Shannon’s voice sharpened. “You nearly went blind and lost an ear then, but still didn’t learn a thing? One more minute. If you don’t pay, I’ll make you truly blind and deaf today. Then I’ll call it self-defense.”
I backed into a corner. Their shadows pressed in from both sides. The minute ran out. Shannon gave the order like a verdict. “Beat him.”
They lunged and for a heartbeat, the room exploded in motion. Then, at the sight of me, the attackers froze. Where fury had burned a moment before, terror now flickered in their eyes.
I opened my mouth and spat out a wet piece of flesh. “I’ll commit suicide,” I said, voice low and hollow. “And, I’ll drag you all into hell with me.”
I moved like a man who had nothing left to lose. Two of them hit the floor beneath my hands, helpless and groaning.
From my pocket, I produced a small mechanical key and I slammed it into Henry’s eye. He screamed; blood poured hot and bright from the wound. He staggered, faltering, life draining fast.
“Don’t come any closer!” Shannon’s panic cut through the chaos, this time for real. She stumbled backward, terror flattening her features as she scrambled and fell. “I’m calling the police!” she yelled, phone already in hand.
I folded the car key away with slow, automatic motions, poured a glass of water as if nothing unusual had happened and sat down. Patient. Waiting.
They packed Henry and the others out between them. Henry was bleeding into his collar. A few minutes later, I heard her voice carrying through the door as she told the police about the incident.
Her version was neat, practiced: I had tried to assault her. She and her brother were house-hunting; relatives heard her screams and rushed in to save her. In her telling, I gouged Henry’s eyes and bit a man to death.
“Officer, Jerome is dangerous. You should shoot him. He’s armed,” Shannon lied smoothly.
“Jerome, come out with your hands up!” a voice outside called.
I walked out, hands on my head. The truth had no witness, no cameras in the room, only their coordinated testimony. One man dead, another blinded; the evidence pointed to me. I was taken away while Shannon and her clan were led off for questioning and then released, triumphant.
Hours later, I sat in a detention cell as a criminal suspect, while they went free. The next day, Shannon returned. If looks could kill, she would have sliced me where I sat.