragged into this. None of this should have touched you. None of it will again. I promise you.”
He draws Carl into his embrace, hugging the apprentice that has grown to be far more than that.

“I promise you. Whatever this was, I will stop it.”
He hugs Carl tighter.

“Whoever did this, I will make him pay.”
Menace hugs Carl closely, knowing deep down who really is responsible for this.
We have work to do...