Ferret parked the van at the curb across from the Loud house and killed the engine, cutting Aerosmith off in the middle of "Same Old Song and Dance." Krog climbed into the passenger seat from the back and lit a cigarette. The smoke was harsh in his lungs.
For a long time, they sat in silence, watching the warmly lit house across the way, the smoke from Krog's cigarette hanging heavy in the still summer air. The only sounds were the occasional dog barking, and the low, constant whimpers rising from the cargo hold. Ferret scratched his crotch and looked at Krog. "Come on," he said, "let me have a swing."
"No," Krog said flatly.
"Come on, Krog. I'm hard again."
"I said no." Krog shot him a menacing look, and Ferret backed down.
Krog didn't want Ferret's dirt paws on Leni. He liked her. She was his.
Krog was a fair man. He gave Lori completely to Ferret.
Taking a deep drag, Krog thought back to the hour they spent parked in the garage across from their apartment, a work light hanging from a hook in the cargo compartment to provide illumination. Krog took Leni, while next to him, Ferret took Lori. The scrawny, rat-faced man yelled and hollered as he conquered Lori, bucking like a cowboy. With Leni, Krog was more quiet. He turned her over so that her face was buried in the matted shag carpet, and whispered sweet nothings to her as he worked. "You're a virgin, aren't you?" he panted at one point. She shuddered and sobbed.
"You are." He laughed. "Biggest dick you'll ever have."
"Only dick she'll ever have," Ferret said, and they laughed.
Krog was so lost in the throes of his orgasm that he didn't notice Ferret strangling Lori until he was pulling his pants up. The teenager's cut and bloodied face was blue and bloated.
"I think you got her," Krog pointed out as he lit a cigarette. Ferret continued choking her, then thrusted into her.
"I ain't done yet."
Krog shook his head and looked down at Leni, who hadn't moved. Her bare butt-cheeks were red and raw. Krog didn't remember slapping them, but he must have.
A few minutes later, Ferret finished with Lori, and rolled off of her. Krog knelt beside her and felt for a pulse.
There was none.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Ferret," he said, "you broke your toy."
"I'm just gettin started," he said.
Krog turned back to Leni. She was facing away from her sister, hitching. Krog grabbed her by the hair and turned her head around. "Say goodbye to your sister," he said, and grinned.
Leni moaned and looked away.
Krog took a long drag and leaned close to her ear. "Don't worry," he whispered, "I'm not like Ferret. I won't break you. Yet."
He yanked up her panties, which had hitherto been around her ankles, and pulled her skirt down. Patting her on the butt, he cuffed her hands behind her back and went over to Lori. Her eyes were open, bulging. Krog looked into them, and wondered what the girl saw. Heaven? Hell? Nothing?
Ferret hopped out of the van and pissed against the wall, moaning contently as he did so. Krog grabbed a beer and cracked it open. He watched Leni as he drank it.
"You thirsty, Leni?" he asked.
She didn't reply.
Krog finished off the beer and grabbed another. He went over to Leni and knelt. "Here," he said, grabbing her by her hair and turning her over. Her eyes were screwed shut, her lips trembling. Krog popped open the beer and poured it on her face. She choked, gagged, and threw her head back and forth. Krog took dark delight in the act.
"Drink up, sweetie," he said with faux tenderness, "we got a long night ahead of us."
Now, Krog watched the façade of the Loud house from the passenger seat of The Murder Machine, a cigarette forgotten between his lips. He saw shadows through the front windows.
"You understand the plan?" Krog asked.
"Yeah," Ferret said, "I got it."
The plan Krog had been formulating all afternoon was brilliant in its simplicity: They were go in, ask to use the phone, and corner the parents. Ferret would back the van into the driveway while Krog tied them up. Ferret would come in with Leni and send her to get her siblings. Once they were all gathered in the living room, the fun would begin.
Krog was sure the Louds would cave to a little strong-arming. Middle class people like them were soft, and would fight back, especially if you could (and would) kill their loved ones.
Krog finished his cigarette and tossed it out the window. He looked at Ferret. "You ready?"
Ferret nodded and grinned. "More than I've ever been."
Krog got out, shut the door behind him, and went around to the back of the van. He opened the double doors, leaned in, and grabbed a backpack. Inside were knives, duct tape, rope, and a hammer. Ferret appeared, and grabbed a wicked looking knife from a drawer, which he then tucked into the back of his pants and hid under his shirt.
Leni was facing them, her eyes still closed.
"You do anything to make me mad," Krog told her, "and I'll kill your entire family. Understand?"
