(Solmonath 9, 45 / 9:42PM)

  Inside of a freezer.

  The walls were frozen, parched from the frost and ice that stuck to the metal, and meat hooks dangled from the small ceiling. Some of the hooks had carcasses of pork and pig, as the only other type of meat on a hook…

  Was a man wearing nothing but black boxers.

  His bony body displayed itself to two teens wielding a metal baseball bat and crowbar, his wrists were held together by a handcuff chain. The chain wrapped around the hook, his shins started to pierce black from frostbite, and his lips blue with ice dangling from his eyelashes.

  Purple and reddish bruises littering every inch of his chest and back, blood littered his legs and feet poured forth from his upper body, leading him to let out an exhausted groan.

  The first teen, one having dark turquoise colored hair, still gripped the handle of his baseball bat firmly.

  (Zirardge #1) That should do it.

  (Zirardge #2) That’s it? That’s the amount of anger you feel for this demon?

  (Zirardge #1) The law would do so much worse for him—

  A single knock reverberated through the metal door.

  Both teens looking over to the exit, both lowered their wielding weapons hands down to their sides, as their eyes remained on the metal of ice. The second teen, a boy with teal-colored hair, dropped his weapon on the ground while he walked to the door.

  Reaching the door handle, the teen gripped the frost that began to redden his palms.

  (Zirardge #2’s thoughts) I hope that’s not Grey. I don’t want him to see this.

  With a simple click of the mechanism, he opened the metallic door wide open.

  And in front of him, was a man that only furrowed his right brow up, leading him to take a step back. Seeing the man wearing nothing but a white robe, circular glasses, and sandals, the priest-like man also had…

  Light green hair.

  The other teen, who furrowed his brow along with his brother, dropped his crowbar to the ground. A harsh ringing shaking and trembling throughout the entirety of the freezer room, his head hunched forward while squinting his eyes into the man’s grinning smile.

  (???) Greetings. Greetings. Pardon my intrusion.

  He stepped foot into the frozen air.

  In an instant, the hideous air soon trailed down to every loose clothing or hole in his body, causing him to tremble immensely. His toes going numb, his feet turning red, he tucked both of his hands into his armpits while clattering his teeth.

  (???) You’ve been working in this cold? You know frostbite can happen quickly in these types of temperatures.

  (Zirardge #2) Who are you?

  (???) Oh, I must have forgotten. Introductions are important.

  Bowing his head down, the man looked to be in his late 20s, his cheeks, jaw, and chin leaving no trace of facial hair to be seen. Bending 135 degrees, it was the halfway point of standing straight and bowing horizontally, while his light green hair covered his forehead and upper eyelids.

  (???) You can call me Lazaros. Your names?

  Both teens began to scratch their cheeks, scraping off whatever dry skin or sand that sunk deep into their lizard skin.

  The first teen soon walked toward the circular wearing glasses man, standing in front of him while placing one of his hands into his pocket. Using his other hand, he extended it out to the bowing man, his face nonchalant with no smile or frown arching his lips.

  While the other teen crossed both of his arms underneath his chest.

  (Zirardge #1) The name’s Gerd.

  (Zirardge #2) Call me Gus.

  The two teens finally having both names, Lazaros began scratching the bottom of his chin, with not a trace of dead skin or dirt leaping off of his moisturized skin.

  Looking over at the shark-human with his wrists chained onto the tip of the meathook, Lazaros balled his hand and raised it to his mouth. Nodding his head back and forth, he glanced in back of him once, before turning his eyes back onto the shark-human again.

  A smug grin perched his right lip up, and both Gerd and Gus took two steps back, their lips losing the feeling of blood.

  (Gerd) What do you want from us?

  (Lazaros) It's nothing much. I just wanted to know why that shark-human is chained to the tip of a meathook.

  The three of them looked at the panting shark-human, his feet, and shins already tarring from the ice that bit more and more on his skin. Seeing that the shark-human's frostbite worsened more and more, the teen's eyes didn’t push up nor down, leaving them nonchalant as they analyzed the beaten man. Blood streamed from the areas that were hit by Gerd’s crowbar, most of it led down to the ice and frost, the iron and metal of his body turning the ice into a cherry-flavored snow cone.

  Gerd, the teen with dark turquoise colored hair, put both of his hands on his waist.

  (Gerd) That bastard touched my sister Greta. What we did to him was nowhere near the punishment that the law might give him.

  (Lazaros) So you’re just going to beat him up and take him to the law? If what you said is true, then allow me for a better punishment.

  (Gerd) Better punishment?

