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"thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/5573/5573685_UnamusedMonkey_theartist.jpg", "thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5573/5573685_UnamusedMonkey_theartist.jpg", "thumb_huge_x": "300", "thumb_huge_y": "300", "thumb_large_x": "200", "thumb_large_y": "200", "thumb_medium_x": "120", "thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "pools": [], "description": "Sorry I haven't been active as of late.\nI've been chipping away at stories bit by bit between some personal stuff. \nHere's one that's finally finished.\nIt's a weird one where words are used to torture instead of merely force.\nI originally was going to have this as a \"black\" tone story but decided it's not dark enough for that.\n\nAlso, PLEASE do not take anything Lee/Black says seriously as it's only a story.\nThis is just a story, pure fiction. It is not meant to portray any kind of political opinion or form of mental illness in a realistic manner. This work is not any kind of attack or criticism, nor any kind of endorsement of any kind of ideology of any kind. It's just a story, and he's a big talker.\nEDIT: Added a hard break between the shifts because the automatic thingy failed to do so. ", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Sorry I haven't been active as of late.
I've been chipping away at stories bit by bit between some personal stuff.
Here's one that's finally finished.
It's a weird one where words are used to torture instead of merely force.
I originally was going to have this as a "black" tone story but decided it's not dark enough for that.

