Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
“You fly above vulnerable and weak people, those easily manipulated, but your favorite prey ain’t half dead or weak at all… It’s the crème de la crème. You prefer to feast on those with somethin’ special that you wish you personally possessed. Since they’re from your bloodline, it makes accessibility easy and manipulation grand. You back them into a corner, and then you gobble them up, Cyrus. In some strange way, you believe if they’re under your control, you’ll be able to take on those special gifts and talents. Consuming that which you desire…”
Grandpa cocked his head ever so slightly to the left and looked deeply into Kage’s eyes. He knew that look. It was the look of agreement, but also a piping hot hatred—a ‘How did Kage know?’ sort of look.
“You first woo them—meaning me and my cousins first. The love bombin’ stage, as my fiancée calls it. Then, you break them! You break ’em so bad that they’re at the point they can barely lift their head due to embarrassment, pain, and shame.”
“You’re talkin’ crazy.” Grandpa chuckled. He said the words in a convincing way, but Kage knew better. “Eatin’ and breakin’ folks.” He tsked. “If I survive this insane time with you, your ass is goin’ straight to the funny farm, for life! How ridiculous!”
“Everything you lacked, Cyrus Wilde, you tried to form in your children. But they’re people. Human. Not Voodoo dolls. You were at times disappointed, never blamin’ yourself, though. Instead, you blamed them for not livin’ up to your expectations. When you didn’t get everything you wanted, you focused on the grandchildren—us boys in particular, believing that we were your second chance at bat. You can deny it all you want, but you see us as mere extensions of YOU. We were never our own people in your eyes!
“You made a promise to God, an oath, you say? But you did it without our consent. You tried to take away our free will. Naw, Grandaddy, I don’t want to play with my food, motherfucker. This ain’t play time, and I ain’t here to play no games. Ain’t nothin’ about me that says I’m a motherfuckin’ Nintendo, or some got dang toy. I’m a hunter, sir. A fine one, at that. I study. I select. I stalk. I snare. Then, I slaughter!”
He punched the old man in the face, then shoved his head deep below the current as Skip James’ sang ‘Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues.’ When he plucked him from the water, a trickle of blood ran from Grandpa’s nose. The two men looked at each other for a long while, neither saying anything.
“Do you know what they did to me in that fuckin’ hospital?! They’d deprive me of sleep for days on end. Kept me up in a bright lit room with strange noises goin’ all hours of the night. They hooked me up to bizarre apparatuses, and hurt me. They’d strap me to my chair, let me sit in a soiled diaper like I was some vegetable. They’d ask me a bunch of crazy questions, and if I didn’t answer the way they thought I should, they’d put me in a dark closet for hours, days, one time for over a week. Sometimes I wouldn’t get any water for a day or two. Sometimes I’d only get a tiny bit of food… punishment for tellin’ them how wrong they treated some of the patients that couldn’t fight back.
“They’d secure me to a bed and pump me full of drugs. Sometimes it would make me sleep for so long, I’d wake up and days would be gone off the calendar, even though it felt like I’d only been out for five minutes. They’d make tiny cuts all over my body. That’s why I started gettin’ tattoos in the first place! To cover all the scars! I use art to erase them from my body, and create my own story! They lied to Mama. Would tell her I had a contagious illness so she couldn’t visit, or drug me up real good before she came so I looked and sounded as crazy as you made me out to be! Like I was out my fuckin’ mind. They were on your payroll, so they did whatever you said! I wasn’t crazy when I went in there, BUT WHEN I CAME OUT, I WAS OUT OF MY GOTDAMN MIND! You put me in that hospital because I saw the REAL YOU!”
He dunked Grandpa’s head back into the water, slamming it hard against a rock. He yanked him back up, and glared at the old man. His face was now covered in weeping cuts and scratches. Looks familiar… only he gets no artwork to cover it up… Water driveled down Grandpa’s face, looking like braids made of clear liquid.