The Empty Picture (Short Story)

            The attack was over in seconds. Then he picked me up from the ground, a pool of blood from where I was just lying. A few weeks earlier I had taken pictures of Dominic Richards and his crew doing a “job”. I was heading to the police station when his crew found me and took me to him, where I was beaten up pretty good before he came into the room.

 “Are these the only copies?” His tone was gentler than I expected.

“And what if they aren’t you going to kill me so they don’t get around?”

“Ha-ha you sure have some balls kid. If I wanted to kill you I would have. So I’ll ask again are there any more copies?”

I spit the blood and saliva that had been collecting in my mouth into his face.

 “No there aren’t any more now let me go!”

He dropped me onto the floor with a loud thud. Slowly he got into his suit and I saw the holsters around his side holding two sliver pistols. I thought that was the end. He pulled out a handkerchief and whipped his face. A glare of anger was shot down at me.

 “Leave> I’m going to teach this maggot a lesson!”

His goons left the room and it was just us, his dark locks hanging in his face, the slight smile he had as he walked over to the door and locked it. He was beautiful for a guy. He walked calmly back over to me and bent down to look me in the face. He had his hand on my chin so I couldn't look away. His blue eyes were like ice cutting into my soul.

"So, maggot, you've got the balls to spit in my face and think you'll get away with it. I thought you would have been smarter than that. I was going to let you go pay you off to keep your mouth shut, but you had to fight back. Now I have to figure out something to do with you that you’re not going to like John.”

“How do you know my name?" I asked.

He had stood back up and grabbed his lighter from his jacket pocket along with something shiny. He was heating it up until it was burning red. Walking over to me he pinned me down quickly. He lifted up what was left of my shirt and burned a D.R, for Dominic Richards, into my skin. I didn't dare scream or tear up; I wouldn't let this monster see me like that.

 "You'll just have to stick around and see slave. Now won't you be a good boy for me?"