She made no sign that she did.
"Understand?"
She nodded mechanically.
"Good," Krog smiled, and slammed the doors.
"Let me do the talking," Krog said as they crossed the street. Crickets and bullfrogs chirruped. Somewhere down the block, someone yelled and laughed. Traffic sounds drifted from a nearby overpass.
At the front door, Krog took a deep breath and put on his most charming smile. From inside, he could hear a TV. He knocked, shot a look at Ferret that said Don't fuck this up, and waited.
A few moments later, muffled footfalls approached the door. It opened, and a chunky woman with short blonde hair appeared. Krog couldn't help but notice the resemblance to her late daughter. But where Lori was a hardass, mama looked soft.
"I'm sorry to bother you," Krog said, "but my brother's van broke down and my phone is dead. Can...can we use yours? We'll be done in three minutes, Scout's honor."
Krog smiled and held two fingers. That was the scout's salute, wasn't it?
"Sure," the woman smiled, "come in."
Krog nodded his thanks and entered, Ferret behind him. The living room was wide with green carpeting and white walls. Framed pictures hung on the walls. Through an opening, he could see the kitchen. A man in a green sweater and a frilly pink apron was busy fixing the evening meal. Krog couldn't suppress a smile. The only man in the house was a henpecked faggot. Perfect.
"The phone's in my office," the woman said, leading them to a door near the bottom of the stairs. She opened it and snapped on a light.
Krog took stock of the space. A big oaken desk dominated the room. A computer, printer, and several other pieces of equipment Krog didn't recognize crowded the desk's shiny plain. Papers were stacked here and there. Through big bay windows framed by green curtains, Krog could see the street.
"The phone's right there," the woman said, pointing to it.
"Thank you," Krog said, flashing a smile. "I really appreciate it."
The woman went away and Krog pulled the door most of the way closed. "This is easier than I thought it would be," he said, grinning.
Ferret shrugged. "They don't look like they've ever seen guys like us." He tittered.
Krog peeked through the door crack, and saw the woman sitting in an armchair facing the TV. Over the back of the couch, he could only see the top of her blonde head.
"Rip the phone jack outta the wall," Krog said. "And shut those curtains."
Ferret nodded, went over to the phone, and ripped the line out of the phone, then pulled the curtains closed.
Krog poked his head out the door again. "Excuse me, ma'am?"
The woman looked up.
"The phone's not working."
"Okay."
She got up and came over. Krog opened the door, and once she was in, he shut it again and he jabbed the gun into the small of her back.
"Take it easy," he said lowly, "do what we say and no one gets hurt."
She tried to speak, but instead of words, she produced only a shocked, shuddery sigh.
"Watch her while I get papa bear," Krog said.
Ferret pulled out a knife and grinned. "Come here, mama." He wrapped his forearm around her neck and pressed the knife against her side. She closed her eyes and fought to control her breathing. Just like Leni, Krog thought darkly.
Before leaving the office, Krog poked his head out and looked around. The living room was empty. No one was on the stairs. He heard what sounded like the faint strands of a guitar coming from the second floor hall, but other than that, nothing.
He looked back over his shoulder, made sure that Ferret had a handle on Mama Loud, and then slipped into the living room, closing the door behind him.
In the kitchen, he found Mr. Loud slicing a side of uncooked beef into tiny pieces. One of the kids was sitting at the little dinette table near the backdoor, a small blonde girl in overalls and a backwards baseball cap. She was drawing a picture with crayons, focusing on her artwork like it was a patient and she a neurosurgeon.
Papa Loud noticed him. "Hi," he said.
"Hi," Krog smiled. "Your wife said I could get a drink of water. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," Papa Loud replied. "Glasses are in the cabinet over the sink."
"Thank you."
Krog got a glass, filled it with water, and drained it. He sat it on the counter and went over to the little girl and bent down.
"What'cha drawing there, sweetie?" he asked.
"A diagram of my jeep," the girl said without looking up. "I have to replace the tire rod, and that means I'm going to have to find a way to open 'er up without breaking the chassis."
Krog chuckled. "That's cute."
He looked over at Papa Loud. He was back to cutting beef.
Making sure no one else had appeared, he pulled the gun out, put it to the little girl's head, and dragged her out of the chair by the back of her overalls.
"Hey!" she cried indignantly.
Krog spun around to face Papa Loud. He turned, and paled when he saw the gun against his daughter's head.
"Take it easy," Krog said softly, "I'm not here to hurt anybody, but I will if I have to, okay?"
