0:03

I'm not going to lie to you, nor will

0:05

I attempt to justify my heinous actions.

0:09

I am a mass murderer, a serial

0:11

killer of the worst kind. Over

0:13

a twenty year period, I've been directly or

0:16

indirectly responsible for upwards

0:18

of three hundred murders. I

0:20

don't kill for a cause or because I

0:22

get some kind of perverse pleasure from it. Instead,

0:26

I murder people for money, power,

0:29

and status.

0:30

I'll let you decide whether that's better or worse.

0:33

The majority of my victims are officially

0:36

recorded as missing, presumed dead.

0:39

Their bodies have never been found, nor will

0:41

they. That's close to three

0:43

hundred families who will never know for sure

0:45

what happened to their people. I'm

0:47

certainly not proud of what I've done, or

0:50

for the carnage and misery I've inflicted. Some

0:53

of the killings will haunt me to my dying day.

0:56

There were ones who were largely innocent, guilty

0:59

only of some minor infraction or

1:01

unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the

1:03

wrong time. They're the ones I

1:05

regret the most,

1:07

because those people didn't deserve to die

1:09

in such a horrific manner.

1:11

On the other side of the coin are the real

1:13

evil shits, the psychopaths

1:15

and sadists, the members of rival

1:18

gangs who inflicted their own fair share

1:20

of mayhem and suffering during their time.

1:23

Those assholes got what was coming to them,

1:25

and I even took some satisfaction

1:27

from their deaths.

1:29

Nevertheless, after all these

1:31

years and all the murders, they tend

1:33

to blend into one, a montage

1:36

of bloody carnage that's become a nightmarish

1:38

blur in my memory.

1:40

I tend to remember the details rather than

1:42

the names and faces. I

1:44

see those quaking bodies standing

1:46

or kneeling at the pit's edge, often

1:48

blindfolded with their hands bound behind

1:50

their backs. Many will plead

1:53

or beg for their lives, but it makes

1:55

no difference.

1:57

We couldn't let them go even if we wanted to.

1:59

Sometimes, we'll put them out of their misery

2:02

before they fall, cutting their throat or

2:04

putting a bullet in the back of their head.

2:06

But more often than not, we'll shove

2:09

them down into the pit while they're still alive

2:11

and breathing.

2:12

Our benefactor prefers his victims

2:14

that way.

2:15

The pit isn't as deep as it looks

2:17

from above, and so usually the

2:19

victim will survive their fall, although

2:22

they'll likely break both legs in the process.

2:25

My partner and I will stand above, looking

2:27

down into the darkness,

2:29

watching on as the injured victim squeals

2:31

out in agony and crawls through the dirt,

2:34

bones, and shit which covers the bottom

2:36

of the stinking pit. Next,

2:38

we'll hear the almighty roar reverberating

2:40

throughout the connected tunnels and the sound

2:43

of something huge tearing its way through.

2:45

No matter how many times I hear that awful

2:48

roar, I'll never get used to it.

2:50

It's difficult for me to imagine the victim's terror

2:53

in that moment as the beast charges towards

2:55

them in the darkness.

2:57

They'll have come expecting to die, but

2:59

few could have imagined such a horrific final

3:02

fate. The attack is

3:04

usually over fairly quickly, a violent

3:06

blur of viscera, the victim having never

3:09

stood a chance. As I walk

3:11

away from the bloodied scene, I feel some

3:13

satisfaction that the ritual has been completed,

3:16

and our criminal fraternity will enjoy continued

3:19

good fortune and victories until the next

3:21

sacrifices do.

3:23

No doubt you're confused and more than

3:25

a little bit troubled at this point, so

3:27

let me start at the beginning.

3:30

I grew up on the wrong side of the track,

3:32

so to speak.

3:34

Born and raised in one of the poorest and

3:36

most crime-ridden districts in a city of sin.

3:39

My father wasn't around, and my mother

3:42

was an addict, so in the absence

3:44

of any adult supervision or positive

3:46

role models, I was raised by the streets,

3:49

learning to live by my wits and my fists.

3:52

By my early teens, I'd built up a reputation

3:55

as being a tough kid in the neighborhood, but

3:57

I also had street smarts and was always able

3:59

to help.

3:59

to make a quick buck.

4:01

I operated as a cat burglar, breaking

4:04

into homes and such, before I graduated

4:06

to armed robbery. The

4:08

cops never caught me, but my criminal

4:10

exploits did gain the attention of the local

4:12

mafia family. I made

4:14

the potentially lethal mistake of robbing

4:17

a liquor store that was paying protection to the

4:19

mob.

4:20

The local wise guys weren't happy with me, but

4:23

my case came to the attention of a rising star

4:25

in the family called Carl Guzman.

4:28

Carl was still in his early twenties back

4:30

then,

4:31

but he already was notorious,

4:33

his name known throughout the city's criminal

4:35

underworld.