Also, PLEASE do not take anything Lee/Black says seriously as it's only a story.
This is just a story, pure fiction. It is not meant to portray any kind of political opinion or form of mental illness in a realistic manner. This work is not any kind of attack or criticism, nor any kind of endorsement of any kind of ideology of any kind. It's just a story, and he's a big talker.
EDIT: Added a hard break between the shifts because the automatic thingy failed to do so. ", "writing": "\tMr. Lee smiled sweetly to the young well-dressed couple as they passed by him. ``You two should really look at the new flower paintings on the West wing. They are simply delightful!'' The black-suited Siamese told the feline pair. ``They're from an up and coming local talent by the name of Robert A. Bradford. A gift of our time, clearly.''\n\n\t``Thanks, Mr. Lee.'' The white furred she-cat said, reading the tag adorned on the breast of his black suit. ``We'll do just that.''\n\n\tThe Siamese gave the two a slight bow as they made their way. ``Lovely couple.'' He said to himself, sighing at the sight of young love. ``Reminds me of myself when I wa-''\n\n\tThe man paused his thoughts as he saw another cat walking across the gallery floor. This one didn't look like the Avent's typical clientele. He was a young white furred cat, early to mid twenties at the oldest. He was wearing a black baseball cap, a black puffer jacket, a pair of blue jeans and worst of all, a pair of hideously cheap sneakers. Not the typical clientele at all. He didn't even look like he could pay the entry fee. \n\n\tLee stroked his long, thin mustache with a contemplative paw. The guy had to be trouble. He looked like one of those upstart hooligans that threw soup on priceless paintings to prove some kind of a point. He'd have to act quickly. \n\n\t``Young man.'' The Siamese began, gliding towards the upstart. ``Do you have an entry pass?''\n\n\t``Sure do.'' The snow-white felid smirked, holding up a card. ``It's a lot cheaper than the pass I bought to see your work, Mr. Black.''\n\n\tLee's face went completely pale. Every synapse in his body froze up. The world seemed to freeze. Long, salty streams of sweat ran down his face in an instant. Perspiration was gushing from his nervous exterior like a fountain. \n\n\tLee's eyes darted around, looking to see if anyone else was in the area. He was thankful it was a quiet day. The two of them were alone. He began to lower his hand into his suit pocket. The other cat was on him in an instant.\n\n\t``There's no need for that.'' He said, his voice calm and collected.\n\n\t``Who the fuck are you?'' Lee's voice was one of paranoia. He gripped something in his pocket.\n\n\t``Calm down. If you make a scene, you'll get caught.'' The stranger held his paws to his side, palms up to show that he was unarmed. \n\n\t``Are you a cop?'' Lee gripped tighter.\n\n\t``If I were, pretty sure you'd be looking down the barrel of -I don't know- ten or eleven guns right about now?'' The supposed upstart chuckled dryly. ``No, I'm just a fan of your work. I took a look at your personal gallery the other day. Quite a hefty entrance fee, but it was worth it. Magnificent work. I particularly loved the piece with the little girl's-''\n\n\t``Say another word and you're dead, kid.'' The Siamese growled. ``You won't defile this place by talking about it here. I'm Mr. Lee, here. Got it?''\n\n\t``Figured you'd be a bit antsy.'' The punk nodded sagely. ``Look. I won't say anymore if you don't want me to. I just wanted to show you something.'' \n\n\tThe stranger removed a small instant print photo. He held it out for Mr. Lee to see. The Siamese stared at the photo, captivated. The picture was that of a small boy, fur dark as the stranger's, but over a decade younger. The most striking feature of the innocent young felid's face was his eyes. His eyes were a startling scarlet. They were the most beautiful thing he'd laid his own eyes on in a while. They almost seemed to glow.\n\n\tLee removed his hand from his pocket. He checked the area again and spoke. ``I'm listening.''\n\n\t``This boy, I see him sometimes when I'm driving to work. He's been torturing me. Just seeing him.'' The man said, pocketing the photo. ``His eyes are so wonderful, a work of art on their own. It's a shame that one day they won't be around. I'd hate to see such marvelous orbs to to waste.''\n\n\t``You want me to make a work of him?'' Lee raised an eyebrow.\n\n\t``Yes. It'd be a sin to deny the world of those eyes. They should be... preserved in one of your pieces.''\n\n\t``You know, my commission work is ten million dollars a piece, right?'' Lee said, firmly. ``And since he's a child... I normally ask for triple.''\n\n\t``You saw the eyes, this is an obligation.'' The stranger said, his own voice standing ground. ``You cannot withhold the people of them. Generations should be able to see those glorious rubies.''\n\n\t``True, but... I already had a project in the pipeline.'' Mr. Lee ran a paw along his mustache. ``Are you familiar with the name Frankie Fontane? He's going to visit this city soon. I'm planning on getting him and...'' Lee's smile grew, his pure white teeth shining in the light. ``Using his vocal chords to string a violin. I already have the violin ready to go. It's a wonderful piece, bought it from a police auction. That violin witnessed a particularly brutal rape-homicide.''\n\n\t``That does sound like a pretty good project.'' The stranger whistled, surprised by the impact of the piece. ``Can't wait to see that one. Though... you really have to admit, those eyes. You would be creating an act of balance. First, you deprive the world of Frankie's golden voice, then, you preserve those beautiful orbs for the future.''\n\n\t``That's a poetic way to put it.'' Mr. Lee looked at the other felid with suspicion. ``You don't seem like the typical clientele I deal with. Who are you?''\n\n\t``I have no secrets to hide from you.'' The other man held his paws out. ``My name is Fa, but my associates call me Mr. White, quite ironic, isn't it?''\n\n\tA rush of fear painted across Lee's face. He felt a horrible chill run through his spine. When he saw Fa smirk at his reaction, he almost pissed his pants. Mr. Lee was only afraid of two things, law enforcement, and the enforcement arm of the city's ``second government.'' Fa's grin only grew when he saw Lee took a step back.\n\n\t``No need to run. You're not in danger.'' The white furred cat said, his voice calm and gentle. ``It was going to happen eventually. Your... other gallery has recently gotten the family interested in your work, not just me.''\n\n\t``Is Fontane one of your guys? If he is, I-I won't cut a hair on his head.'' Mr. Lee stammered. \n\n\t``No, Fontane isn't one of ours. He belongs to another family, though.'' Fa chuckled darkly. ``So I'd be careful with that project. Though, I can help you with that too.''\n\n\t``Look, my work is just for artists.'' Mr. Lee gulped, sweat running down his face. ``It's for those that have interests of the canvas of the flesh. I'm not like, trying to cut into your work.''\n\n\t``You've got my intentions wrong.'' Fa sighed, a touch of frustration in his tone. ``I want to hire you for this. Thirty million? You've got it. I can have it wired to you.''\n\n\tLee's expression darkened. ``This boy. Who is he to you?''\n\n\t``Smart cat.'' Fa chuckled. ``This boy is the son of rather difficult individual. You don't need to know anything else about his identity.''\n\n\t``I hate to offend, but, uh, isn't this supposed to be your specialty? I'm not a hitman.'' Lee felt his right eye twitch. \n\n\t``We need this to be an outside work. Besides, we don't have any `artists' in our ranks.'' Fa's eyes seemed to glow with pleasure. ``This display will be more than a work of art. It'll send a message.''\n\n\t``Will uh- you protect me?'' Lee whimpered.\n\n\t``Covertly, we will have some protection provided for you.'' Fa explained. ``We'll also pay you for any work lost because of it. I'm prepared to pay you double the standard amount for your work... if you can do it within the week.''\n\n\t``Does the boy live here?''\n\n\t``Yes. Every evening after school, he walks home. Curious, as he's driven to school but not back. An odd oversight, but one you will expose. I can provide you with his typical stops.''\n\n\tLee felt the fear melt into something else. The new feeling made his heart race. \n\n\t``And you'll protect me from Fontane's people?''\n\n\t``Of course.''\n\n\t``I'll do it.''\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n______\n\tThe bright vermilion eyes seemed to shine in the concrete room. The groggy young boy looked upwards at the blank ceiling with lethargy. He shifted slightly in his bonds, tight ropes kept him from shifting too much from the medical bed he was bound to. His little boy face was an expression of slow realization.