Author's Note: Hey guys. There use to be a chapter eleven but you may have noticed that I erased it. This is the chapter 11 that I had wanted. And I am really happy with how it turned out. Warning it get's rather violent this chapter: You've been warned!
Chapter Eleven: Welcome to the Jungle
"Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice"
Everything was fuzzy and my head was killing me. I could see through the fuzziness but barely, I was tied to a chair. Suddenly a hand reached out cupping my face I jerked away and then I felt a blinding pain. My head ripped back by a handful of hair as my gaze turned red with pain.
"Princess is coming around," I heard a sinister voice right next to my ear. "And here I thought you were going to miss all the fun."
"What's going on?" I whispered.
"You'll remember," The voice insisted. "Just think for a minute."
"You look like the walking dead," Another voice laughed.
"Go to hell!" I yelled my eyes snapping open.
"Hmm, feisty," The voice holding my hair snickered.
It took a few moments but then I placed both voices. Marcus and Mickey Anderson.
"Marcus," I hissed.
"Aw, you do remember," Marcus snickered pushing my head forward violently. "It was so nice of you to walk back into our lives, Maggie. You were certainly the feistiest stray my parents ever picked up."
"Go to hell, you incestuous assholes!" I yelled.
Marcus slapped me hard, my head snapping to the right as my mouth filled with blood. My eyes narrowed as I looked at Marcus' leering face before spitting my blood straight into his face. Marcus wiped his face before grabbing my jaw and pressing his lips against mine. His tongue rubbed against my lips but he gripped my jaw by the pressure point my mouth popping open on it's own accord. His tongue thrust into my mouth as his hands roamed over my body.
I watched trying to squash my tremors as Marcus pulled out a switchblade. He came closer to me and pretended as though he was going to stab me. Instead he moved in a jagged line cutting my down my chest. I bite my tongue in an attempt not to scream. He then moved to cut me out of my binding cutting through the tape at my legs before moving on to my hands. Before he could react I was out of the chair fighting like hell to get away from them. I was almost to the door when Marcus grabbed my hair in one fist and threw me to the floor, kicking me right in the side. I felt and heard the snap of ribs and that time I couldn't hold back my scream.
Marcus and Mickey then moved quickly pulling me down the hallway toward one of the bedrooms. I pushed and struggled with them as hard as I could. Marcus let go of me turning to lock the door as Mickey shoved me onto the bed. My mind processed what was going on around me far faster then my confused and disoriented body could. I tried to get off the bed but Marcus climbed on top of me holding my arms down against the bed as my ribs screamed in protest. I felt a needle stab through the skin of my arm before my world lost its focus.
I couldn't move but I could watch the events as they were happening. I watched as they ripped the dress of my body before they both took off their own clothing. They then took turns using my body however they felt like it. Relief from the pain came suddenly as something else was added to my bloodstream.
I woke up completely panicked. My heart raced and my body ached. I jerked awake straightening up looking around noticing that I was in the room that Billy and I shared. But how did I get there? I walked into the bathroom noticing that I had bruises and cuts covering nearly every surface. I moved out of the bathroom and down the hallway. I looked around and noticed that most of the gang was there crashed on the floor. Two guards were posted at my bedroom.
"Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on?" I screamed taking my own gun and firing it into the nearby wall.
"What the fuck happened?" Joe demanded slamming out of his own room. "What happened? We fucking saved your ass after you went off after those fucks on your own! They almost raped you!"
"There was no almost," I growled.
"What?" Joe whispered.
"Where are they?" I questioned turning around and watching Bodie and Heco rise to their feet.
"The office," Joe replied. "We figured you'd want the honors."
"Let's go," I smirked. "Get them up."
"Wake up!" Bodie shouted. "Move it!"
They jerked awake most looking around seemingly confused at their surroundings before looking at me. I raised an eyebrow and most got to their feet as I took my lighters, knife, and gun before shrugging on my leather jacket. I got into the passenger side of the mustang allowing Bodie to drive as Joe climbed into the back. Heco's car followed along behind us as we moved down the streets and toward the office. When the car stopped I walked out of the car and followed everyone up the stairs toward the chapel. Bodie and Joe slammed the doors open as the rest of the guys and I walked into the chapel, my eyes immediately finding Marcus and Mickey who were bound and gagged against two chairs. Joe walked forward removing the gags from both of them. Surprisingly they both began screaming for help. Joe's answer was two well-directed punches given to both of them.
"Scream all you want," I laughed as I stepped around all the guys. "No one will hear you."