4:36

He carried out his first hit in his teens and

4:39

was regarded as one of the most ruthless and

4:41

efficient assassins in the city.

4:43

Carl's boss was an up-and-coming gangster

4:46

called Angelo,

4:47

a one-time low-level trickster and con

4:49

man who had risen through the ranks due to a combination

4:52

of skill, ruthlessness, and sheer

4:54

force of will.

4:56

With Carl as his right-hand man, Angelo

4:58

would ultimately eliminate all of his gangland

5:01

rivals and escape any legal attention

5:03

to become the most powerful gangster in the city,

5:05

ruling a vast criminal empire incorporating

5:08

drugs, prostitution, illegal

5:10

gambling, loan sharking, protection

5:13

rackets, hits for hire, and just

5:15

about everything in between.

5:17

But all that lay in the future. Back

5:20

then, I knew little about Angelo

5:23

and Carl, other than their reputations for

5:25

violence.

5:26

Now, I was a tough kid, but when

5:28

I got called up in front of Carl Guzman for

5:30

my indiscretions, I'll admit I almost

5:33

shit my pants. I'll never forget

5:35

that fateful night when I was driven out to

5:37

an abandoned parking lot close to the docks

5:39

and brought in front of Carl. He

5:42

was a handsome and charismatic man, immaculately

5:45

turned out in an Armani suit, his

5:47

dark hair slicked back, and short beard

5:49

perfectly groomed.

5:51

I remember his dark eyes looking down upon

5:53

me, intelligent, but also

5:56

predatory eyes. Carl

5:58

was charming, but there was

5:59

a sinister undertone behind his words,

6:02

creating the impression that he'd slit your throat without

6:05

giving it a second thought. I

6:07

was scared out of my mind that night as I reckoned

6:09

he would kill me right then and there.

6:11

But, of course, he didn't. Despite

6:14

my bad behavior, Carl was impressed

6:17

with my criminal aptitude and the stories he'd

6:19

heard about me around the neighborhood.

6:21

Therefore, he gave me two choices that

6:23

evening.

6:24

Either I could accept my punishment for the robbery,

6:27

which would mean a savage beating with baseball

6:29

bats, breaking my arms and legs in the

6:31

process, or I could join

6:33

the family business and become Carl's new

6:35

apprentice.

6:37

Needless to say, it was an easy decision

6:39

for me. It was only two months

6:41

later when I accompanied Carl on my first

6:43

kidnapping murder.

6:45

This was a watershed moment for me, a

6:48

real crossing the Rubicon situation.

6:50

On that night, I sold my soul, and

6:53

I do mean that in the literal rather than metaphorical

6:56

sense.

6:57

On that night of the abduction, I was drinking

6:59

an O'Reilly's, a tough as nails bar

7:01

on the city's south side, run by an ex-gangster

7:04

who didn't ask too many questions of his patrons.

7:07

I'd just downed my second whiskey when Carl

7:09

walked in. His eyes quickly

7:11

scanned the bar interior as he sought me out.

7:14

I could tell from the look on his face that he meant

7:17

business,

7:17

and this was no social call.

7:20

I had a lump in my throat as I welcomed him.

7:22

Hey boss, what's up?

7:24

He nodded his head solemnly, with intense

7:26

eyes narrowing as he replied, Finish

7:29

your drink, we're working tonight. I

7:31

knew from his whole demeanor and the tone of his

7:33

voice that tonight's job was going to be more

7:36

than your average hijacking or punishment beating.

7:38

I realized right then and there that Carl

7:40

wanted me to make my bones, to complete

7:43

my first kill.

7:44

I had done a lot of bad shit up to that point in my

7:47

life, but I was yet to take a life.

7:49

The prospects of committing a murder didn't exactly

7:52

fill me with glee.

7:53

I was never one of those psychopaths who gets

7:56

off on it.

7:57

Nevertheless, I knew I needed to make

7:59

my bones in order to-

7:59

to rise in the family, and so

8:02

I was prepared to do so,

8:03

but I had no clue what lay before me.

8:06

We drove to the location on the outskirts of town

8:09

in a stolen car, Carl taking

8:11

the wheel while I rode shotgun. I

8:14

carried a snub-nosed .38 revolver.

8:17

Not much use for an extended gunfight, but

8:19

handy for close-range execution.

8:22

Not a word was spoken during the twenty-minute

8:24

journey, Carl remained entirely

8:26

silent and focused on the road. While

8:29

I knew better than to ask questions, Carl

8:31

would tell me what I needed to do when the time was

8:33

right. We stopped at an abandoned

8:36

warehouse in a desolate industrial estate,

8:38

just outside of the city limits. It

8:41

was a location I had never visited before, but

8:43

one which conjured up images of gangland executions

8:46

and buried bodies. Carl

8:48

drove up onto a piece of wasteland, parking

8:50

in the mud and waiting with the engines still running

8:53

and the car's headlights illuminating the darkened

8:55

scene.

