Page 71 of Wrath

One of the nurses greets us as soon as we get to the hospital and quickly escorts us down the corridor to one of the private rooms. Both Raze and myself look at each other, not sure of what we’re gonna find before we step through the door.

“She’s very scared,” the nurse warns, before checking the coast is clear and opening the door.

The girl lying on the bed looks so tiny, her long, black hair hangs limp around her face, and when we see how pale she is we both give each other the same look.

“Hey, darlin’, my name’s Raze.” He takes a few steps closer to the bed. “This here is Wrath, and he’s my VP. We’d like to talk to ya about what happened.”

Her head shakes frantically but her eyes remain focused on her feet, and that's when I realize how torn up they are.

“Okay, okay…listen.” Raze does his best to calm her down. “You're not the first person this has happened to, and sweetheart you won’t be the last unless we can stop whoever's doin’ this.” He looks at the poor girl’s feet and closes his eyes. “Did you escape, did ya run from him?” The girl’s wearing a clean nightgown that the hospital must have provided but she’s covered in dirt and scratches.

“Please, don’t let him take me back,” she whispers, still staring in front of her.

“Take ya back to where?” I ask, slowly making a few paces forward, myself.

“We were in the woods,”

“In a cabin?” Raze frowns.

“More like a bunker or container. The metal would scrape when he opened the doors. It hurt my ears,” she tells us.

“And did ya get a look at him?” I notice the way her hands are shaking, and hate that we have to push her for answers.

“No, I had a bag over my head—a sack—the fibers stuck to the back of my throat.” She starts to weep.

“Okay, what else can ya tell us, anythin’ will help.” Raze looks over to the pile of clothes that are on the chair in the corner, they are caked with blood and mud. Whatever happened to this girl was undoubtedly rough.

“Please, don’t let him take me again,” she begs, her eyes flicking up and glancing between the both of us helplessly.

“The police are gonna come once we're gone, they’ll make sure you’re safe–”

“No police!” she interrupts Raze, shaking her head again. “No police,please. They can’t help. You’re the Dirty Souls, right?” She looks down at the cut I’m wearing.

“We are,” I answer her.

“Is it true what they say, do you kill people?”

I look over to Raze and we both share the same look.

“We do whatever’s necessary, darlin’,” he answers her tactfully.

“You need to kill the man who did this. He’s…He’s evil.” The poor girl can hardly catch her breath, and when I move in to comfort her, she flinches.“Please, don’t let him take me again, promise me.” She’s barely finished her sentence before Raze has his phone out and pressed to his ear.

“Dev, I need a cage brought to the hospital, park outside the morgue entrance to the buildin’, and wait for my signal.” He hangs up the phone. “Can ya walk?” he checks with the girl.

“Barely,” she admits, looking confused while Raze pokes his head back out the door and makes a quick evaluation.

“Okay, the way I see it, you got two choices.” He turns back to the girl. “You can stay here and talk to the cops, or you come with us.”

“Come with us?” I look at him in shock.

“If you can bust old ladies outta care homes, I can take this key fuckin’ witness and keep her safe,” Raze shuts me down.

“What’s your name?” He turns his attention back to the girl.

“Jenika,” she whispers.

“What do you want to happen, Jenika? The choice is yours to make,” he puts it to her.

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