\n\n\tWhat was going on? He thought to himself, barely able to comprehend the words s they floated through his barely conscious mind. \n\n\tHis thoughts slowly played memories in his mind's eye. A foggy thought ran across it. He remembered walking to the card store after school, something he did almost every week day. A sudden pain caused him to flinch in his bonds. A harsh piercing sensation buzzed in his head, like a blade being drug across the soft flesh of his gray matter. \n\n\t``Ooog...'' A soft noise gurgled from his young lips.\n\n\tHe remembered he had met a man right at the entrance of the card store. He had been a very kindly Siamese, one that seemed educated on card games. The two had spoken about various strategies and rarities, including the new set that was going to drop in a week. Then he-\n\n\tRealization.\n\n\tHis brain went into overdrive. A rush of thoughts and processes whirred in a chaotic rush. \n\n\tWhere was he?\n\n\tWhy couldn't he move?\n\n\tWait, I'm tied up!?\n\n\tWhat's going on!?!\n\n\t``What the..'' He could finally form words, though pitiful as they were.\n\n\t``Oh, you're finally awake.'' Came a voice from behind him. \n\n\tThe little boy tried to look where the sound had come from but couldn't turn his head back. He felt a cold rush across his fur. He looked down and realized that the ropes that were his bounds was the only thing covering him at all. The child was completely naked, his young uncut boyhood dangled limply between his legs.\n\n\tHe begin a weak and pathetic struggle against the ropes, a mewling groan escaping from his lips as he tried to escape in vain. Just moving around took considerable effort. A tightness grasped around the inside of his throat. He felt a gross feeling inside of him.\n\n\t``Please don't do that.'' The voice said in a calm, collected tone. ``If you move around, you'll just knock yourself out. I want you to be awake.''\n\n\t``Who are you?'' The black furred kid managed to squeak out. \n\n\t``You can call me Mr. Black.'' The voice shifted as the owner of it leaned over the bed.\n\n\tThe young cub's eyes widened in horror. It had been the nice stranger he had met outside of the card store earlier. He didn't look so nice now. What had once been a gentle, thoughtful expression had been replaced by a wholly sinister and disturbing aura. The Siamese grinned, showing his sharp fangs. ``I was beginning to worry that I'd given you too strong of a dose. I need you to be fresh and awake for my greatest art piece yet.''\n\n\t``What are you talking about?'' The captive's fogginess was lifting slowly.\n\n\t``It's quite simple, really.'' The Siamese explained. ``I'm an artist, and you, you're going to be my latest canvas.''\n\n\t``I don't understand.''\n\n\t``Of course you don't, but you will soon.'' The stranger placed a paw on the child's bare shoulder. The fur was soft, wonderfully so. ``It's been a while since I've worked on a child, especially one as young as you.''\n\n\t``I don't un...'' The boy's beautiful orbs widened, his feline pupils becoming slits. ``WHERE AM I!? Who ARE YOU!? LET ME GO! LET ME GO!''\n\n\tHe struggled in the tight confines, shaking and rumbling the bed as he did so. A firm paw against his chest made him stop his plight suddenly. The stranger's expression had gone from a cruel grin to a grim glare. The look made the boy shudder. \n\n\t``None of that.'' Mr. Black commanded, his voice ice cold. ``If you don't cooperate, it's just going to be worse for you.''\n\n\tThe child swallowed loudly. ``Where am I?''\n\n\t``You're at my art studio.'' The captor said plainly.\n\n\t``Will you let me go?'' Quivered the boy. \n\n\t``I can't do that, you're too beautiful to let go of.'' A gentle paw brushed his cheek. ``I need you.''\n\n\t``What do you want?'' The child began to cry, or at least attempted to. Tears wouldn't form in his eyes. The Siamese leaned in closer, anger in his face.\n\n\t``Do not cry. If you tear up, you'll ruin your eyes.'' The adult cat said, suddenly gripping the boy by the jaw. His fingers tightened causing the kid to flinch. ``If you ruin your eyes, I'll make you experience a pain so horrible that you'll wish you were dead.''\n\n\tFear rose up in the kitten's chest. He felt sweat run across his body. His breathing became fast and shallow. Panic was starting to set in. ``What are you going to do to me!?'' He asked, a whimper in his frightened throat. \n\n\t``Let me show you.'' The cat smirked, clapping his paws together. ``This is the part I love the most.''\n\n\tHe turned from the boy. The child's feline ears twitched as he heard a squeaking noise. Mr. Black was wheeling something close to the bed. He could barely turn enough to see it. \n\n\tHe wasn't sure what he was looking at. It was some kind of display of some sort. It almost looked like the base of an intricate trophy. The base of the piece was made of three pillars of polished marble. The white stone supported a reddish wooden case. The wood was carved with the expertise of a master artist. It was a well polished and great cut of tree. Carved into it were figures of eyeballs and various blades in a repeated pattern that brought the images of a work of a particularly macabre scrimshaw to mind. \n\n\tThe sides of the box were veined with shining hematite. The purplish metal had been carefully attached to the display. The hematite projected images of an eyeless kitten with a vacant look on his face. The detail of the picture left no doubt in the boy's swimming thoughts: the picture was supposed to be him.\n\n\tInside of the case was a small pillow of white silk. The pillow looked like something that a rich king would have. Nested in the bed of silk was an open case. The small box was lined with a shimmering red velvet. There were two small impressions inside of the velvet lining. It didn't take much of an imagination to know what was going to occupy that particular box. \n\n\tThe side of the tall wooden display had an instant print. The print was a picture of himself, smiling. Written on the small white portion of the photo was ``William, Aged Nine.'' \n\n\tWilliam shuddered, the worst feelings crawling up his spine. ``Please, you have to let me go!'' He pleaded, his youthful voice echoing in the concrete room. ``I... I'll do anything, my dad, he'll pay you a lot of money, please don't hurt me!'' He begged.\n\n\t``I'm afraid I can't do that.'' Grinned Mr. Black. ``You're going to be a work of art, like it or not.''\n\n\t``I don't want you to take my eyes!'' The boy screamed.\n\n\t``Don't worry, it won't hurt for long.'' The Siamese ran a soft paw across the boy's short black headfur. ``I'll make sure to kill you not long after I remove them.''\n\n\t``PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!'' The boy cried out, his throat pained by the sudden shrill scream.\n\n\t``I'm afraid I can't let you live after this.'' The man said, a gentle tone in his voice. ``If you cooperate, I'll make sure it's completely painless, well, besides the fact that I'm going to pluck your wonderful eyes from your skull.'' He added in with a dark chuckle. ``Best accept this with some dignity and grace. You're going to be the best fixture in my gallery. Think about it. Why deny the world what you owe to it?''\n\n\t``I don't want to die!'' The child whimpered, hopelessness settling in.\n\n\t``Come on now, don't be silly.'' Mr. Black tsked. ``You are going to die anyway. No one lives forever.''\n\n\t``Please, I don't want to die.'' Was all the boy could find himself saying. \n\n\t``You still have a little time left to live.'' The Siamese said, pushing the display out of the boy's sight. ``I like to talk to my projects before I get to work. I enjoy the company. I'm not a cruel man, I'll put those thoughts to rest before you have to go.''\n\n\tAll the kid could do was whimper pathetically, all hope loss. \n\n\t``Now, what seems to be the matter, little William?'' Asked the older feline in a reassuring tone. ``Don't you know that you're going to make a lot of people happy soon? Isn't that what everyone dreams of, making others happy?''\n\n\t``I don't want to die.''\n\n\t``That's selfish of you to say.'' A firm affect sounded. ``Death is something that happens to everyone. I'll die one day, too. Though I'm not too worried about that at the moment. Maybe a look at some of my other projects will ease your mind.''\n\n\t``What are you...-''\n\n\tAnother instant photo was right in front of the boy. It was a very wonderfully sculpted statue of a naked wolf boy. It was perfectly detailed in every way. The young canine child looked like he could have leapt out of the photograph. Even the boy's small, little foreskin clad penis and itty bitty scrotum were incredibly lifelike. \n\n\t``This was the last little boy I worked on.'' The artist explained. ``That's no ordinary statue. It was once a real, living young wolf cub. He was a pretty good job. I cast him into the concrete and made sure to poke holes where his mouth and nose were.''