Papa Loud opened his mouth, but Krog cut him off.
"Go into your wife's office. I'll be right behind you. If you try anything, I'll blow this little bitch's brains out. Understand?"
"Let me go!" the girl growled, thrashing in Krog's grasp.
"Lana," Papa Loud said cautiously, "do what he says."
"You better listen to your daddy," Krog said. "Because I am not in the mood for games."
He looked at Papa Loud. "Go."
Papa Loud nodded and went to the office. Krog was right behind. When papa opened the door, Krog shoved him in, dragged Lana behind him, and shut the door.
Mama Loud sobbed when she saw the gun against little Lana's head.
"On your knees, asshole," Krog told Papa Loud.
He dropped to his knees.
Mama started to speak, but he cut her off. "It'll be okay, honey. Just do what they say. You too, Lana."
"Get over there next to your mother," Krog said, shoving Lana in her direction. He knelt, took the backpack from Ferret, and took out a length of rope. "Make sure she doesn't try anything, lady," Krog said as he bound Papa's hands. "If she does, I'll kill all of you."
When Papa was immobilized, Krog slapped duct tape over his mouth and made him lie down. Ferret watched, nuzzling against Mama Loud's neck, smelling her hair.
"Mom?" Lana started.
"Shhh," Mama replied. "It'll be alright, baby."
"On your knees, mom," Krog said. Ferret let her go and grabbed Lana by the back of her overalls. He smiled at her.
"You're a cutie."
"Please don't hurt her!" Mama said. It wasn't exactly a shout, but it was too loud for Krog's liking. He punched her in the back of the head and forced her face into the carpet.
"Mom!" Lana yelled.
"Shut that fucking kid up," Krog growled.
Ferret clamped his hand over her mouth and pulled her closer to him. Her head, Krog noticed, just reached his crotch.
"You be quiet, baby doll," Ferret cooed, "or we're going to kill your mommy, your daddy, and all your sisters. Okay?"
Krog worked quickly, wrapping rope around Mama's hands, and taping her mouth shut. When he was done, he got up. "Pull the van in." He smiled down at Mama and Papa. "And bring Leni."
Their eyes widened.
He took hold of Lana's overalls and casually pressed the gun against her forehead. She cringed.
Ferret nodded, peeked out the door, and then disappeared.
"What are you going to do to us?" Lana asked seriously. Her voice was unsteady.
Mama and Papa both were looking at them, furiously moaning against the tape.
"Well," Krog said, "I figure we'll just rob the place and leave. If you're good. If you aren't, we'll rob the place, stab all of you to death, then leave."
Lana gulped.
A few minutes later, Ferret pushed Leni through the door, looking nervously over his shoulder. He closed it behind him.
"Sit down, Leni," Krog said.
Gaze downcast, Leni went over to the desk, sat down, and leaned against it.
"Leni...?" Lana started, worried.
"Do you want us to tie you up too, Lana?" Krog asked. "If not, shut the fuck up and stop talking."
"What next?" Ferret asked.
Krog lit a cigarette and inhaled. He looked over at Leni and then back to Ferret. "It's all up to her."
He went over, knelt beside her, and stroked her cheek. "Leni, I'm going to have you do something for me, okay?"
She made so sign of understanding.
"It'll make the difference whether you and your sisters live or not."
Leni looked up at him. Her eyes were red and hollow. She looked older, as though she had aged twenty-five years in the past three hours.
"Can you do something for me?"
She nodded.
"Okay," Krog said, taking another drag. "I want you to go and get your sisters. Tell them to come downstairs and to bring their cellphones. Does everyone have a cell phone?"
He asked that of the Loud parents. Papa shook his head.
"Lisa, Lola, and Lana don't," Leni said weakly. "And Lilly."
Krog nodded. "Alright. So that leaves Lucy, Lynn, Luan, and Luna, right?"
Leni hesitated, then nodded.
"Alright. If I don't have four cellphones in my hand when you come back, I'm going to start cutting fingers off."
Leni trembled.
Krog untied her hands and stood up. He went over to the Loud parents and made sure their bounds were tight. He then nodded to Ferret. "Leni, go get your sisters. Except Lilly. Lana, come with us."
Before turning the light off and closing the door, Krog looked at the Loud parents. "By the way, I lied. We're going to rape and kill all of them. Nighty-night."
The closing door silenced their frantic, muffled screams.
