Page 75 of Below The Surface
Acid, someone comments.
Mmmm. Acid is dangerous, but I do enjoy it.
I grab a pair of scissors and rip open both pant legs of our victims. “I think you need a wax.” Not as dangerous or painful as acid, but I want to make it hurt worse first.
I dab wax all over Kevin’s thigh and press a cloth down. Do I know what I’m doing?Absolutely not. I’m just going off vibes and what I’ve seen on TV. I think the wax is too hot, but I don’t care. I let it cool a bit, then rip.
If Kevin had any slack, he would have skyrocketed to the ceiling. The wail is music to my ears. I continue on until both legs are done. Then it’s Marvin’s turn. He’s still crying and begging for mercy, but he won’t find any here.
“You know people do this willingly,right?” I pour the wax over Marvin’s leg and smooth down the cloth. I wish he could see my grin as I rip his hair away.
Finally, I have their legs smooth. “Ready for your exfoliation treatment?” I lift the bottle of acid.
Kevin swallows over and over. I start with Marvin first. Pouring slowly from his knee, watching the liquid race down his leg. I pour a bit on his thigh. The stench of burning flesh fills the air and I hold my breath. I’ll have to remember to tell the clean up crew I used acid tonight so they can take extra precautions. “You probably won’t have legs by the time I’m done.” I grin up at him. His eyes flutter back, even though he doesn’t have lids anymore. “Well fuck. I don’t like it when they pass out.” I look down at the leg that’s already disintegrating before my eyes. Fuck it. I pour acid on his other leg.
Kevin’s crying now. He can’t even see the mess of Marvin’s legs, but he can smell it.
“Ah, your turn. Maybe in your next life you won’t touch children.” I pour heavier than I had on Kevin, drenching both legs.
I step back to look over my handiwork. There’s still plenty of time before they die and if they’re lucky, the acid will burn away nerve endings and they won’t feel their legs burning off.
“Nap time’s over Marvy.” I grab the smelling salts and wake him. He’s screaming again and I go to humming as I work on a few more nails. I take a knife and slice down the middle, then rip the two parts away.
“One time Ireallyfucked up and cut off someone’s hand. They pulled their stump from the chair and started hitting me before I could figure out what the absolute fuck was happening. Never made that mistake again.”
Another request comes in. Scoop out an eyeball.
I grin at the screen. “Hmmm, let’s just do the one eyeball. Whose should it be?”
So many people say Kevin it’s a bit comical. “Looks like you’re the popular one.” I pick up my scalpel again. He can’t close his eyes, but it doesn’t stop him from trying.
I get my finger inside the rim of his eye and start meticulously cutting it out. Juice spurts, which always grosses me out, but I push on until the entire eyeball is in my hand. I show it to the audience. “Pretty blue. Such a shame.”
I look over at Marvin. “I think you need a snack to keep your strength up. Open wide. Or I’ll do it for you.”
He clamps his mouth shut. I trip on my way to him, and I end up crushing the eyeball on my fall. “Well fuck. Guess we got a new blooper reel.” Kendra laughs from her spot in the security room.
“Ssssuorigh,” Kevin says, and I can only assume he means serves you right.
“Maybe I won’t make you eat eyeballs,” I mumble and turn back to the screens. “What else, my lovely freaks? There’s still more time left for the show.” I grin, but they can’t see behind the balaclava.
We continue for hours. Slicing off fingers, cutting into flesh, sewing Marvin’s lips together. The cries and screams stopped long ago. They understand their fate at the hands of the commenters.
Shoot them.
That’s the usual ending. After so long of watching someone get tortured, my viewers usually opt for the quickest way to kill the victims. It’s fine by me.
“Clean-up crew is five minutes out,” Kendra says in my earpiece.
I pick up the gun from my tray of torture and point it from Kevin to Marvin. “Who should I shoot first?” I ask.
Marvin is the winner. He closes his eyes and lets out a sigh. “May hell burn you for eternity.” There’s silence after the shot. His lidless eyes look lifelessly ahead.
Kevin barely nods. And I aim between his eyes. Shoot.
It’s over.
“And that’s all we got for tonight. Don’t forget to donate to your local places for victims of domestic and sexual violence.” I cut the feed and yank off the sweaty, bloody gloves. I throw them on the bodies so the crew doesn’t miss them.