\n\n\tThe Siamese sighed dreamily. ``He was a living statue. A hallmark display that I'm rather proud of. He screamed as much as he could when he was displayed before his young throat gave out. He was alive for about four days while being displayed. He's still out there in the gallery, but not nearly as lively as he was when I first put him out. The stench of his corpse sealed in the concrete brings me joy as it wafts into my gallery's clientele.''\n\n\t``No- this can't be happening.'' William tried to cry again but his tear-ducts felt like they had been sealed shut. No wetness came through.\n\n\tHe let out a pained yelp as Mr. Black leaned closer and gripped him by the whiskers. The little cat's whiskers were being yanked on by the Siamese, causing him extreme pain. He screamed. The artist's face was that of fury. ``Do not cry. You will ruin your eyes. I've made sure you couldn't cry, as much as I could with a little concoction. If you manage to break it through and tear up, your eyes will be ruined. There will be nothing that will satiate my desire to hurt you.''\n\n\t``Why are you doing this?!'' Squeaked William.\n\n\t``Why?'' The Siamese stroked his thin mustache in thought for a brief moment. ``Because it's something I want to do. I've heard clients make the funniest backstories to my life. So many of them declare that I must've had an awful childhood, that I had been hurt when I was very young. Others think that I'm coping with some kind of loss from my life. The fact is, there is no tragic backstory, no greater meaning to why I do what I do. I merely am an artist and this is the art that I create. I work with the canvases of the flesh because it's something I enjoy doing.'' A pink tongue flickered out and licked his fangs. \n\n\t``You can't do this. You can't...'' The boy pleaded, feeling an odd sense of tiredness seeping into him. He thought of any avenue he could get to save his young life. ``Please, what you're doing is wrong. Be kind and let me go. It-it would be the right thing, the...'' His mind searched for an appealing word. He was young, his vocabulary limited. ``Charitable thing.'' \n\n\t``Charitable?'' Mr. Black grimaced, his feline nostrils sneering as he let go of the child's whiskers, a few of them having been plucked out by the sudden rough pull. ``What a disgusting, horrible word. Have you ever read the works of Anne Reid?''\n\n\t``N..no...'' William whimpered weakly.\n\n\t``It's a shame you'll never get to. Let me summarize one of her greatest works, one that I've held very close to my heart. In her piece, `The Moral Excellence of Avarice' she states that altruism and charity are the very ultimate forms of evil and destructiveness in the world. Those that give are not kind, but instead acting in a very evil form of selfishness that represents the most horrible and rotten that this world has to offer. It is only through desire and greed that true goodness will prevail. I wish that I had gotten to meet such a talented writer such as her. Damn shame that more young people such as yourself are unfamiliar with her works.''\n\n\tWilliam was speechless.\n\n\t``You see, only those that can take have the right to do so.'' Mr. Black clarified. ``Those that receive and are given don't deserve it. Only through greed can one achieve true happiness and deserving. Like your eyes for example. I want them, so I take them. The only reason why you won't have them is because I want them more than you do. If you wanted to keep your eyes more than I wanted to take them, you would be able to stop me from plucking them out of your sockets.'' The Siamese licked his fangs again. ``It's the world telling you that you don't deserve them. My desire and happiness overcomes your own because you don't have enough greed to keep what you think is yours.''\n\n\t``Y-you...'' The boy stammered, his thoughts racing and clutching at straws. ``You'll be punished, when you die, you will-''\n\n\t``I will what?'' The smirk grew wider. ``You think that I'll face fire in some kind of eternal torture? I'm afraid not, little boy. That's the thought of a juvenile. There's no afterlife, hell, heaven, or otherwise. No, there will be no eternal damnation for me. Just as there will be no eternal paradise for you.'' The cat snickered. ``Oh, that face is lovely. The fear that I can see. You see, when you die, you'll be as sentient and thoughtful as the bed that you're bounded to, as aware of the world as the ropes that hold you down. You will never see colors, you'll never hear music or laughter, you'll never understand what you were. You will be nothing. It won't be eternal blackness. Blackness is something, you can see and perceive that.''\n\n\t``Look at this.'' Another print was shoved in the child's face.\n\n\tWilliam felt a horrible sense of nausea bubble up his throat. \n\n\tThe photo showed a wooden display, not completely dissimilar to the one that was going to be scheduled to him. Nailed to the inside of the box was what could only be described was a flesh balloon stretched to the very limit. The skin of the flesh was pulled so thin that you could see through what was once an opaque organ. Inside the flesh was junk of all kinds, old wrappers, bits of metal, discarded cords, emptied cans, and e-waste. Taped to the side of the box was the photo of a young fox girl's face. She was even younger than himself. He could barely make out the writing on the print. ``Sophia, Aged Seven.''\n\n\t``You see, this was once the bladder of a little girl.'' Mr. Black exclaimed. ``Girls are a bit more harder to acquire than boys. Girls are seen as more valuable in the world. A little girl or woman goes missing and everyone gets in on it, it's quite a scandal. A little boy or a man goes missing, the most you'll see is maybe a mention in a footnote of a paper, not a big deal. Boys and men go missing all the time and no one bats an eye. I've worked on men too, but they're a little harder to subdue.''\n\n\t``Please, don't... I don't want to see-''\n\n\tOne had crammed another photo towards his face while the other stretched an eyelid open, forcing him to gaze at the horror displayed in the picture. ``Don't try to look away. I need you to see this. I need you to witness the art I've created.''\n\n\tIt was horrible. The picture showed what appeared to be a drinking fountain. The nozzle of the fountain had been replaced with a macabre attachment. An adult man's penis was now an attached fixture of the fountain. The man's severed cock had been expertly bound to the metal. The flesh appeared to be in a state of semi-erect, the veins of the dismembered member glistening viably from the flash in the photo. The penis was clearly circumcised, evident by the by the pale pink skin of the glans being readily apparent. The mushroom head was engorged slightly, the meatus slit gaping as a long stream of clear fluid: water emerged from it. The severed dick had been hooked up to the fountain's water system somehow.\n\n\tThe side of the fountain had a picture of the victim's face, a muscular otter. ``Jenkins, Aged 22.'' It read. \n\n\tWilliam felt like he was going to vomit. \n\n\t``I caught this one using a gay dating app.'' Mr. Black continued, taking the photo away. ``He was so desperate for action, so cocky. So sure of himself that this little meek mannered cat wasn't going to drug him and hack him apart for a public display. It was his own fault being so desperate.''\n\n\t``My father will find you.'' The cub spoke up.\n\n\t``He might. Your dad is a powerful man I hear.'' Mr. Black tapped his chin and ran a paw across his whiskers. His ears twitched slightly and his tail flickered. ``But I have protection from him. The authorities won't care at all. You're a boy, and they don't care much about the welfare of boys. Had you been a girl, it would have been a lot harder to pluck you from a busy storefront. All I had to do was shake your hand, the outside of my gloves coated in a special mixture of my own design. You took to it almost instantly, falling in my arms. A few people glanced and all I had to say was `it's okay, he's my son, he is just tired' and they went on with their day, completely disinterested. Had you been a little girl, I'd had to wait until night and track you down much more thoroughly. My average tracking time for males, depending on a few factors is about a week to a month. For girls, it's easily thrice that amount. Society loves to protect their girls.'' He smirked, amused with himself. ``Tell me, have you ever heard of Al-Habib?''\n\n\tWilliam just whimpered.\n\n\t``Answer me, boy.''\n\n\t``Y-yes, I've heard...uh...''