Leni walked slowly up the stairs, holding the bannister for support. Her ladyparts were sore and chaffed. Her butt still stung from Krog's lashes. She remembered Lori, her face blue and her eyes bulging, and let out a watery sob. She paused, fought to collect herself, and got moving again. She had to be strong. She was the oldest sister now. Her younger siblings needed her like they never had before.
Forcing back tears, she got to the top of the stairs, went over to Luna's door, and opened it. Luna was lying on her bed with a pair of headphones on. Luan was reading a book. Luan looked up, and a look of worry crossed her face.
"Leni...are you okay?"
Leni nodded. She tried to speak, but her lips were quivering, and she knew she would cry. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and whispered, "Mom and dad want you downstairs. Bring your cellphones."
She closed the door and went to Lynn and Lucy's room. Lucy was writing in her notebook while Lynn read from a Sports Illustrated.
"Leni," Lynn said, concerned, "what happened? You look like shit."
"Mom and dad want you downstairs," she whispered again. "Bring your cellphones."
She went to Lisa's room and opened the door. The little girl was standing by Lilly's crib with her hands on her hips. Inside, the baby was asleep.
"Shhh," Lisa said, and came to the door. When she saw Leni's face, and the rips in her clothes, she started. "Leni, is something the matter?"
"Go downstairs."
At Lola's room, she found the little girl primping at a mirror. When she saw Leni's reflection, she turned. "What do...?" she trailed off when she saw her big sister's condition. "Are you...?"
"Go downstairs."
She was just opening Lincoln's door when the fog in her brain parted and she remembered the revelation she had gotten earlier, when Krog told her to get her sisters.
Lincoln.
They didn't know about Lincoln.
For the first time since Ferret grabbed her and threw her into the van, something like hope rose within Leni.
She opened the door and poked her head in. Lincoln was reading a comic book.
"Leave me alone," he said without looking up, "I'm almost..."
"Lincoln."
Something in her voice must have caught his attention, for he looked up. When he saw her, he went white. "Oh, my God, Leni, what's wrong?"
"Where's your cellphone?" Leni stammered.
Lincoln blinked. "It's...I think I left it downstairs."
Leni's heart dropped. "Damn it." Tears sprang to her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
He was standing now, coming to her. She grabbed his by his shoulders. "Listen carefully," she said. "There are two very bad men downstairs with guns. They killed Lori and they're going to kill the rest of us."
Lincoln fell back a step as if she had slapped him, his eyes going wide with fright.
"They don't know about you." She tittered, the tears coming faster now. "They don't know about you, so you have to get help. Get out of here and get help. Hurry."
Lincoln tried to talk, but couldn't find the words. Men with guns? Lori...dead? It didn't make any sense. It had to be a dream.
"Go out the window," Leni said.
"I-I can't. It's stuck. Lana was supposed to help me with it."
Leni opened her mouth, but Krog's voice silenced her. He sounded like he was at the bottom of the stairs. "Leni and Lisa Loud, you're needed in the living room."
Leni's eyes went wide. She looked around for something, anything.
"The vents! Get in the vents! Crawl to the basement then go out the hatch."
Before Lincoln could protest, Leni scooped him up and carried him to the air vent over his bed. "Open it!" she hissed.
Coming alive, Lincoln pushed it open and scurried in. Then his face filled the opening. "Leni...I'm scared."
"Don't be," she said, and tried to smile. "it'll be okay."
She hurriedly turned the light off and closed the door. She remembered the yellow and black SISTERS KEEP OUT sign on the door, pulled it down, and shoved it under the door. Now it looked like a linen closet and nothing more.
Heart crashing, she went back down the stairs. Krog was waiting at the bottom, his hands on his hips. When he saw her, he smiled.
"What took you so long, Leni?"
"I...I had to use the bathroom," she lied. "Did Lisa come down?"
He nodded. "Yep. The gang's all here."
Leni breathed a sigh of relief.
The gang's all here.
God, Lincoln, hurry.
Krog escorted Leni into the living room. Ferret stood watch over the Loud girls, a sharp knife in his hands. Luna, Lucy, Lynn, and Luan were on the couch, Lynn's ankle wrapped in an Ace bandage. Lana and Lola were perched upon either arm. Lisa sat in Luna's lap, hugging her sister tightly. Leni cringed at the look of terror on her sisters' faces.
She noticed the way Ferret was looking at Luan, his eyes wild and his tongue caressing his chapped bottom lip, and anger rose in her. She must have tensed, because Krog dug his fingers into her shoulder, "Do anything and everyone dies."