8:56

We sat there in the tension-filled silence

8:59

until finally I couldn't take the suspense

9:01

any longer.

9:02

What the hell is this place, Carl? I

9:04

nervously inquired. Angelo

9:06

owns the land in the warehouse. It's his place.

9:10

Carl answered dismissively.

9:12

I nodded my head, knowing that he hadn't

9:14

really answered my question. I

9:16

decided to push for more information. Why

9:18

are we waiting here, boss? I thought we had a job

9:21

to do.

9:21

This is the fucking job! Carl

9:24

shouted back angrily. Now shut your damn

9:26

mouth and stay calm. You'll find out the truth

9:28

soon enough. I didn't quite

9:30

know what to make of his cryptic words, but I

9:33

knew better than to ask any more questions.

9:35

In any event, it wasn't long before I got

9:37

my answers.

9:39

A few minutes later, a second vehicle

9:41

came into view, slowly plowing through

9:43

the muddy wasteland and pulling up to park

9:45

about twenty yards from our car. Carl

9:48

looked on cautiously as the doors of the

9:50

dark sedan swung open and two

9:52

tall and bulky men stepped out. A

9:55

pair of gangland enforcers dressed in

9:57

cheap suits, both armed with 9mm

9:59

pistols tucked into their waistbands.

10:02

I didn't recognize the men, but Karl clearly

10:05

did. As he opened the car door

10:07

and stepped out, advancing across the

10:09

dead ground as he went to meet the newcomers,

10:12

one of the gangsters, a dark-skinned bald-headed

10:14

man, stepped forward and spoke. He

10:17

apologized for being late, saying that there

10:19

was traffic on the freeway. You got the package?

10:22

Karl interjected abruptly.

10:24

He confirmed that they were and pointed to the trunk.

10:27

Get him out. A moment later,

10:29

I was watching the two gangsters manhandling

10:31

their victim, dragging him out of the trunk

10:33

before frog-matching him across the wasteland.

10:36

Their prisoner was dressed in a soiled tracksuit,

10:39

his hands tied in front of him with a black

10:41

bag over his head, obscuring his vision.

10:44

He was an average-sized man, but dwarfed

10:46

by the pair of hefty enforcers who held him.

10:49

I noted how he hardly resisted his captors,

10:51

apparently utterly defeated and submissive

10:53

in his demeanor.

10:55

Karl walked up to the hooded man, standing

10:57

only inches from his face as he inspected the

10:59

victim with a discerning eye.

11:01

Take that damn hood off his head, Karl

11:03

instructed. It doesn't matter if he sees our faces

11:06

now.

11:06

One of the men obliged, removing the hood

11:09

from his victim's head.

11:11

The face underneath was a sorry one.

11:13

His nose was broken and his face covered

11:15

in dried blood. His eyes were bloodshot

11:17

and tired.

11:19

Surprisingly, he didn't seem scared or

11:21

in a state of panic.

11:22

Instead, the victim appeared beaten and

11:24

resigned to his fate. He adjusted

11:27

his eyes to the glare of the headlights and looked

11:29

up at my companion.

11:31

To my surprise, it turned out they knew each

11:33

other. "'Gusman, is that

11:35

you?' he muttered through trembling

11:37

lips. "'Yeah, it's me, buddy. Sorry

11:40

we have to meet like this,' Karl

11:42

replied coolly. The condemned

11:44

man surprised me again by shrugging his shoulders

11:47

dismissively. "'I fucked up,'

11:49

he replied simply.

11:51

"'Yeah, you did. Is

11:53

there any way out of here for me? Any chance

11:55

of a pass?' Karl shook his

11:58

head in the negative. "'Can't do it all, buddy.'

11:59

You know what happens when you

12:02

steal from Angelo. There's no way back."

12:04

Carl replied, with a hint of guilt now

12:06

evident in his voice,

12:17

"'It's out of my hands. You know that. But

12:20

we'll get word to your people. Let them

12:22

know you're not coming home."

12:24

I saw the condemned man's face contort

12:26

and tears well up in his eyes. He

12:28

took a deep breath before saying, "'Fuck

12:31

it. Let's get it over with.'

12:34

Carl took hold of the bound man, dismissing

12:36

the tooth bugs while doing so. We

12:38

watched as they drove off, and then Carl directed

12:41

us towards the waiting warehouse as we led

12:43

our victim on a solemn death march. It's

12:46

fair to say I was feeling pretty disturbed

12:48

at this point.

12:49

In the years which followed, I became hardened

12:51

to death and violence, and how the

12:54

man meekly accepted his fate. This

12:56

almost made things worse.