\n\n\t``No surprise there. They're all over the news now.'' The Siamese's tail flickered in excitement. ``Over the kidnapping of ten schoolgirls. They've been active for a very long time. They were responsible for emptying entire villages of their boys. Many villages of both Zanistan and the Central Mutaba Republic were emptied of their boys. Al-Habib killed hundreds, if not thousands of boys to deprive resistant villages of their future work forces and fighters. Villages would be forced to comply with them. What did the world think about this? Don't know, probably nothing as most news organizations didn't air a single story about it. Then they kidnapped ten girls last week, girls that to my knowledge are still alive, and now they're all over magazines and twenty four hour news stations. The kidnapping of ten alive girls was worth more than the lives of thousands of boys.''\n\n\tA clawed finger poked at William's scrotum, causing him to shift uncomfortably in his bonds. ``To society at large, this.'' Then Mr. Black gasped at his soft boyhood, squeezing the squishy flesh tightly making the child scream out. ``And this make you completely expendable. In time, your father will forget you.''\n\n\tAfter another tight squeeze of his cubhood, Mr. Black let go. A finger was leveled right in front of the boy's eyes. ``These are the only value that the world has for you, nothing else.'' Mr. Black chuckled darkly, watching the resistance leave the boy's face. The child just stared at him with a blank expression.\n\n\t``That's it. Let it soak in.'' The cat said, turning around. ``I believe this conversation is over. Time for me to get to work. You were a little harder to break than most, but now you won't resist.''\n\n\tThe feline returned, holding a long cylindrical device in his hand. There was no doubt what the purpose of the device was. Mr. Black cradled the thing in his paws, like a mother with her cubs. ``I didn't have much time to make this, but I'm proud of it all the same.'' The man said, his voice a tone of pride and gentleness. ``I needed to make something that could remove your eyes with the absolute least harm done to them. I do have many surgical tools, some I'll need anyway.'' He rolled a small cart to the side of the medical bed. The metal clinging coming from the cart hinting at sharp blades placed on top. \n\n\tHe held a paw out. ``I have such still hands. Many will work for years if not decades to have the amount of stillness I have in my hands. These are the hands that a torturer or surgeon would sell his soul for. I was born with it, with such a gift. Even with this, I don't trust them to remove your wonderful crimson beauties through conventional means. A single scratch on one of those orbs would absolutely devastate me. Scream if you must, but try not to cry.'' \n\n\tAll the cat cub could do was flinch when the odd cylinder was lined up with his left eye. The words of the man had broken him. It was hopeless. There was nothing he could do. He was worthless, expendable. There was nothing for him anymore. This was the fate he was destined to. This was how he was going to end his short life. \n\n\t``You will feel a slight pressure.'' The feline told him.\n\n\tThe device was pressed into his eye. He couldn't close them even though he now wanted to. The hopelessness had melted into pure terror. The breaking hadn't been complete. He didn't want to lose his eyes. He didn't want to die. ``NO!'' He screamed.\n\n\tSuddenly it hit. He felt the oddest, strongest pain he'd ever felt in his nine years of life. He could hear the suction gave way to his eyeball. It was an odd sensation. Not only could hear hear it through his ears, but the suction conducted and vibrating through his very face caused it to be even more horrifying. \n\n\tThe pressure was excruciating. He couldn't even hear his own screams. The sound was drowned out by the eyeball remover. The sound shifted into a squeaky noise and then a sudden pop as the orb was lodged into the tube proper. \n\n\tThe sucking ceased. The boy's eye fell out of the device, still attached to the optical nerve. The long pink strand of flesh burned as it was exposed to the elements. The kid was writhing in agony but it almost seemed like the ropes had tightened, giving him very little room. He felt a heave coming through his trachea. \n\n\tThe sight from his left eye was completely disorientating. He felt like the entire room was spinning as Mr. Black handled his removed eyeball in his paws. Every subtle movement of his eye caused the entire room to bounce. He was going to puke. \n\n\tThe torturer seemed to sense this. Quickly he used a blade to sever his eye from the nerve, leaving the flesh hanging out of his eye socket like an umbilical cord from a woman's cunt. Suddenly the sight from the eye was removed in an instant, that side of his vision going completely black, no, not black, it didn't exist. It was nothing. \n\n\tMr. Black carefully set the severed vermilion eye down on the cart. William could hear a plop as he sat it down into some kind of container. He could barely hear it as every sensation of his body was concentrating on the pain the blade had left as his eyeball had been cut from him. \n\n\tHe coughed and vomited. A spew of yellow bile draped all over his chin and neck. The vomit burned his flesh and caked and matted his dark fur. It was a food-less puke, composed almost entirely of bile and other digestive residue. Thick mucus lined globs stuck to his chin as a smaller burst of throw up began to emerge from his lips. \n\n\tRed ran down his left eye socket, mingling with the thick mixture of bile and mucus of his face, creating a rancid sheen of red and yellow. Thick strands of puke coughed out of his young mouth as his body shook in his binds. \n\n\t``What a mess.'' Mr. Black said, looking down at his prize before looking at the other eyeball that he needed to pluck. ``Are you done now?''\n\n\tThe pain was too much. William couldn't say anything. He was a beast of sensation. All he could think about was what had happened to him, what was currently happening. He was a sputtering mess. The little boy wanted to cry, but that had been taken from him.\n\n\t``I still have one left to go. Stop moving around. The sooner I get it out of you, the sooner I'll release you.''\n\n\tThe words meant nothing to the boy's ears. He couldn't understand anything now. All he was, is, and was ever going to be was pain. There was no sentience left inside of him. \n\n\t``Hold still.'' \n\n\tHis right eye was forced open. There was nothing he could do to stop the inevitable. Not that he even really understood what was going on anymore. The pressure now was on the lone eyeball, the suction returning. He writhed, his screams now soft as his throat was completely ruined by the sore flesh exposed by the acidic vomit. All that came out of his puke covered lips was a light wheeze. A pathetic noise if there ever was one. \n\n\tHe could feel every micro movement of his eyeball as it was slowly coaxed out of his skull. Every tiny little sensation bringing a new horrible layer to his suffering. He gagged as he dry heaved. His movement was stifled further by a strong paw against his chest. \n\n\tThe second eyeball was lodged into the device with a squeaking pop. The tool was removed leaving the scarlet eye in the careful paw of the Siamese. He almost seemed to relish in the suffering of the boy, not that William could tell anymore. Mr. Black looked down at the eye, still connect to the nerve that was hanging out of his head. \n\n\tHe sliced the eye away from the next expertly. The flesh landed on his vomit matted face with a gross plop. Mr. Black observed the little boy's eyeball in his paw, holding it carefully between his pointer finger and thumb. ``Wonderful.'' He said, putting it with the other. \n\n\tNow the two eyes were resting in a container that was filled with a clear liquid. It was a special repetitive of his own creation. When the liquid had done it's work, the eyes could be put on display without needed to be submerged constantly. They would never rot and theoretically could last almost forever, long after his own lifetime at least. \n\n\tHe looked at the boy, who was only a squirming mess. He couldn't scream anymore and wasn't capable of any thoughts. All he could do was suffer. As fun as that was, the enjoyment he'd get from it wouldn't last long. Without any thought behind the pain, the suffering would be boring in mere moments. \n\n\tWilliam couldn't comprehend what the stranger grabbed, or even that the Siamese was grabbing anything at all. He couldn't even see what was leveled to his head. The last sensation he could feel was a cold metal against his temple. After that, he would never feel anything ever again.\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\tMr. Lee smiled sweetly to the young well-dressed couple as they passed by him. ``You two should really look at the new flower paintings on the West wing. They are simply delightful!'' The black-suited Siamese told the feline pair. ``They're from an up and coming local talent by the name of Robert A. Bradford. A gift of our time, clearly.''