Judging from the horrified looks on their faces they hadn't actually expected me to be there. I gave a small grin as they both shrank as far back as the chairs allowed.
"Aw, what happened? Cat got your tongue?" I snarled. "What's wrong fellas? You're hurting their feelings."
"You psychotic bitch!" Mickey growled.
"Tsk, tsk," I scoffed before backhanding him across the face. "There's no need for name-calling."
I punched him hard in the stomach and then right in the eye before pulling out my lighter. This was the same trick I had learned from Bobby a few years ago. Nothing scared anyone as much as burning to death did. I flicked some lighter fluid on Marcus' arm before igniting it with the same lighter. The effect was immediate; Marcus began to squeal begging anyone to put it out. Finally I poured water over the fire.
"You think you're so tough because you are Billy Darley's favorite toy?" Marcus scoffed. "Untie me and I'll show you a real man. Only this time you'll be conscious."
"He's more of a man then you'll ever be!" I howled, delivering a vicious backhand that left both a huge red mark and broke his nose.
"You keep telling yourself that, baby," Marcus scoffed. "You feel all tough because you're suddenly leader? That Darley's gang of pussies is behind you? Ha! Where were they five hours ago when you were begging for us to stop!"
"Shut up!" I howled. My eyes darkened as I punched every part of Marcus's body I could reach.
"My biggest mistake was not killing you when I had the fucking chance," I growled. "But thankfully life has now been kind to me so I can finally do what I should have done all those years ago."
"Crazy slut," Marcus hissed.
"Again with the name calling," I laughed taking my gun out and switching off the safety. "Now, you're going to suffer a very painful death but first you'll watch your brother die right before your eyes."
"Don't you touch him!" Marcus howled. "Don't you dare!"
I didn't reply to Marcus instead turning to the rest of the Mercenaries. "Get out."
"Maggie…" Bodie started to protest with most of the guys nodding their heads in agreement.
"GET! OUT!!" I screamed. "This is between me and them! This ends! Now!"
The guys seemed a little reluctant to leave but left anyway Bodie and Joe were the last ones to leave.
"You think this through," Joe ordered.
"You bitch!" Marcus growled. "You stupid, stupid bitch! They'll kill you!"
I shook my head grabbing the jug of gasoline off the floor as I walked over to Mickey and pouring it all over him being very careful not to splash it around. I then walked around the two of them who were trying their damndest to get free.
"There's one very important thing I learned in when I was bouncing from city to city," I said, my voice raised so that they could hear me over their pathetic screams. "The first was that payback could be quite the bitch and the second was that fire could be a very adaptable weapon."
"Whatever you're thinking of doing…" Marcus seethed thrashing in his binds.
"Thinking?" I scoffed. "I'm way fucking past thinking."
I flicked open my lighter playing with it as I watched Mickey's horrified expression as he finally realized what was about to happen.
"Look at it this way Mickey, you're not going to die a virgin," I hissed. "You're just going to die."
"Don't you fucking touch him!" Marcus howled.
I walked over to Marcus sitting on his lap, although the very act revolted me, it did what I intended. Rile him up even more than he already was. He couldn't do anything to throw me off or to hurt me as he was bound to tightly.
"The way I see it he touched me and tried to kill me," I smiled spinning to straddle his lap. "As far as I'm concerned this is getting even. I'm tired of being the victim. I'm tired of you assholes showing up when I finally feel safe. This is me taking control of my life."
"You don't have the guts to kill someone!" Marcus snapped.
"Oh, but things have changed," I grinned what must've been one of the scariest looks I had ever given someone.
Before Marcus could offer a further retort I threw the lighter at Mickey's feet and seconds later the fire flared. His screams were muffled by the gag but I had no trouble recognizing the emotion behind the noise. The desperation and the struggle it was fitting. They tortured me when I was young and managed to finish the job now the joke was on them.
"I'll fucking kill you for this, bitch!" Marcus screamed tears running down his face as his eyes remained pinned to the form of his burning brother. "They'll get you for this. B Street will extract their own form of justice. You just signed your own death sentence!"
"No, you see that's where you're wrong," I sighed. "You see I did my homework on you two, well one fuck, and I discovered that your ties to B Street weren't for your gain but there's. You have been nothing but a pawn and a very expendable one at that."
"You're a liar!" Marcus seethed. "I'm important."
"Nope, the only person who is important is Billy Darley and the only things that lies in between him and his freedom is you," I growled. I then aimed the gun at him shooting him in the crotch.
He let out a sharp yell as the bullet went straight through shooting past the chair and imbedding itself in the group. Blood came gushing out of the would and he began thrash as the pain mounted.