12:58

I knew Carl was watching me closely and

13:00

evaluating my performance. My

13:03

whole future in the criminal underworld hinged

13:05

on how I carried myself over the next few minutes,

13:07

and I was determined not to mess it up. Carl

13:11

made me hold the condemned man while he unlocked

13:13

the door, leading us inside of the warehouse.

13:16

The interior of the building was almost entirely

13:19

bare, albeit illuminated by

13:21

a portable lamp linked up to a generator.

13:24

In the middle of the concrete floor was a gaping,

13:26

open hole in the ground,

13:28

about 20 by 20 meters across.

13:31

I was puzzled and more than a little concerned.

13:34

Initially I assumed the pit was some sort of mass

13:36

grave. That would have been bad enough,

13:39

but the truth was far worse. We

13:42

dragged our victim forwards, right to the edge

13:44

of the pit. I remember his whole

13:46

body was shaking uncontrollably, and

13:48

he couldn't stand without support.

13:50

The stench by the pit was pretty horrific.

13:53

A foul combination of rotting flesh and

13:55

what smelt like animal waste, the

13:57

same as you'd get in a zoo.

13:59

was uneasy but also morbidly curious,

14:02

peering over the edge but seeing only

14:05

darkness. You don't want to get too close,

14:07

Carl warned.

14:09

By this stage our victim was down on his knees

14:11

by the pit's edge, muttering a quiet

14:13

prayer through his trembling lips.

14:16

I pulled out my peace, preparing to fire,

14:18

but something stopped me from doing so.

14:21

Suddenly I heard a sound emanating

14:23

from the dark bottom of the pit,

14:25

faint at first but quickly growing

14:27

louder. I jumped when I

14:29

heard the animalistic growl for the first time,

14:32

quickly followed by an almighty roar which

14:34

filled the space. A moment

14:37

later what sounded like a huge beast as

14:39

big as a rhino came storming into the pit. The

14:42

ground was shaking due to its immense size

14:44

and strength. I couldn't get a good look at

14:46

the monster, only seeing a dark shape

14:48

circling the bottom of the pit. I

14:51

looked to the quaking victim before me, seeing

14:53

him whimpering in a terror as a stream of

14:55

urine poured down his trouser leg. What

14:58

the hell is down there? I yelled, shouting

15:00

to be heard above the creature's growls. Shoot

15:03

him and kick the body down there. Carl

15:05

ordered loudly. I shook my head in

15:07

confusion. I don't understand. Shoot

15:10

him in the head! Carl screamed. I

15:12

raised my revolver, holding the barrel against the

15:14

back of his head. I paused before firing,

15:17

not wanting to pull the trigger, but I

15:19

realized that killing him would be a mercy compared

15:21

to what lay below. I closed

15:23

my eyes and fired, feeling

15:25

the kickback as my victim's head exploded.

15:28

His limp body fell forward, dropping over

15:30

the edge. I heard the poor bastard's

15:32

corpse hit the bottom with a dull thud. A

15:35

moment later, the beast grabbed hold of him

15:37

with its mighty jaws, biting down

15:39

on flesh and bone while producing a sickening

15:42

crack. As it briefly emerged

15:44

from the shadows, seeing its shark-like

15:47

eyes and huge mouth filled with razor-sharp

15:50

teeth, the mere sight of the beast

15:52

brought a cold chill up my throat. A primal

15:54

tear unlike

15:55

anything I'd ever experienced before. A

15:58

moment later, the beast dragged him with his sword.

15:59

the corpse back into the shadows and started

16:02

to devour his flesh in his sickening display.

16:05

I walked away from the pit in disgust, feeling

16:07

like I was about to be physically sick.

16:10

Carl gave me a moment to compose myself

16:12

before he walked over, slapped me on the back

16:15

and spoke. You did good, kid. The

16:17

first time is always the hardest. Now

16:20

let's get the hell out of here. I don't

16:22

recall much about our drive back to the city.

16:24

I guess I was still in a state of shock.

16:27

My brain still trying to process the horror

16:29

of what I had just witnessed.

16:31

It was some time before I was able to speak, asking

16:34

Carl the most obvious of questions.

16:36

What the hell happened back there? I demanded.

16:39

I'll tell you what I know, but we're going to

16:41

need a drink,

16:42

Carl answered.

16:44

Ten minutes later we were sitting in a secluded

16:46

booth in an empty bar, free

16:48

from prying eyes and ears. I

16:51

ordered a double whiskey and downed it in one.

16:54

What the hell was that thing?

16:56

I asked, half not wanting to hear

16:58

the answer.

16:59

Carl took a large gulp of his own drink

17:01

before answering.

17:03

I don't exactly know. It

17:05

doesn't have a name. All I know

17:07

is where it comes from. A tunnel

17:09

leading deep into the earth. A passageway,

17:12

too. He paused briefly, carefully

17:14

considering his next words. You believe

17:16

in the afterlife, kid. In heaven. In

17:20

hell.