\t``Thanks, Mr. Lee.'' The white furred she-cat said, reading the tag adorned on the breast of his black suit. ``We'll do just that.''

\tThe Siamese gave the two a slight bow as they made their way. ``Lovely couple.'' He said to himself, sighing at the sight of young love. ``Reminds me of myself when I wa-''

\tThe man paused his thoughts as he saw another cat walking across the gallery floor. This one didn't look like the Avent's typical clientele. He was a young white furred cat, early to mid twenties at the oldest. He was wearing a black baseball cap, a black puffer jacket, a pair of blue jeans and worst of all, a pair of hideously cheap sneakers. Not the typical clientele at all. He didn't even look like he could pay the entry fee.

\tLee stroked his long, thin mustache with a contemplative paw. The guy had to be trouble. He looked like one of those upstart hooligans that threw soup on priceless paintings to prove some kind of a point. He'd have to act quickly.

\t``Young man.'' The Siamese began, gliding towards the upstart. ``Do you have an entry pass?''

\t``Sure do.'' The snow-white felid smirked, holding up a card. ``It's a lot cheaper than the pass I bought to see your work, Mr. Black.''

\tLee's face went completely pale. Every synapse in his body froze up. The world seemed to freeze. Long, salty streams of sweat ran down his face in an instant. Perspiration was gushing from his nervous exterior like a fountain.

\tLee's eyes darted around, looking to see if anyone else was in the area. He was thankful it was a quiet day. The two of them were alone. He began to lower his hand into his suit pocket. The other cat was on him in an instant.

\t``There's no need for that.'' He said, his voice calm and collected.

\t``Who the fuck are you?'' Lee's voice was one of paranoia. He gripped something in his pocket.

\t``Calm down. If you make a scene, you'll get caught.'' The stranger held his paws to his side, palms up to show that he was unarmed.

\t``Are you a cop?'' Lee gripped tighter.

\t``If I were, pretty sure you'd be looking down the barrel of -I don't know- ten or eleven guns right about now?'' The supposed upstart chuckled dryly. ``No, I'm just a fan of your work. I took a look at your personal gallery the other day. Quite a hefty entrance fee, but it was worth it. Magnificent work. I particularly loved the piece with the little girl's-''

\t``Say another word and you're dead, kid.'' The Siamese growled. ``You won't defile this place by talking about it here. I'm Mr. Lee, here. Got it?''

\t``Figured you'd be a bit antsy.'' The punk nodded sagely. ``Look. I won't say anymore if you don't want me to. I just wanted to show you something.''

\tThe stranger removed a small instant print photo. He held it out for Mr. Lee to see. The Siamese stared at the photo, captivated. The picture was that of a small boy, fur dark as the stranger's, but over a decade younger. The most striking feature of the innocent young felid's face was his eyes. His eyes were a startling scarlet. They were the most beautiful thing he'd laid his own eyes on in a while. They almost seemed to glow.

\tLee removed his hand from his pocket. He checked the area again and spoke. ``I'm listening.''

\t``This boy, I see him sometimes when I'm driving to work. He's been torturing me. Just seeing him.'' The man said, pocketing the photo. ``His eyes are so wonderful, a work of art on their own. It's a shame that one day they won't be around. I'd hate to see such marvelous orbs to to waste.''

\t``You want me to make a work of him?'' Lee raised an eyebrow.

\t``Yes. It'd be a sin to deny the world of those eyes. They should be... preserved in one of your pieces.''

\t``You know, my commission work is ten million dollars a piece, right?'' Lee said, firmly. ``And since he's a child... I normally ask for triple.''

\t``You saw the eyes, this is an obligation.'' The stranger said, his own voice standing ground. ``You cannot withhold the people of them. Generations should be able to see those glorious rubies.''

\t``True, but... I already had a project in the pipeline.'' Mr. Lee ran a paw along his mustache. ``Are you familiar with the name Frankie Fontane? He's going to visit this city soon. I'm planning on getting him and...'' Lee's smile grew, his pure white teeth shining in the light. ``Using his vocal chords to string a violin. I already have the violin ready to go. It's a wonderful piece, bought it from a police auction. That violin witnessed a particularly brutal rape-homicide.''

\t``That does sound like a pretty good project.'' The stranger whistled, surprised by the impact of the piece. ``Can't wait to see that one. Though... you really have to admit, those eyes. You would be creating an act of balance. First, you deprive the world of Frankie's golden voice, then, you preserve those beautiful orbs for the future.''

\t``That's a poetic way to put it.'' Mr. Lee looked at the other felid with suspicion. ``You don't seem like the typical clientele I deal with. Who are you?''

\t``I have no secrets to hide from you.'' The other man held his paws out. ``My name is Fa, but my associates call me Mr. White, quite ironic, isn't it?''

\tA rush of fear painted across Lee's face. He felt a horrible chill run through his spine. When he saw Fa smirk at his reaction, he almost pissed his pants. Mr. Lee was only afraid of two things, law enforcement, and the enforcement arm of the city's ``second government.'' Fa's grin only grew when he saw Lee took a step back.

\t``No need to run. You're not in danger.'' The white furred cat said, his voice calm and gentle. ``It was going to happen eventually. Your... other gallery has recently gotten the family interested in your work, not just me.''

\t``Is Fontane one of your guys? If he is, I-I won't cut a hair on his head.'' Mr. Lee stammered.

\t``No, Fontane isn't one of ours. He belongs to another family, though.'' Fa chuckled darkly. ``So I'd be careful with that project. Though, I can help you with that too.''

\t``Look, my work is just for artists.'' Mr. Lee gulped, sweat running down his face. ``It's for those that have interests of the canvas of the flesh. I'm not like, trying to cut into your work.''

\t``You've got my intentions wrong.'' Fa sighed, a touch of frustration in his tone. ``I want to hire you for this. Thirty million? You've got it. I can have it wired to you.''

\tLee's expression darkened. ``This boy. Who is he to you?''

