Page 6 of The Taskmaster
I didn’t move. I didn’t want to sit on his lap, and I didn’t want a new home.
He sighed, and then he shuffled the white paper bag he was holding and asked, “Have you ever tried a cherry?”
I shook my head.
“No?” He sounded shocked. “You’ve never tried a cherry? You’re missing out.”
He pulled a shiny red cherry from his white bag and popped it into his mouth, making an ‘mmm’ sound as he did, and then he smiled at me again. “They’re so sweet. Like the tastiest sweet any child could have. Here...” He put his arm out, shaking the bag in my direction. “Take one. You’ll love it. And you deserve a treat.”
I did deserve a treat. And I liked sweet things. Mum used to sneak tiny squares of chocolate to me whenever Dad wasn’t watching.
I took a step towards him, eyeing the bag, and as if to tempt me further, he pulled the bag away. He took another cherry out for himself, sliding it into his mouth and making that ‘mmm’ sound again as he closed his eyes and chewed.
Then his eyes snapped open.
“Do you want one then?”
I nodded, and he held the bag out again. I took another step, reaching for the bag to take a cherry, but as I did, he grabbed my arm and yanked me onto his lap, wrapping his arm around my waist tightly so I couldn’t wriggle or escape.
“You’re a little fighter, aren’t you?” he whispered in my ear. “I like that. Now, open your mouth.”
He scooped a handful of cherries into his fat hand and let the white bag fall to the floor. Then he pressed them into my mouth, making me choke on them as he held his hand firmly in place, not letting me chew or spit any out.
I started to panic, and he held my head against his chest and growled in my ear. His breath and the boom of his voice mademe shiver as it tickled my ear, but not in a good way, and I tried so hard to get away.
“I’ve given you something sweet, now you need to give me something,” he growled as he pushed his hand into the waistband of my trousers and then into my underwear.
I didn’t like cherries.
I hated them.
I hated him, too.
And one day, I’d show him exactly how much.
Chapter Four
THE TASKMASTER
Present day
“Ring any bells,Kevin?” The mask on the video stared menacingly at him down the lens. But he sat there mumbling and shaking his head, his wide eyes shifting between me and the screen. His hands fisted as he tried to move his arms, his knees jolting to try and get some traction on his restrained legs, but when my voice on the video began to shout, he stopped and sat still.
“DID IT? DID IT REMIND YOU WHAT A FUCKING ANIMAL YOU ARE? BECAUSE I FUCKING REMEMBER!”
I took slow breaths as the words I’d already spoken in the video played on repeat in my head.
“I remember your stale breath, your sweaty hands, your disgusting words. Every. Fucking. One. Do you want to know what else I remember?”
Cherry Man snivelled, dipping his head in shame as he tried to avoid watching what was right in front of him. I moved to stand behind him and grabbed his head, forcing it up. Making him watch.
“You told me I’d never escape. That I belonged to you... to all of you fucked-up pieces of shit. You said my only purpose in life was to serve you. But guess what? I did escape. And now... you will serve me.” The mask moved closer again, red crosses dominating the screen. “AND YOU’LL FUCKING PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!”
I paused the TV. Then, as he whimpered and cried through his gag, I strolled over to the table and picked up a large carving knife and a white paper bag. I lifted the carving knife and held it up for inspection, checking the shine and sharpness, making sure he could see what I was doing. His muffled cries grew louder, more desperate, and I smiled. He knew what was coming.
I walked back over to him and unpaused the video.
“I’m a fair man,” my voice on the video lied. “I enjoy playing games. So I’m going to play a little game with you tonight, Cherry Man. But there are rules.Myrules. And you need to listen very fucking carefully. Because if you don’t, THERE’LL BE FUCKING HELL TO PAY!” My voice on the video paused for a second. “Are we clear?”