17:20

I shrugged my shoulders, puzzled by the question.

17:23

I guess so. I've never given it

17:25

much thought. I answered. Carl

17:28

nodded his head before continuing. What

17:31

about a Faustian bargain? You

17:33

heard of that? I shook

17:35

my head in the negative. It's a fable

17:37

about a guy who made a deal with the devil,

17:40

Carl explained. I scoffed

17:42

and laughed dismissively.

17:44

I don't believe in all that supernatural

17:46

shit,

17:47

I replied.

17:48

Well Angelo sure as shit does,

17:51

and he's not on the side of angels. And

17:53

how can you deny what you saw tonight? I

17:56

didn't have an answer.

17:57

I don't know all the details.

17:59

But Angelo made his deal with the man

18:02

downstairs a couple of years back.

18:04

The deal was simple. Angelo

18:06

offers up a regular sacrifice to the beast

18:08

below, and in return, he

18:10

gets everything he wants in life. Money

18:13

and power. No trouble from the law,

18:15

and all his rivals dead are in prison.

18:18

The good times keep on rolling as long

18:20

as he delivers the bodies. I

18:23

shook my head in disbelief, wanting

18:25

to believe this was all some kind of sick joke

18:27

or type of initiation. But

18:30

there was no way to explain the beast I'd

18:32

seen down there.

18:33

My brain was racing 100 miles

18:35

per hour as I tried to make sense of what I'd

18:37

been told. I don't know,

18:39

Carl. I've seen some shit in my

18:41

days.

18:42

Robbing and shooting people is one thing, but

18:45

deals with the devil and human sacrifices?

18:48

That's a whole different level.

18:50

Carl nodded his head in understanding. I

18:53

get it, man. I felt the same, first

18:55

time I saw that monster and learned the truth. But

18:58

look at it this way.

19:00

As Angelo grows more powerful, we

19:02

benefit too. A few more years

19:04

and our crew will be running this town, and

19:07

if the devil reneges on the deal, Angelo

19:09

will be the one to pay the price.

19:11

It's a win-win. So, what

19:14

do you say, kid? You want to make it to

19:16

the big leaps?

19:17

I know I should have walked away right there and then,

19:20

but what can I say?

19:22

I'm not a good guy,

19:23

and the promises of power and wealth were

19:25

just too tempting.

19:27

So I said yes,

19:29

and my life changed forever.

19:31

Carl was right. Up to

19:33

a point, at least.

19:35

It did get easier over time. We

19:37

carried out a lot of sacrifices in those early

19:39

days, and it was around that time when Angelo

19:41

went to war with the biggest crime family in the

19:44

city, and the streets ran red

19:46

with blood.

19:47

Our boss was ultimately victorious, no

19:50

doubt due to the deal he'd made with the man

19:52

downstairs, and it was a long

19:54

and bloody gangland conflict, and

19:56

our hit squad was kept very busy. I

19:59

can't recall how many men we killed during that

20:01

gang war. The faces and names

20:03

tend to blur after a time.

20:05

We weren't able to sacrifice all of our

20:07

victims to the beast. Many we shot

20:09

dead in the streets, but where possible,

20:12

we kidnapped our rivals and brought them to the

20:14

warehouse.

20:15

This wasn't always an easy task.

20:17

Some of the men we took were real tough bastards

20:20

who fought fiercely, but almost without

20:22

exception, our victims would shit themselves

20:24

when they got to the pit and they heard the beast's

20:27

terrifying roar.

20:28

Now these guys were nasty. Gangsters,

20:31

drug dealers, pimps and killers for

20:33

hire.

20:34

They were the worst of the worst and I really

20:37

didn't feel bad about serving them up as human

20:39

sacrifices.

20:40

Those bastards would have happily tortured and

20:42

murdered us if the tables were turned.

20:44

I had shown mercy to my first victim, shooting

20:47

him dead before letting his body fall into the

20:49

pit. The beast preferred his

20:51

meals breathing,

20:52

so we pushed most of our victims down

20:55

while they were still alive, hearing the crack of

20:57

bones when they hit the bottom and relishing

20:59

their cries of terror as the beast devoured

21:01

them.

21:02

After a while, I feared I was enjoying

21:04

my job too much and so I had to remind

21:07

myself of how horrifying this truly was.

21:10

But those were good years for our

21:12

crew.

21:13

Angelo destroyed all of his enemies and

21:15

took full control of all criminal enterprises

21:17

throughout the city.

21:19

The money was pouring in and we became

21:21

the most feared and respected men in the neighborhood.

21:24

When Angelo became untouchable,

21:26

with city councilors, top police officials

21:29

and judges all in his pocket,

21:31

even the honest cops and prosecutors weren't

21:33

able to build a case and our boss never

21:35

spent a day in jail.