\t``Smart cat.'' Fa chuckled. ``This boy is the son of rather difficult individual. You don't need to know anything else about his identity.''

\t``I hate to offend, but, uh, isn't this supposed to be your specialty? I'm not a hitman.'' Lee felt his right eye twitch.

\t``We need this to be an outside work. Besides, we don't have any `artists' in our ranks.'' Fa's eyes seemed to glow with pleasure. ``This display will be more than a work of art. It'll send a message.''

\t``Will uh- you protect me?'' Lee whimpered.

\t``Covertly, we will have some protection provided for you.'' Fa explained. ``We'll also pay you for any work lost because of it. I'm prepared to pay you double the standard amount for your work... if you can do it within the week.''

\t``Does the boy live here?''

\t``Yes. Every evening after school, he walks home. Curious, as he's driven to school but not back. An odd oversight, but one you will expose. I can provide you with his typical stops.''

\tLee felt the fear melt into something else. The new feeling made his heart race.

\t``And you'll protect me from Fontane's people?''

\t``Of course.''

\t``I'll do it.''








______
\tThe bright vermilion eyes seemed to shine in the concrete room. The groggy young boy looked upwards at the blank ceiling with lethargy. He shifted slightly in his bonds, tight ropes kept him from shifting too much from the medical bed he was bound to. His little boy face was an expression of slow realization.

\tWhat was going on? He thought to himself, barely able to comprehend the words s they floated through his barely conscious mind.

\tHis thoughts slowly played memories in his mind's eye. A foggy thought ran across it. He remembered walking to the card store after school, something he did almost every week day. A sudden pain caused him to flinch in his bonds. A harsh piercing sensation buzzed in his head, like a blade being drug across the soft flesh of his gray matter.

\t``Ooog...'' A soft noise gurgled from his young lips.

\tHe remembered he had met a man right at the entrance of the card store. He had been a very kindly Siamese, one that seemed educated on card games. The two had spoken about various strategies and rarities, including the new set that was going to drop in a week. Then he-

\tRealization.

\tHis brain went into overdrive. A rush of thoughts and processes whirred in a chaotic rush.

\tWhere was he?

\tWhy couldn't he move?

\tWait, I'm tied up!?

\tWhat's going on!?!

\t``What the..'' He could finally form words, though pitiful as they were.

\t``Oh, you're finally awake.'' Came a voice from behind him.

\tThe little boy tried to look where the sound had come from but couldn't turn his head back. He felt a cold rush across his fur. He looked down and realized that the ropes that were his bounds was the only thing covering him at all. The child was completely naked, his young uncut boyhood dangled limply between his legs.

\tHe begin a weak and pathetic struggle against the ropes, a mewling groan escaping from his lips as he tried to escape in vain. Just moving around took considerable effort. A tightness grasped around the inside of his throat. He felt a gross feeling inside of him.

\t``Please don't do that.'' The voice said in a calm, collected tone. ``If you move around, you'll just knock yourself out. I want you to be awake.''

\t``Who are you?'' The black furred kid managed to squeak out.

\t``You can call me Mr. Black.'' The voice shifted as the owner of it leaned over the bed.

\tThe young cub's eyes widened in horror. It had been the nice stranger he had met outside of the card store earlier. He didn't look so nice now. What had once been a gentle, thoughtful expression had been replaced by a wholly sinister and disturbing aura. The Siamese grinned, showing his sharp fangs. ``I was beginning to worry that I'd given you too strong of a dose. I need you to be fresh and awake for my greatest art piece yet.''

\t``What are you talking about?'' The captive's fogginess was lifting slowly.

\t``It's quite simple, really.'' The Siamese explained. ``I'm an artist, and you, you're going to be my latest canvas.''

\t``I don't understand.''

\t``Of course you don't, but you will soon.'' The stranger placed a paw on the child's bare shoulder. The fur was soft, wonderfully so. ``It's been a while since I've worked on a child, especially one as young as you.''

\t``I don't un...'' The boy's beautiful orbs widened, his feline pupils becoming slits. ``WHERE AM I!? Who ARE YOU!? LET ME GO! LET ME GO!''

\tHe struggled in the tight confines, shaking and rumbling the bed as he did so. A firm paw against his chest made him stop his plight suddenly. The stranger's expression had gone from a cruel grin to a grim glare. The look made the boy shudder.

\t``None of that.'' Mr. Black commanded, his voice ice cold. ``If you don't cooperate, it's just going to be worse for you.''

\tThe child swallowed loudly. ``Where am I?''

\t``You're at my art studio.'' The captor said plainly.

\t``Will you let me go?'' Quivered the boy.

\t``I can't do that, you're too beautiful to let go of.'' A gentle paw brushed his cheek. ``I need you.''

\t``What do you want?'' The child began to cry, or at least attempted to. Tears wouldn't form in his eyes. The Siamese leaned in closer, anger in his face.

\t``Do not cry. If you tear up, you'll ruin your eyes.'' The adult cat said, suddenly gripping the boy by the jaw. His fingers tightened causing the kid to flinch. ``If you ruin your eyes, I'll make you experience a pain so horrible that you'll wish you were dead.''

\tFear rose up in the kitten's chest. He felt sweat run across his body. His breathing became fast and shallow. Panic was starting to set in. ``What are you going to do to me!?'' He asked, a whimper in his frightened throat.

\t``Let me show you.'' The cat smirked, clapping his paws together. ``This is the part I love the most.''

\tHe turned from the boy. The child's feline ears twitched as he heard a squeaking noise. Mr. Black was wheeling something close to the bed. He could barely turn enough to see it.

\tHe wasn't sure what he was looking at. It was some kind of display of some sort. It almost looked like the base of an intricate trophy. The base of the piece was made of three pillars of polished marble. The white stone supported a reddish wooden case. The wood was carved with the expertise of a master artist. It was a well polished and great cut of tree. Carved into it were figures of eyeballs and various blades in a repeated pattern that brought the images of a work of a particularly macabre scrimshaw to mind.

\tThe sides of the box were veined with shining hematite. The purplish metal had been carefully attached to the display. The hematite projected images of an eyeless kitten with a vacant look on his face. The detail of the picture left no doubt in the boy's swimming thoughts: the picture was supposed to be him.

\tInside of the case was a small pillow of white silk. The pillow looked like something that a rich king would have. Nested in the bed of silk was an open case. The small box was lined with a shimmering red velvet. There were two small impressions inside of the velvet lining. It didn't take much of an imagination to know what was going to occupy that particular box.  