  Lazaros began walking toward the shark-human who kept his eyes trailing the frozen floor of the freezer. Placing both of his hands into his sleeves, he wrapped them to opposite sides of it, making it look like a villager in a certain survival game.

  Towering over the shark-human, Lazaros bit his lower lip. His glare slanting the crevices of his eyes into the top of his nose, he glared deeper and deeper into the shark-human that only breathed out mellow air.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  (Lazaros) I have a daughter probably the same age as your sister.

  Gripping the top hair of Kirk, Lazaros’s fingers clenched more and more on the scalp of the shark-human's head. His fingers not going numb from the cold, his low fingernails managed to stab the outer layer of his skull, without his bones trembling.

  Jerking his head up, his shallow throat tried to quench out a desperate scream, but his body exasperated whatever breath was stored in his lungs. Unable to even cry, blood swept from his eyes, stinging his scleras and irises.

  (Lazaros) I may be a sinister and cruel man, but even the devil wouldn’t think twice about lusting for children.

  Letting go of Kirk’s head, Lazaros’s hand shook to get rid of the blood that painted his nails and fingers red. Slowly trailing his steps to the two teens who widened their eyes at the last sentence that Lazaros spoke out of, both gulped down a frozen ball of saliva down their throats.

  His eyes softened at Gerd, he placed his right hand on his shoulder. Bringing out a metal device, his thumb pushed onto the red button, leading to—

  Both teens looked at metal vents that blew out a white misty fog.

  (Gerd) What is going…

  (Lazaros) To deliver true justice, one must abandon their sense of humanity.

  The fog dwelling deep into their frozen lungs, swelled and circulated all over their dried airways that were in deep need of warm oxygen. Coughing intensely, the teens' stomachs pushed out whatever air was stuck in their throat, while kneeling down on the ground with frost punching their knees.

  Their palms dug into the floor, their eyes reddened from immense strain.

  Sticking out their tongues, drools escaped from their mouths like a soft creak flowing out water. Their drool instantly froze on the floor, and both of them couldn’t look up at the light green-haired man who only welcomed the fog into his lungs.

  As if it was nostalgic to him.

  (Lazaros) The first time is always hard for people, but you boys would soon love this vagrant smell.

  Slowly, the two teens ceased their coughing.

  Their eyes having no strain seen from their scleras, their palms that dug deep into the frozen floor soon pushed themselves up without stress. Along with their boots being stuck and glued to the ice and frost, their breathing slowed and their hearts loosened.

  While their lips soon pushed up to the height of their ears. Swiping away an abundance of drool that started to freeze underneath his lower lip, they both spread their arms out wide.

  (Gerd) I feel great.

  (Lazaros) Glad to hear that, now then. Carry on with your punishment.

  Waving the two teens off with a simple wave, Lazaros closed the door on the way out.

  Leaving them to see the shark-human's eyes widened with fear, both devilish grinning boys glanced at the weapons that they dropped before. Swaying their heads sideways, Gus placed his hand on Gerd’s shoulder, his hand softening under the touch of his brother’s thin jacket.

  (Gus) Want me to bring more tools?

  (Gerd) Yeah. Bring the whole catalog.

  Gus kicked off chunks of ice that stuck to the floor, setting them flying and hitting the metal walls of the freezer. Opening the metal door, he closed it behind him, leaving just Gerd to showcase his whitish teeth that tinkled with the frozen air.

  His whole face growing pale, Kirk began to shake and tremble his frozen frostbitten body. Shaking his head repeatedly, frozen tears began to trail both corners of his eyes as they slammed onto the floor below.

  (Gerd) We’re not taking you to the law.

  His entire life slowly began to flash before his eyes.

  The day that was born.

  When he took his first steps.

  When he first began reading.

  When he excelled in school.

  Read the entire bible.

  Graduated school.

  Studied ethics.

  Read the bible again.

  Found love.

  Married.

  Gained a following.

  Read the bible ten times over.

  And on the verge of parenthood…

  (Kirk’s thoughts) Oh, Pike…

  Opening the door wide, Gus pulled a wagon of metal objects that bulged both of his medium-sized biceps. With most of the objects dangling from metal hooks, Kirk’s eyes failed to widen from fear, as the last memory that played in his mind was the warm touch of the woman he loved.

  And the twins that he would fail to be with.

  Unable to even describe what most of the metal objects were, Kirk looked up to the frozen roof. Seeing nothing but frost and ice that blocked the passageway to the burning stars above, a last shallow breath escaped from his lips.