21:37

Yeah, those were the good days and

21:39

clearly the ritual sacrifices were working,

21:41

but

21:42

of course it didn't last.

21:45

The trouble was that we were too successful.

21:48

When the gang war ended, Angelo

21:50

no longer had any rivals left to eliminate,

21:53

but of course the devil and his beast

21:55

were relentless and they continued to demand

21:58

fresh sacrifices.

21:59

Before long we began executing men

22:02

and women for the most minor of infractions

22:04

or insults. But the crooks

22:06

were so terrified of Angelo and us

22:08

that they didn't dare put a foot out of line, so

22:11

we had to change tactics once again.

22:14

That's when we started picking victims at random.

22:17

They were people who no one would miss, the

22:19

homeless and drug addicts mostly.

22:21

We found it easier to dope our victims

22:24

before throwing them into the pit.

22:26

We made them more docile as we dragged

22:28

them to their deaths, tossing those poor

22:30

bastards over the edge and walking away

22:32

as the beast ripped them to shreds. Carl

22:35

and I rarely spoke on those nights, but

22:38

neither of us were happy.

22:40

I became sickened by my role in these senseless

22:42

killings, a seemingly never-ending

22:44

conveyor belt of death and suffering.

22:47

I tried everything to dull my pain, drink,

22:50

drugs, sex, nothing worked.

22:53

I just couldn't escape the immense guilt that I

22:55

carried with me.

22:57

Carl got bumped up about six months ago,

22:59

taking on the role of Angelo's number two.

23:02

I didn't quite know how to feel about this change.

23:05

Carl and I had worked together for a long time and

23:07

we shared a terrible secret, but a

23:09

part of me was glad to see the back of him. I'd

23:12

come to loathe the man who'd led me down this

23:15

bloody path, even though I knew

23:17

I'd ultimately made my own free choices.

23:20

The asshole they sent to replace Carl

23:22

turned out to be a real piece of work.

23:24

His name was Tommy and he grew up

23:26

in my neighborhood,

23:27

being introduced to the criminal underworld from

23:30

a young age.

23:31

Tommy was the type of kid who tortured

23:33

small animals for fun, before graduating

23:35

to do the same to human beings.

23:38

He took a perverse, sadistic pleasure

23:40

in killing, which had never appealed to Carl

23:42

and me.

23:43

We considered the murders an ugly but

23:46

necessary act, and we tried to be

23:48

as professional as possible, but Tommy

23:50

loved killing and was almost giddy every

23:52

night we carried out a sacrifice. He

23:55

would mock our victims, laughing in their faces

23:57

as they pled for mercy or giving them

23:59

them false hope before delivering the fatal

24:02

blow. Tommy was also

24:04

obsessed with the hellish beast, almost

24:06

to the point of worshipping it. He

24:08

talked at length about every grisly kill

24:11

when all I wanted to do was forget.

24:13

Working with a psychopath like Tommy made

24:16

a horrific situation even worse.

24:18

I knew I wouldn't be able to keep this up for much

24:20

longer. Everyone has their breaking point,

24:23

and I reached mine a week ago.

24:25

The night of what will be my last murder

24:28

sacrifice started out the same as my

24:30

first,

24:30

as I sat drinking in a dive bar, waiting

24:33

for a call. Tommy rang

24:35

me soon after midnight, saying Angela wanted

24:37

us to work tonight. I sighed

24:39

deeply while downing my whiskey,

24:41

wandering out onto the windswept street

24:44

where Tommy picked me up in a dark sedan.

24:46

I climbed into the passenger seat,

24:49

noting the cruel smile on Tommy's lips

24:51

and the suspicious twinkle in his eye. His

24:54

body language immediately put me on guard.

24:56

Where's the job? I asked wearily.

24:59

The asshole's in the trunk, Tommy replied,

25:01

while laughing sadistically. All ready for

25:03

his little trip to hell.

25:05

I nodded my head grimly and asked

25:07

no further questions during our drive out of town.

25:10

I assumed the man trapped in the trunk was

25:12

just another nameless victim grabbed off the

25:15

streets.

25:16

Little did I know what lay before me on that

25:18

fateful night. We reached

25:20

the warehouse shortly before 1am. I

25:23

got out of the car and shivered from the cold, looking

25:25

up at the stars above as Tommy opened the

25:27

trunk to reveal the hooded victim within.

25:30

The man inside was bound with duct tape, his

25:33

hands tied in front of him. He wore

25:35

what looked like an expensive suit, except

25:38

it was ripped, soiled and covered in

25:40

dried blood. At first

25:42

he looked like just a typical kidnap victim,

25:45

but something didn't seem right.

