I can't say what I wanted to? I didn't want to say that! What's wrong with me?
Daniel forgot about the pain for a moment; now the only thing in his mind was that he screwed up.
"Your father took it?" The man smirked at him and then yelled, "The fuck you mean your father took it?!" Listen up, I am not here to play any games! You heard me? I am giving you the last chance to tell me where the money is, or I'll take you to Master Mali…" The man yanked him onto the floor, and the other got around him.
Soon all of them jumped on Daniel and started kicking him viciously.
"Speak, motherfucker!"
"I'll kill you, bastard!"
"Where's the money, bitch!"
They yelled and mocked him as they were kicking the life out of him.
For many minutes it went on like that for a few minutes, at the end.
Daniel ended up becoming a bloody mess.
Daniel's blood was spilling from his mouth and nose; he tried to get himself up but ended up dragging himself to the feet of the man on all fours.
"Please stop, I swear I don't have the money, please stop." Daniel begged for his life; he cried and pleaded. At this moment the pain was vanishing with numbness in his body.
"Tell me, boy, have you ever killed someone? Have you ever tried killing someone?" The man stepped on Daniel's head.
—
No, I didn't. I have never killed anyone. I am too much of a coward to do that. I am not a bloody monster like you…
These were words that were going through my mind. I wanted to say, "I have not…" but instead—
"I…tried to kill my brother…but killed my father." I said this.
Why? Why can't I say it?
–
Then Daniel realized it: he spoke those words not because he wanted to but because it was the truth.
The crowd went silent.
"You killed your father?" The man said and put his feet away.
"Yes…" Daniel fell onto the ground once again.
"Bullshit!" The man kicked Daniel again in the face. "You just said your father took the money and you killed him now? Are you fucking with me? That means the money is gone? Are you trying to play with us?" The man started kicking Deniel more brutally than the others.
*Thunk* *Thunk*
The sound from kicks echoed in the alley…
"You bastard! "You fucking bastard!" The man repeatedly kicked him until a thin lackey walked to him.
"Hey, boss," he grabbed the man's shoulder and whispered something into his ears.
The man stopped and glared at Daniel; he crouched and lifted his head up.
"Hey, brat, let's do this. You have two options. Either we'll hand you to Master Mali, and he'll do whatever he pleases with you and your family.
Or, you can come with us. We'll try to find the money if it's lost, and you give us some more—let's say 10% of that. After that, we'll leave you alone, and don't worry about Master Mali; we'll handle him…" The man smiled at him.
Daniel knew one way or another he was doomed, but still he wanted to repent; he wanted to make sure that his family remained safe.
"You—you swear you won't go after my family?" Daniel got on his knees and spoke; his mouth was still bloody, and yet he wanted to end this.
"Oh, don't worry, we don't plan to go after your family now. Why would we when we are you? You can rest assured we'll leave them alone." The man patted his shoulder.
But a doubt lingered in Daniel's mind, and he spoke.
"Are you telling the truth?" Daniel was hopeful; he forgot about everything that happened to his father, brushing it off as a coincidence.
"Yes, we are telling the truth [WE NEVER LIE]." The man spoke, and behind him all his men laughed and said.
[OF COURSE!]
[ WHAT'S LYING? I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THAT!]
[ NO ]
[ NO ]
[ NO ]
[ NO ]
[ NO ]
[ NO ]
[ NO ]
All of them said in unison mixed with laughter, except for one who looked too serious to join, that thin lackey…
The man stood up, and the lackey bent down to Daniel's level.
"You better get the money ready."
Daniel breathed a sigh of relief.
"Maybe it was just bad luck, and even if it was true, these guys are saying the truth—"
*CRASH!!!!!*
A mini truck crashed into the alleyway with lightning speed; the bricks were flying, and nine of them got their torsos ripped from their bodies.
The blood showered in the alley like it rained in hell.
But because Daniel and that lackey were down on their knees, the car missed them.
The lackey who witnessed everything pissed himself and ran away.
"No, what the fuck just happened? No!"
Daniel sat there stunned by all of it; everything seemed like an illusion, but it was the truth…
And thus he fainted.
—
"None shall lie to you…" the voice of a stranger echoed in Daniel's head, and he opened his eyes.
He found himself staring at an old fan on a white ceiling.
"He's awake, call the doctor." The nurses spoke, and the doctor came.
"I've never seen a lucky bastard like you; you seemed fine even after the accident. I can't believe the car didn't even graze you." The doctor started checking up on Daniel.
"Fine?" The broken bones? The bruises?" Daniel uttered in a low voice, "It was true the pain he felt while they were beating him was gone; it felt like it was healed somehow, but still there was some of it left."
"Broken bones? Why would you have broken bones? I saw your whole body; you're completely fine, and now that you mentioned you did have a scratch on your arm…" The doctor looked at his arm.
He was sure it was scratched an hour ago, but it vanished. He blamed it on his age and went outside, but before going out, he yelled at him.
"Oh, right, also, get rid of that ugly tattoo on your tongue. My wife is a dermatologist; I can get you a discount!"
He laughed and went out.
"Tattoo? What is he talking about?" Daniel was coming back to his senses. He tried to sit upright and looked around him; it was the city hospital.
"I need to go…" Daniel huffed and tried calling for a nurse, but then a police officer came inside.
"Why don't you wait for a minute, Daniel Hori?