When they reached the couch, Krog forced Leni to sit at Luna's feet. He smiled at her and kissed her on the forehead.
Next, he walked over to Ferret and stood next to him. "Good evening, Loud house. I bet you're wondering why you're here. You wanna tell 'em why they're here, Ferret?"
Ferret smiled stupidly. "We're gonna have a party, Krog. A real party."
Krog nodded. "Hear that? We're going to have a little party. Parties are fun, right? You in the purple boots, you look like you party. Do you party?"
Luna glared.
Krog walked over to her. Leni looked up at him. She could reach out and squeeze his nuts to death if she had a mind to.
"Come on," Krog said gently. "What do you have under mattress? Pot? Coke? H?"
"Nothing," Luna said. "For you."
Krog smiled and shook his head. He looked over his shoulder at Ferret. "We got another live one."
Ferret tittered. "You know what happened to the last live one."
Krog nodded. "Why don't we show them?" He got up and went back to the head of the room, his arms outspread like a dark Christ. "Why don't we show them what happens when you get feisty?"
He took the gun out of his waistband, and the Loud girls visibly flinched. Krog laughed and handed the gun to Ferret. "If anyone moves, shoot 'em."
He went to the office, opened the door, and disappeared inside. A moment later, he reappeared with a captive: Papa Loud.
"Dad!" Lynn cried.
"Leave him alone!" Lana.
"Daddy?" Luan.
"Come on, daddy-o," Krog said, "I need you to help me with something."
He led Papa Loud through the living room. He looked at each of his daughters and tried to reassure them, but the tape muffled his voice.
In the kitchen, he opened the door to the attached garage and shoved Papa in. "Be right back!"
He closed the door and marched Papa to the back doors of The Murder Machine. Holding his shirt with one hand, he opened the doors with the other.
When Papa Loud saw Lori sprawled in the cargo compartment, he let out a long, muffled cry, and sagged.
"In we go," Krog said, ignoring him.
When they were inside, Krog made Papa Loud lie face down next to his daughter. His horrified eyes drank in the terrible sight. He started to weep.
"She was feisty," Krog said and he rummaged in what he had come to call "the toybox." "She was tougher than some men I've killed."
He found what he was looking for, and snapped the lid closed. "I didn't kill her, though. That was Ferret. I let him have her, and he let me have Leni."
Krog laughed as he settled down next to Papa Loud's head. He pulled a cigarette out, lit it, and inhaled.
"Ferret has the biggest crush on Luan." He laughed. "It's cute. He's like a little boy. I don't get what he sees in her myself. Braces and an overbite? You know who she reminds me of? Butt-Head. You remember Butt-Head, daddy-o?"
Papa Loud moaned and thrashed.
"I don't normally like them so young, but Lana's cute. She's another feisty one. I guess in a house with so many girls and no sons, some of them have to step up." He took one last puff of his cigarette, and crushed it out on the back of Papa Loud's neck. Papa cried out.
"It's been fun," Krog said, "but I gotta get back inside. If I leave Ferret alone too long he's gonna jump Luan's bones and let the others get away."
He took the hammer from his lap and raised it. "And we can't have that."
He brought it down as hard as he could. Papa Loud jerked. Krog raised the hammer and dropped it again. The back of Papa's head caved in, and dark, rich blood bubbled forth.
Krog flipped the hammer around and hit him with the claw end. When he pulled it out, white shards of bone and pink chunks of brain matter. Papa shook and convulsed. When he was still, Krog climbed out, grabbed Lori by the feet, and slung her over his shoulder. She was a thin girl, but dead weight...what a bitch.
He carried her into the kitchen and kicked the garage door shut behind him. In the living room, he flopped her onto the coffee table, which broke under her weight. The girls each jumped and screamed. When they saw who it was, several of them began to cry.
"That's Lori Loud, in case you don't recognize her," Krog said. He knelt next to the corpse and examined her face. "She was strangled. By hand. It takes...what is it, Ferret, two, three minutes to die from strangulation?"
Ferret tittered. "She lasted five."
"Five?" Krog asked, raising his eyebrows exaggeratedly. He looked at the terrified Loud girls. "Five minutes your sister suffered, gasping for air, getting none. That's what happens when you're a feisty little bitch." He looked directly into Luna's eyes. Some of the fight seemed to have gone from them. Good.
He got up, went over to Ferret, and held his hand out. Ferret looked at him quizzically.
"My gun."
Ferret handed him the gun. Instead of putting it away, he held it in his hand, letting the Loud cunts get a good, long look at it.