"I'll see you in hell," I snarled as I turned on my heel walking out of the room where the Mercenaries were waiting impatiently.
"What the hell happened?" Joe demanded. "What was that smell?"
"There was a fire," I stated. "Can someone clean that all up please? Heco, Dog, Baggy, y'all do the corners tonight. Meet at the apartment after your shifts."
"Okay," They all said heading out the door as some other members went into the chapel
I heard Marcus pleading with someone to just let him go and not to kill him. I waited for the gunshot and it happened seconds later. I walked down the hallway my coat billowing out behind me as I moved out of the office and down the street. I noticed that people who used to say high to me now gave me a wide berth. Anyone from Southie knew about the power switch. It was weird getting even more respect for just being a gang leader. I had only killed one person. And people knew that I wouldn't shoot first and ask questions later. It was only a matter of time before the police realized that there were no longer any witnesses to Billy's crime and soon that he would be back where he belonged. He would be back to ruling Southie and I could concentrate on my schoolwork again.
Joe's Point of View
"Joey, you have to see this!" Bodie called anxiety written all over his tone.
"What is it?" I demanded.
Bodie cocked his head toward what I assumed once was a human. It had been burnt beyond all recognition. The smell of burnt flesh permeating the room. "What the fuck?" I hissed.
"Maggie set one of them on fire," Bodie replied.
"Oh, my god," I whispered. "Holy shit."
"Oh, dog, it gets worse," Bodie replied. "He was burned alive. I could still feel his pulse. He died a few minutes ago."
"Dude…" I groaned.
"We have to do something, Joey, she's loosing control." Bodie warned.
I nodded silently before walking out of the chapel and out of the office minutes later. My mind was spinning. What had happened to Margaret Dolan? And how was I going to get her back?
I had thought I had seen all sides of Maggie Dolan but the one thing I forgot about Maggie was the fact that she was one of the most adaptable people I knew. She could move through nearly any environment and come out on top. I had no idea what Billy was trying to prove making Maggie leader but I knew it wasn't the best idea. It seemed to me that Maggie held it together more often then not. She was a lot like Billy in that way. Her anger always just under the surface waiting to let loose. It wasn't her fault, I knew that. It was all the people who thought that she could be broken and mistreated. The people who were supposed to love her and be a security for her. When you don't have a home you learn how to fend for number one. But Maggie was different. Maggie was just Maggie. The person who if you looked long and hard enough you could still see who she once was. The scared little kid who had no idea why her life sucked so much.
Maggie had admitted to me and that asshole verified the statement that they had raped her. Took the one thing that Maggie had saved all these years and destroyed it. Drugged her so bad that when we finally found her she was more dead than alive. Cuts all over her body as well as covered in blood. I had thought I had lost her. But she woke up angrier than I had ever seen her. I wasn't a fucking merit scholar but I knew if Maggie had actually killed two people, never mind how violently she had killed them, that there was something very, very wrong and there was only one person who could stop her…Billy. Thankfully Heco gave me his car keys.
Billy's Point of View
They say some things are worse then others. But there is nothing worse then taking away a man's freedom. I hadn't heard anything from the neighborhood in weeks. Nothing from Joe and nothing about my girlfriend. What was she doing? How was she coping?
"Darley, you have a visitor!" The one guard yelled.
"About fucking time," I growled.
"Billy!" I heard Joe shout as soon as I stepped into the visitor room.
"Joe?" I smirked.
"It's good to see you, big brother," Joe smiled bumping his forehead against mine.
"It's good to see you to," I replied. "But you know I didn't want visitors. Phone calls, Joey"
"I, uh, I know, Billy but it's about Maggie," Joe stuttered.
"Where is she?" I demanded straightening up to my full height. "Is she all right?"
"Um," Joe grimaced. "I don't really know. Dude, you have to find her. She's loosing her goddamn mind."
"What the fuck are you talking about, Joe?" I growled.
"She killed them, Billy," Joe whispered. "She set one burnt one alive and then shot the other's dick off! You should've seen her eyes, man. I've never seen something so cold. And she shot someone!"
"She must've done it for a good fuckin reason," I hissed.
"Well they were more people from her past," Joe started. "And something happened before we found her…"
"What happened, Joey?" I demanded, voice hard.
"They raped her, Billy, drugged her so bad that she couldn't fight them off."
"WHAT?!" I screamed.
"Billy, there's nothing you can do." I muttered. "She retaliated."
"What about the witnesses?" I growled lowly temper simmering just under the surface.
"They were the witnesses."
