Page 104 of Dirty Dylan: Dirty Dusters

I nod. I saw the message exchange the morning after, but I’ve not seen him since to ask about it.

“So, she actually did it? And what did you say to her?”

Paddy holds up a hand to silence me before waving the blade at Gavin.

“Stop listening to us, you nosy fecker.” He walks across to Gavin, slicing his ear off before shoving it in the man’s mouth.

“Swallow it.”

Gavin’s crying, tears streaming down his blood-stained cheeks, his eyes bulging.

“I. SAID. SWALLOW. IT. YOU. DIRTY. PEDO. FUCKER.”

In his defense, Gavin tries his best, but the slippery appendage falls out of the hole in his cheek.

Wearing a look of disgust on his face, Paddy stands there staring at it as it lays on the floor. His hands are slung low on his hips, his coveralls are splattered in blood, and his fist is clenching a scalpel dripping with the same. Today, I’m seeing my baby brother in a whole new light. This monster is a far cry from the happy-go-lucky lad that exists beyond these four walls. He looks at Gavin, shaking his head like a parent at a child that’s come home with a bad school report.

“I ask one thing, and you couldn’t even get that right. You useless fucker.”

He slices off the other ear and shoves that in his mouth.

“Swallow it!” he hisses. He’s right in his face now. “If you manage to get it right this time, you dirty fuck, then I’ll let our Dyl here grant you a quick demise. If you fuck it up, then I’ll torture you for hours before I let him end your suffering. It’s your call, Gavin. What’s it going to be? I’m sure you’ve heard all about my methods. Well, let me tell you, sonny boy, the rumors don’t do them justice.” Paddy runs the scalpel up Gavin’s rotund stomach just as ‘sonny boy’ manages to successfully swallow his own ear.

Paddy doesn’t cut into him. He’s leaving that for me.

“Paddy, I….” I shake my head. I should never have been born into this life. This sort of thing has never come easy to me.

He passes me the blade. It’s hot and sticky with blood.

“You’ve killed before.” He says it like it’s routine. Like it’s the same as going to the store, buying a loaf of bread, and then successfully finding your way back home.

Same difference as far as he’s concerned.

“That was with a gun. All I had to do was point, close my eyes, pull the trigger, and hope for the best. This is hands-on. It’s not quite the same.”

“Many of the life and death situations we face are hands-on, Dyl. We’re not always going to be conveniently carrying a weapon. This isn’t the movies. Sometimes you have to rely on what you can find or just use your own two hands. Now, do it. He’s a dirty pedo fucker. He’s asked for this ending. Do it for the girls’ lives he’s destroyed and do it for Jessie. Close your eyes if you must. In my opinion, that’s disrespectful to the life you’re ending. But either way, just get the job done.”

Walking across to the trolley, I take in the tray of hacked off digits. Then I study the array of weapons sitting alongside. I put the scalpel down.

I glance at Paddy over my shoulder, and I can see the look of disappointment on his face.

I turn my attention back to the trolley, pick up the gutting knife, then walk back toward Gavin.

He’s resigned to his fate. I can see it in his eyes. He wants quick. Fortunately for him, that’s what he shall have as that’s all I can offer at this stage in my apprenticeship.

With my eyes never leaving his, I plunge the knife into the bottom of his stomach. Then, with two hands and using all my might, I drag that fucker upwards.

His guts spill all over the floor.

“May God have mercy on your diseased soul.” I maintain eye contact until the light goes out in his eyes. Then I grimace as I’m hit with the stench of fresh shite.

I’m only grateful I’m wearing coveralls.

I’m conscious Paddy’s behind me, and I close my eyes when his hand squeezes my shoulder.

“I doubted you, brother. I’ll admit it. For a second, I doubted you had it in you.”

I turn to look at him.

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