  (Kirk’s thoughts) I have failed.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Solmonath 10, 45 / 8:02AM)

  The sun shone down on the shark-human village just north of Ridgemente.

  Sandstone huts sparkling under the desolate rays from up above, doors swayed open for many people alike to do their daily bidding. The adults working, the teens rowdy, and the kids playing, it was supposed to be a simple morning.

  But half the village looked upon the stage made out of stone.

  Being drawn to the stage, the adults walked forward, as the morning sun was blocked by whatever stood on top of the stage. Casting a shadow over them, all of their eyes widened, their jaws dropped, and their faces…

  (Shark-Human #1) Sweet mother of God…

  The teens and kids looked over, they all stopped to look at the sight in front of them. Their rowdy nature soulfully escaped their bodies, their faces trickled down sweat from not exhaustion; but fear.

  Clinging onto any adult they could find, most of the kids buried their eyes onto their guardian’s leg or thigh. Clutching tightly, their respective guardians kept their faces deep into their clothing, as what lay in front of them…

  Was Kirk; being nailed on a piece of a wooden board.

  Blood covered every inch of skin of his body, his naked body bare. Both of his ankles glued to the wood by two long nails, made sure that Kirk’s body wouldn’t collapse from the weight of his upper body. The nails sticking out, and his shins were still tarred by the frostbite from half a day prior.

  Trailing their eyes up, his shoulders were also nailed the same as his ankles, with nails sticking out of them. Along with his elbows, stomach, and chest being nailed cruelly to the board, even his head—

  He had no head. His head was cleaved off from his neck, it was held by none other than his hands.

  As if he was giving out his cut-off head, his hands soaked with blood that held his jaw and used to be an esophagus. Blood continued to drip off from his lifeless hands, they also noticed that his eyes…

  His eyeballs were cleaved off from his face.

  Seeing nothing but empty eye sockets, one of the shark-humans bent down to barf up whatever breakfast or yesterday's dinner inside of their stomachs. Like a domino effect, a couple more vomited out their remnants, followed by the harsh tears that flowed from their eyes.

  The shark-human male, the haggler from days prior, took off his hat from his head.

  (Shark-Human #1’s thoughts) Who would do this … Who would do such a thing…?

  Scrunching up both of his hands, his eyes squinted at the executed Kirk that gave the smell of a thousand buffalos. Tilting his head down, he stomped his way to his sandstone hut, pushing away the many adults, teens, and children that gave way to his unbridled rage.

  Reaching the door, he opened and slammed it shut, as his feet led him to none other than his storage closet. Pulling out a bible, a freshly printed one that smelled like it was created a day prior, he stuck it inside of his jacket, while noticing a weapon box on the bottom.

  Kneeling, he unlocked the case, opening it up to see a revolver unloaded and without any bullets.

  Back outside.

  (Shark-Human #2) What is Don doing?

  (Shark-Human #3) Getting ready to go into the city, trying to find anyone who might’ve done this.

  (Shark-Human #2) That poor man … and he was going to be a father…

  (Shark-Human #3) Pray to God that she’s not out here seeing this…

  A door to a sandstone hut swayed open.

  Out of the hard-straw door, a shark woman with a belly bump slowly walked to the commotion in front of the stone stage. Unable to see who was on top, everyone who had their hands to their mouths soon turned to see the pregnant woman.

  Upon seeing her, most of them stood right in front of her, her eyes wide as her heart began to fasten.

  (Pike) What’s going on!?

  (Shark-Human #4) You don’t want to see this, not now.

  (Pike) Is Kirk back!? Let me through!

  (Shark-Human #5) Listen to us Pike, you don’t want to see—

  Pike pushed away both of the shark-humans aside, their bodies strong yet weak compared to the strength of a curious woman. Pushing through the crowd that barely tried to push her away, their faces looked away as she finally reached the front of everybody.

  Letting her knees slam onto the stone pavement, her sadness couldn’t reach the limit of just normal tears.

  Her throat quivered, her stomach quenched and squeezed as if she wanted to puke. Putting the butt of her palms onto the stone pavement, a desperate long groan echoed through the small village.

  As tears finally stormed out of her eyes.

  All the villagers, who watched her love beheaded on a board rather than a cross, turned their heads away to their left or right. Their eyes desperately held up whatever tears they wanted to break free, all of them scrunched up their faces as only one thought came to mind.

  (Shark-Human #2) Whoever did this must pay…

  Anger soon boiled up within their tranquil hearts, the only person who didn’t scrunch up their fists was Pike.

  Who extended her hand out, seeing a man who failed to keep his promise.