"That's what I wanted to hear."
Maggie's Point of View
The one thing about myself that irritated me was my inclination to never let anything go. I had so many goals for myself back when I lived with the Mercers before my life went from better to worse to how the hell can someone take this? What had ever happened to becoming better than my parents? The kid that Evelyn Mercer wanted me to be. The smart kid that responded with words rather than her fists, okay so maybe that wasn't really true but I tried! Maybe I was just doomed to be haunted by my past. The people that I should have been able to trust. The ones that shouldn't have taken advantage of a kid I had finally cracked and murdered one, no two people in cold blood.
Why had I done it? To prove a point? Or to send a message to Marcus minutes before he died. That I wasn't the kid who couldn't what she had started anymore. The one that didn't need anyone to run too. I remembered that night I scared shitless. A little eleven year old attempting and managing to succeed in defending herself. Years later I learned that it wasn't Marcus who was screaming but me. And he had come back the fuck had come here of all places. But he wasn't going to hurt anyone, ever again. I was lucky enough to finally be alone with my own thoughts. However warped they were and however confused my feelings were.
The last time I had nearly killed a person of my past I had broken down disgusted of what I had almost did. This time I had done it all without a second thought. I couldn't bring myself to feel a hint of remorse or disgust for my actions. Did I know that they were horrible? Yes. But I also knew the Anderson brothers had been raping stray orphans way before and even after I had come and gone. They deserved everything they had gotten and more. I could only hope their afterlife was as kind as they were.
I realized suddenly why Billy chose the underpass to deal most of the drugs. It was almost serene. The roar of the city and the cars disappeared to a low lull, a calming sound to those of the city natives. I was all alone and in any other situation that would be very dangerous but word had gotten around about what had happened very quickly. I had been dealing drugs for about an hour and it was honestly a pretty boring experience. Druggie comes to get drugs, I get paid and they leave. No matter who came it was the same cycle over and over again. My mind had too much time to wander. And when my mind wandered I got distracted.
"Give me the drugs, bitch!" Some common thug of the streets growled.
He had a knife against my throat and held me tightly against the car. I let out a small growl berating myself for letting a junkie of all people get the drop on me. Before the man could even move I shoved him away quickly punching him to the ground with a mix of punches and kicks. I pulled the nine-millimeter out of my back pocket and aimed it at the thug. He was on the ground whimpering and my temper stopped just as quickly as it came. I couldn't kill him and it wasn't like he was moving any time soon anyway. I fired a warning shot in the ground, though, to show that I was being generous. I left him in the dirt as I climbed into the mustang. I realized that I was tired and that one of the guys could take my the graveyard shift.
It was a short drive back to the apartment for which I was thankful. My muscles began to hurt and I just felt like sleeping for a while. I hopped into the elevator calling Heco and ordering out to the bridges. I then walked through the apartment that was surprisingly empty and going into the master bedroom. I laid down on the bed wishing for the thousandth time that Billy was beside me.
My brain began to drift as I tried to find sleep. I had lived my life in all different places and adapted to all different things. But I had managed to at least keep some threads of my humanity left. I know that they were still there it had sure as hell didn't feel it. I was done being the victim. I was done remembering my past lives when I was only six years old and my parent's choice to toke up then to care for me.
"It's only when you're tested that you truly discover who you are. And it's only when you're tested that you discover who you can be. The person that you want to be does exist, somewhere in the other side of hard work and faith, and belief that beyond the heartache and fear of what life has."
It was funny how even twelve years later Evelyn's Mercer's lectures still rang in my head as crystal clear as the first day I heard them. Evie was determined that no one was a horrible person. That the hand people were dealt didn't mean that was who they were meant to be. Granted my perception of life had spun as I grew older but I couldn't help but think that Evie Mercer would be turning over in her grave if she saw what I had become.
I couldn't help but think that maybe I had finally become what I had meant to be. I was living my life amongst drug dealers and ammunitions salesmen. Where blood and bullets were a code all their own. I couldn't deal with this anymore. I had turned my back on what I once was but I also knew there was no going back. I wasn't that naïve six year old anymore who didn't know why people were so mean. I had grown older and with that I had become what I was meant to be. What that was I really didn't know.
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming.
Or the moment of truth in your lies.
When everything feels like the movies.
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive.
Author's Note: So I gave you guys a long update. Yay! Anyway I hope everyone reads and reviews not that you guys haven't been good with that. It's just that I noticed whenever my chapters get dramatic no one reviews. SO, learning from experience there won't be another update until I get reviews. Have a nice day!