"Hey, Ferret, there's a little table in the kitchen. Grab it and bring it in here. Grab a few chairs too."
Ferret nodded and went off. Alone with the girls, Krog checked them out for the first time. Little Lisa was ugly (Ferret could have her), Lola was pretty, the mirror image of her sister but more feminine (he'd probably take them), Luan...Ferret could have her. Luna...she was feisty, and Krog was already kicking himself in the ass for not breaking Lori. He'd probably take her, and Leni. That left Lucy and Lynn.
"What happened to your ankle?" Krog asked.
Lynn, her eyes red, looked off to Krog's left. "I sprained it."
Krog went over. "Does it hurt?"
"Yes."
Krog bought the handle of the gun down on it as hard as he could. Lynn screeched. Krog couldn't help himself: He laughed until he cried. The other Louds screamed and tried to console her. Leni hit him in the knee, and while it didn't hurt, Krog backhanded the shit out of her nevertheless, the impact knocking her over.
"Don't get started without me," Ferret said, lugging the table in. He sat it at the head of the room, then went back into the kitchen for the chairs. He returned with two, sitting on at the head of the table and the other at its right hand.
Krog sat at the head, set the gun down, and lit a cigarette. Just as Ferret was about to sit, Krog stopped him. "Go grab mama bear."
Ferret nodded, went into the office, and marched Mama Loud into the living room. The girls didn't speak this time.
"There she is," Krog said happily. "Cop a squat, mama bear. Ferret and I were just about to get started."
Ferret forced her into the free seat. She turned her head away, and that's when she saw Lori. Her eyes went wide, and she tried to speak.
Krog sighed. Here it comes.
And sure enough, she started to cry.
Krog took a puff from his cigarette and picked up the gun. "Hey," he said, "knock it off or I'll blast Lisa's face off."
Mama froze. Lisa sobbed. Luna glanced at Krog, her expression dangerous.
When mama stopped crying, Krog sat the gun back down at looked at Ferret. "You know what we need? Some music. And some snacks. I'm starved."
Ferret nodded. He grabbed the metal serving bowl he put everyone's cellphones in and selected one. After a few minutes, he pulled up YouTube and asked, "What do you want, Krog?"
"I dunno," Krog said. "Something...sexy."
Ferret tittered, typed something in, and a few minutes later, T. Rex's "Bang a Gong" filtered through the speakers.
"Good boy," Krog said. "Now get some chips or something."
A few minutes later, Ferret returned with a bag of Lay's potato chips, a box of Cheese-Nips, and a plate covered with saran wrap. Underneath were five slices of cold pepperoni pizza.
"Hey, look at this," Krog laughed, ripping off the Saran wrap and throwing it on the floor. "You want a slice, Ferret?"
"I'd rather get started," Ferret said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other like a junkie feening for a hit.
Krog sighed. "You know, you're really impatient, and it's starting to get on my fucking nerves."
"Come on," Ferret whined, "I've been waiting for a really long time."
Krog shook his head. "Alright."
He picked the gun up and pointed in the direction of the Loud girls. "Everyone off the couch and against the wall. Except for you, Luan. Ferret here's been waiting to fuck you for a really long time."
The color drained from Luan's face.
"Like hell I'm moving," Lynn said. "If you want her, you're gonna have to get through me."
Krog smiled. "Is that so?"
He leaned forward and smacked Mama Loud so hard she nearly fell out of the chair.
"Get off that fucking couch and get against the wall or next time I'm gonna bash her head in like I did to your dad."
Lynn's resolve visibly broke. Leni and Luna helped the smaller kids to the wall and sat with them, Leni taking Lucy into her arms and weeping into her bottle black hair. Lynn got up and hobbled after, casting one last, forlorn look at her sister.
Luan looked stricken.
Krog smiled. He ripped the duct tape off Mama Loud's face and slapped a piece of pizza onto the table before here. "Here you go, mom. Dinner and a show."
She wailed. "Please don't hurt my baby."
Ferret looked coyly over his shoulder. "Can I do it now?"
Krog nodded. "Go ahead"
Ferret laughed and advanced on Luan, who looked very small, and very frightened.
"Hey," Krog said.
Ferret looked back, agitated.
"Before you get busy..." he held up the phone, which had stopped playing music. "How do you work this goddamn thing?"
"Just...type in what you wanna hear."
"Ah," Krog nodded.
He pulled up Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On," sat the phone down on the table, and grabbed another slice of pizza.
"Just watch," he told Mama Loud around a mouthful of food. "This is gonna be good."