Chapter 47

The last time he was at this address was to shove the note under the door and that was a quick in and out. This time though, with what he had planned, it would take somewhat longer. The putrid smell, meandering up his nose was one he hoped he would never have to endure again. Reaching the door, he listens to make sure The Rat is alone. The last thing he needed is to have barged in and come face to face with a group of drunken squatters. Hearing the tele making a racket but no voices, he knocks on the door.

Opening the door, The Rat, with his usual charming look, sways in the doorway.

"Oh hell I've not seen you in a while, what do you want now?" slurs the Rat

"We need a chat can I come in?" says the mystery man

The flat was dirtier than ever and nothing had changed except for the crates of lager, piled up like a Lego block tower, in the corner.

"What did you do Rat rob a brewery?"

"I came into some money so I thought a little drink was in order" sniggers the Rat

"Forget the drink I think soap and deodorant would have been more apt considering"

"Who would believe an old tart could make so much money in one go?" slurs the Rat

"You mean your girlfriend? I heard you make money from her. Speaking of her, where is she?"

"I have no idea at the moment but she will be back soon enough to make more cash, before the beer runs out, hopefully" he grins

Picking up a packet of cigarettes from the table, the mystery man lights up and takes a long slow drag. Standing in front of The Rat, sitting on his ripped stained chair, he exhales directly into his face and proclaims

"I'm surprised she let you use her in that way"

"She didn't really let me, she needed a little persuasion and, let's say, an altered state of mind"

"Oh yeah, I heard that you liked to use some techniques. Something like this I believe"

Planting a foot square in the middle of rats' chest, pinning him to the chair, he pushes the red-hot cigarette into the Rat's neck. The smell of singed hair and melting flesh nearly paralleled the smell of the flat. The pain signals, sent to the Rat's brain, instinctively made him open his mouth to scream. Picking up an old sock, stuck to the floor, the mystery man stuffs it into the Rat's mouth.

"Now now, we can't have you screaming can we, I'm sure your girlfriend didn't. Oh wait that's right I forgot, she was doped up so much, the pain probably didn't register"

Trying to catch his breath, The Rat puts up his hands in protest and tries to speak but the sock just muffles his voice.

"Now you are protesting. What happened when she protested? This, so I have been led to believe"

He didn't see the punch coming and when the clenched fist contacted, square on the Rat's jaw, it threw his head violently to the left then snapped back like the head of a nodding dog. The wrenching and gargling in the Rats throat was making it hard to breath and not wanting it to be over too quickly, mystery man pulls out the sock.

Spitting blood out with force, the spray hit the wall along with a couple of teeth, and dropped to the floor.

With eyes wide as saucers, the tears were now streaming down his face mixing with the stream of blood dripping from his chin. The Rat flicks his tongue through the gaps where teeth used to be and begins to beg.