Terrified and Defenseless

The second part is you will, out of your own money, see to it that these dogs get the best care possible. Many of them will not make it. They are too mangled and abused to be of use to anyone. But there are dozens of dogs here that can make it. You have to see to it. I will give you a chance to make it right for them. You have caused them much pain, now you are going to be their savior. The third part is my collateral.” “What do you mean by that?” “I mean, well, as much as I want to trust you Correl, what’s to say that once I am gone, you won’t just go back on your word? Who’s to say that you won’t try to get out of all of this?” “Oh, now wait a minute Frenchy!” Correl cried out. “Come on man, why would I do that? What good is that going to do me?” “Great question friend. Why would you do that? But why would you beat a dog with a rubber hose? Why would you make dogs fight one another so that you, a multi-millionaire could make money? Why would you put injured, dying dogs back in cages with no medical attention? The world is full of questions Correl. It’s the answers we don’t have. So I have done something to ensure your full and absolute co-operation. And here’s how it’s going to be. You’ll tell the authorities everything. You’ll confess to it all. And if you don’t, not only will I find you and do things to you that you can’t possibly imagine, not only will I find ways to inflict pain on you over a very, very, very long amount of time, but I will do it to your family as well.” Correl was now more terrified than he had ever been. The tears that shamefully trickled down his cheeks now began to flow mightily like when he was 16 and his high-school sweetheart broke up with him. Frenchy reached into his back pocket and with his left hand he took out a tiny notepad. He flipped it open and without looking up, he read what was in it. “Martha and James Bennett, aged 65 and 67 of The Bronx New York. 3114 Elmwood Crescent. Parents to Correl Bennett, Cornelius Bennett, Josia Bennett and Trudy Johnson. They live at 1622 Tamarack, 2200 Pinewood, 44789 Wildwood and Trudy has moved abroad and she now makes her home at 332 Barchwood Drive, Canberra, Australia. I have names of your cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, coaches and your agents. And If you don’t do as I say, I’ll be sure to kill them all, and in a slow and deliberate fashion. I have a picture here of your 12 year old cousin Darnell. He’s just started playing organized baseball, and getting quite good at it. If you want to see him grow up to have a shot at the bigs, then you better do what I say, or you can kiss his ass good-bye too. You see Correl, I know they are innocent in all of this. They cannot be held for your cowardice and your perverted debauchery. But that means nothing to me. I’ll hurt them all. And then I’ll keep one or two of them alive and when I find you, I’ll cut their fuckin heads clean off right in front of you and not give a shit how much physical pain I cause them. I’ll have you watch the whole thing. You can protect some of them but not all of them. Not all the time. If you think what you saw tonight was bad, this is just a prelude. Your friends got off easy. Do I make myself clear in all of this?” Correl had never had asthma but for one instant, he thought he knew what it must have been like to be short of breath and having your lungs begging for a puffer. He couldn’t breathe. His lungs burned for air. His head began to spin and his world became a big blur. What had he gotten himself into? There was no fight left in him. He wanted to feel angry. He wanted to lunge at this fucker in front of him, threatening his parents, his siblings and his friends. But he knew it would do no good. All he could do at this point is succumb to it all, and do what he was told. “You have my word,” Correl managed to squeak out as his breathing began to return to normal.