25:46

Get the hell up asshole! The

25:49

victim complied, shakily pulling himself

25:51

out of the trunk and managing to stand on his own

25:53

two feet. I didn't understand. What's

25:56

going on here, Tommy? I whispered in

25:58

my companion's ear. Why isn't

26:00

he drugged?

26:01

We usually doped our prisoners to make them

26:03

docile and less able to resist."

26:06

Tommy replied loudly, making sure that

26:08

our victim overheard. And that would be

26:10

too easy, man. Angelo wants this

26:12

bastard to suffer. He's going to know it

26:14

when the beast eats him alive. Ain't that right,

26:16

buddy?

26:17

He punched the hooded man around the back of his head,

26:19

making him yelp in pain and shock.

26:22

I didn't like this at all.

26:23

Tommy was playing games, and I wouldn't

26:26

let it slide.

26:27

In an instant, I reached out and yanked the hood

26:29

from our victim's head.

26:30

I then recoiled in horror at what I saw.

26:33

The bloodied and bruised face of my

26:35

former mentor and brother in arms, Carl

26:38

Guzman. I stood there, awestruck,

26:41

looking my friend in the eye, seeing

26:43

that expression of total defeat and resignation

26:46

which I'd witnessed in many other condemned

26:48

men over the years.

26:50

He looked down, seemingly unable to meet

26:52

my gaze. Carl? What

26:54

the fuck, man?

26:56

I exclaimed.

26:57

It's okay, old buddy.

26:59

It's my time to go.

27:00

This ain't on you, man.

27:02

I shook my head in disbelief as Tommy

27:04

pushed Carl forwards towards the warehouse

27:06

and his terrible fate. I

27:08

ran after them, shouting questions in a state

27:11

of frenzied panic. Carl, I

27:13

don't get it. How did this happen?

27:15

I messed up, man. He replied

27:17

solemnly, took a shot at the king and

27:20

missed. Now I'm paying the price. I

27:23

just couldn't understand. But why? Why

27:26

the hell would you do that?

27:27

Carl suddenly stopped walking, fighting

27:29

against Tommy's grip to turn and face me,

27:32

his eyes filled with a fiery intensity.

27:34

Because that son of a bitch needs to be stopped,

27:37

that's why. Angelo and his damn

27:39

deal. What we've done, it's

27:41

evil. I should have stopped this years

27:43

ago, but I was weak. Don't

27:46

make the same mistake. That evil fucker

27:48

needs to go. Tommy

27:50

ended Carl's angry tirade by whacking

27:52

him hard around the head and forcing him to continue

27:55

his death mark. Shut the fuck up,

27:57

traitor. The thugs swore.

27:59

I should have intervened to stop it,

28:01

but I guess I was still in a state of shock, not

28:04

truly believing what was occurring in front of me.

28:07

But Tommy knew exactly what he was doing

28:09

as he forced the helpless Carl inside the warehouse

28:11

and Frog marched him towards the waiting pit.

28:14

I followed behind in a daze, my

28:17

mind racing as I desperately tried to

28:19

come to terms with this unexpected turn and

28:21

considered my next move.

28:23

We entered the dreaded warehouse, Tommy

28:25

and Carl marching ahead and me trailing

28:27

behind.

28:29

I saw the pit and heard the faint roar

28:31

of the beast as it tore down the tunnel, greedily

28:33

anticipating its coming meal. I

28:36

lost control, grabbed Tommy by the shoulders

28:38

and pulled him around while I placed the other hand

28:40

on the butt of my pistol.

28:42

What the fuck are you doing? Tommy

28:44

spat angrily, his dark eyes full

28:46

of fury. We're not doing this! I

28:49

exclaimed with determination.

28:50

I was sure it would come to blows, but Carl

28:53

intervened.

28:54

It's okay old buddy. He said

28:56

calmly, speaking directly to me whilst

28:58

maintaining eye contact. It's my

29:00

time. I have this coming. But

29:03

Carl!

29:04

I whimpered, already losing faith in

29:06

my cause.

29:07

But nothing. It's over for me.

29:09

There's no sense in you dying too.

29:12

Listen to your friend here.

29:14

Tommy interjected, shooting me a twisted

29:16

smile as he did so.

29:18

I was paralyzed, unable to act

29:20

or intervene as Carl marched towards his

29:23

terrible fate.

29:24

I didn't understand it. Carl

29:26

knew what was down there better than anyone.

29:29

How could he accept such an awful death so

29:31

meekly? I looked on as Carl

29:33

kneeled by the side of the pit, replicating

29:36

the stance of our first victim all those years

29:38

ago.

29:39

Meanwhile, the beast came charging into

29:41

the pit, its dark shadow circling

29:43

in eager anticipation, whilst emitting

29:45

a low animalistic growl. It'd

29:48

been a long time since it'd been so excited

29:50

about a sacrifice.

