The Mafia Man

Manic & Panic

                      I woke up groggily in a cold sweat. My head was throbbing. I scanned my surroundings in a panic. Where was I?

                       Stone walls, grimy floors, dim light... I must be in some sort of cellar.

                       Someone whistled behind me. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Hope you had sweet dreams."

                         I twisted around as far as the ropes binding me would allow. "Who, who ar-are you?" I croaked.

                         The man walked into my line of vision and smirked. "I'm Niall, leader of the Thugs. Irish gang. And I hate Callahan Romano." He reached out a hand and ran it through my hair. "Sorry about that nasty bump you got there. Ryan got a little too rough. Don't worry, we killed him."

                              My mouth dropped open in horror. Niall then burst out laughing. "I'm just messing with you, sweetheart. We only beat him bloody and left him in an alley. Don't know if he's dead or not."

                                I whimpered. Niall laughed again and casually pulled out a knife. Running it under his fingernails, he grew serious. "Ryan wasn't supposed to hurt you. His job was to drug you and get you safely out the window, and he disobeyed."

                                  This puzzled me. Why wouldn't he want me hurt? He did kidnap me after all.

                                  Niall seemed to understand my confusion. "My sister Maeve went to school with you. She'd kill me if she knew you'd been hurt. And I'd kill anyone who hurt you. Exhibit A: Ryan."

                                    Memories of splitting sandwiches and turning cartwheels with a fiery redhead in braids filled my mind. Feisty Maeve, someone I'd envied for as long as I could remember. She was so outspoken and much stronger than I.

                                      I knew she had a brother, but I didn't remember any Niall. Then it hit me. "Carrot?"

                                       Niall, or Carrot as I knew him, let out a piercing laugh. "So you do remember me! Grade school nicknames, huh. Wow, it's been a while. I hope you like my place. Oh, and sorry about the rope. Didn't want you getting away."

                                        "Why am I here, Car-Niall?"

                                       He smiled slyly. "I brought you here so we could be together. I've been waiting years for you to be available for courting. Once I found out you liked that gang leader, I created my own gang for you. Do you like it?" He twisted the knife slowly in his hands.

                                       "Uh- um, this rope hurts."

         "Aw here ya go, baby." Niall sliced off the rope with his knife.

                                      My wrists were raw and my torso sore. I didn't want to be here with Niall. Something wasn't right about him; he was scaring me. His eyes were bugging out and he wouldn't stop playing with the knife. I choked on a sob and curled into a ball.

                                       Niall snatched me by the hair and yanked me up. "Stop crying, baby. You're with me. We were made for each other. Stop crying!" He shook me furiously. "Stop it!"

                                          I couldn't stop. Tears were streaming down my face and choking me; my throat started constricting. I felt a panic attack coming on.

                                          Help me Cal. I can't get out of here alone. He'll hurt me.
   
                                          Numbness spread through my body. Niall's manic shouts grew fainter and fainter as I slipped back into a peaceful, familiar darkness.