29:52

It was almost as if it recognized its soon

29:54

to be victim. I knew what the

29:56

monster did to living bodies, so I

29:58

was determined to not let Carl out.

29:59

suffer such a fate.

30:01

After all, he had been my friend once

30:03

upon a time.

30:05

I'll give you a clean death at least."

30:07

I said grimly as I drew my pistol

30:09

and held it to his head.

30:11

I didn't know how my old friend would react, and

30:13

so was astonished when he turned to speak with me.

30:16

His eyes filled with a fiery intensity.

30:19

Listen to me, this evil needs to

30:21

end. You must finish what I started.

30:24

Carl didn't get a chance to finish his frantic last

30:26

words, because in that very moment Tommy

30:29

kicked him hard in the back, forcing his body

30:31

over the edge. "'Adios, asshole! Send

30:33

us a postcard from hell!" Tommy

30:36

laughed. I screamed while lurching

30:38

forward, but it was already too late. I

30:41

watched in horror as my friend fell into

30:43

the darkness, his body hitting the bottom

30:46

with a heavy thud. Carl

30:48

was still conscious when he hit the ground. He

30:50

tried to crawl to safety, but the beast was on

30:52

him in a flash, trampling his helpless body

30:54

under its huge hooves, cracking bones

30:57

as if they were twigs. Carl

30:59

screamed in agony as the beast made a second

31:01

pass, this time grabbing its victims

31:03

in its mighty jaws, throwing him across

31:06

the pit like he was a ragdoll. I

31:08

lost it in that moment, doing something I'd

31:10

never done before, aiming my pistol

31:13

and firing down onto the pit. I

31:15

screamed in between shots. My

31:18

gun was empty in just a few

31:19

short seconds. It was dark,

31:21

and my aim was off, but still I

31:24

must have hit the beast at least three or four times,

31:27

but the monster didn't even slow down, the

31:29

bullets bouncing off its hide like its skin

31:31

was made of steel.

31:32

I could only look on in abject horror

31:34

as it continued to toy with Carl's helpless

31:36

body seemingly taking pleasure from

31:39

his suffering. Finally,

31:41

the horrifying ordeal came to an end,

31:43

as the monster bit through Carl's torso,

31:46

practically splitting him in two before dragging

31:48

his shredded remains into the shadows, where

31:51

it proceeded to devour his flesh. I

31:53

stood by the edge of the open pit, perspiring

31:56

heavily with tears in my eyes as I tried

31:58

to come to terms with Carl's

31:59

Carl's horrific death. Suddenly

32:02

my six senses spiked as I felt the hairs

32:04

on the back of my neck stand on end. I

32:07

turned around sharply and saw Tommy approaching

32:09

from behind, his hand reaching for his

32:11

gun and his eyes filled with a murderous intent.

32:14

A second later he surely would have pushed me down

32:17

into the pit, but now Tommy was

32:19

caught out like a deer in headlights. I

32:22

stepped away from the edge and made my knuckles into

32:24

fists, preparing to fight for my life.

32:27

Tommy wasn't used to fighting people who defended

32:29

themselves, so he hesitated. We

32:32

glared at each other for a tension-filled minute

32:34

before I eventually broke the silence. We're

32:36

done here? I asked coldly.

32:39

Yeah, Tommy replied after

32:41

a lengthy pause. We're done. Let's

32:44

get the hell out of here. And we left the warehouse

32:47

behind, trying to ignore the sound of

32:49

the beast gnawing on Carl's bones.

32:52

I survived by the skin of my teeth that

32:54

night,

32:54

but I know my days are numbered.

32:57

With Carl gone, my loyalty is definitely

32:59

suspected. Angelo surely knows

33:01

I'm not his man anymore, but he

33:03

doesn't know that I'm coming for him. I

33:06

haven't forgotten Carl's final words. He

33:08

was right.

33:09

This evil must be stopped.

33:11

Tonight, I intend to arm myself

33:13

to the teeth and go after Angelo. I'm

33:16

going to kill him or die trying.

33:18

It's the only way to end this living hell.

33:21

I know this act won't make up for all the evil

33:23

stuff I've done. It's too late

33:26

for redemption, and I expect to burn for

33:28

my sins, but damn,

33:31

I'm going to enjoy seeing the look on that bastard's

33:33

face right before I put a bullet through his

33:36

skull. And all the better when that vial is forced back

33:39

to hell where it belongs.

33:40

It's time to go to work.

33:55

Thanks for watching.

34:25

Well, well, well, a visitor.

34:28

Take yourself at home and feel free to explore

34:30

my establishment. Each visit to

34:32

my shop will unleash a sordid tale

34:34

about the many relics curated within.

34:37

Everyone darker than the next, I'm afraid.

34:41

Welcome to the Ant Aquarium

34:44

of Sinister Happenings and

34:47

Oddgoings on.