\tThe side of the tall wooden display had an instant print. The print was a picture of himself, smiling. Written on the small white portion of the photo was ``William, Aged Nine.''

\tWilliam shuddered, the worst feelings crawling up his spine. ``Please, you have to let me go!'' He pleaded, his youthful voice echoing in the concrete room. ``I... I'll do anything, my dad, he'll pay you a lot of money, please don't hurt me!'' He begged.

\t``I'm afraid I can't do that.'' Grinned Mr. Black. ``You're going to be a work of art, like it or not.''

\t``I don't want you to take my eyes!'' The boy screamed.

\t``Don't worry, it won't hurt for long.'' The Siamese ran a soft paw across the boy's short black headfur. ``I'll make sure to kill you not long after I remove them.''

\t``PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!'' The boy cried out, his throat pained by the sudden shrill scream.

\t``I'm afraid I can't let you live after this.'' The man said, a gentle tone in his voice. ``If you cooperate, I'll make sure it's completely painless, well, besides the fact that I'm going to pluck your wonderful eyes from your skull.'' He added in with a dark chuckle. ``Best accept this with some dignity and grace. You're going to be the best fixture in my gallery. Think about it. Why deny the world what you owe to it?''

\t``I don't want to die!'' The child whimpered, hopelessness settling in.

\t``Come on now, don't be silly.'' Mr. Black tsked. ``You are going to die anyway. No one lives forever.''

\t``Please, I don't want to die.'' Was all the boy could find himself saying.

\t``You still have a little time left to live.'' The Siamese said, pushing the display out of the boy's sight. ``I like to talk to my projects before I get to work. I enjoy the company. I'm not a cruel man, I'll put those thoughts to rest before you have to go.''

\tAll the kid could do was whimper pathetically, all hope loss.

\t``Now, what seems to be the matter, little William?'' Asked the older feline in a reassuring tone. ``Don't you know that you're going to make a lot of people happy soon? Isn't that what everyone dreams of, making others happy?''

\t``I don't want to die.''

\t``That's selfish of you to say.'' A firm affect sounded. ``Death is something that happens to everyone. I'll die one day, too. Though I'm not too worried about that at the moment. Maybe a look at some of my other projects will ease your mind.''

\t``What are you...-''

\tAnother instant photo was right in front of the boy. It was a very wonderfully sculpted statue of a naked wolf boy. It was perfectly detailed in every way. The young canine child looked like he could have leapt out of the photograph. Even the boy's small, little foreskin clad penis and itty bitty scrotum were incredibly lifelike.

\t``This was the last little boy I worked on.'' The artist explained. ``That's no ordinary statue. It was once a real, living young wolf cub. He was a pretty good job. I cast him into the concrete and made sure to poke holes where his mouth and nose were.''

\tThe Siamese sighed dreamily. ``He was a living statue. A hallmark display that I'm rather proud of. He screamed as much as he could when he was displayed before his young throat gave out. He was alive for about four days while being displayed. He's still out there in the gallery, but not nearly as lively as he was when I first put him out. The stench of his corpse sealed in the concrete brings me joy as it wafts into my gallery's clientele.''

\t``No- this can't be happening.'' William tried to cry again but his tear-ducts felt like they had been sealed shut. No wetness came through.

\tHe let out a pained yelp as Mr. Black leaned closer and gripped him by the whiskers. The little cat's whiskers were being yanked on by the Siamese, causing him extreme pain. He screamed. The artist's face was that of fury. ``Do not cry. You will ruin your eyes. I've made sure you couldn't cry, as much as I could with a little concoction. If you manage to break it through and tear up, your eyes will be ruined. There will be nothing that will satiate my desire to hurt you.''

\t``Why are you doing this?!'' Squeaked William.

\t``Why?'' The Siamese stroked his thin mustache in thought for a brief moment. ``Because it's something I want to do. I've heard clients make the funniest backstories to my life. So many of them declare that I must've had an awful childhood, that I had been hurt when I was very young. Others think that I'm coping with some kind of loss from my life. The fact is, there is no tragic backstory, no greater meaning to why I do what I do. I merely am an artist and this is the art that I create. I work with the canvases of the flesh because it's something I enjoy doing.'' A pink tongue flickered out and licked his fangs.

\t``You can't do this. You can't...'' The boy pleaded, feeling an odd sense of tiredness seeping into him. He thought of any avenue he could get to save his young life. ``Please, what you're doing is wrong. Be kind and let me go. It-it would be the right thing, the...'' His mind searched for an appealing word. He was young, his vocabulary limited. ``Charitable thing.''

\t``Charitable?'' Mr. Black grimaced, his feline nostrils sneering as he let go of the child's whiskers, a few of them having been plucked out by the sudden rough pull. ``What a disgusting, horrible word. Have you ever read the works of Anne Reid?''

\t``N..no...'' William whimpered weakly.

\t``It's a shame you'll never get to. Let me summarize one of her greatest works, one that I've held very close to my heart. In her piece, `The Moral Excellence of Avarice' she states that altruism and charity are the very ultimate forms of evil and destructiveness in the world. Those that give are not kind, but instead acting in a very evil form of selfishness that represents the most horrible and rotten that this world has to offer. It is only through desire and greed that true goodness will prevail. I wish that I had gotten to meet such a talented writer such as her. Damn shame that more young people such as yourself are unfamiliar with her works.''

\tWilliam was speechless.

\t``You see, only those that can take have the right to do so.'' Mr. Black clarified. ``Those that receive and are given don't deserve it. Only through greed can one achieve true happiness and deserving. Like your eyes for example. I want them, so I take them. The only reason why you won't have them is because I want them more than you do. If you wanted to keep your eyes more than I wanted to take them, you would be able to stop me from plucking them out of your sockets.'' The Siamese licked his fangs again. ``It's the world telling you that you don't deserve them. My desire and happiness overcomes your own because you don't have enough greed to keep what you think is yours.''

\t``Y-you...'' The boy stammered, his thoughts racing and clutching at straws. ``You'll be punished, when you die, you will-''

\t``I will what?'' The smirk grew wider. ``You think that I'll face fire in some kind of eternal torture? I'm afraid not, little boy. That's the thought of a juvenile. There's no afterlife, hell, heaven, or otherwise. No, there will be no eternal damnation for me. Just as there will be no eternal paradise for you.'' The cat snickered. ``Oh, that face is lovely. The fear that I can see. You see, when you die, you'll be as sentient and thoughtful as the bed that you're bounded to, as aware of the world as the ropes that hold you down. You will never see colors, you'll never hear music or laughter, you'll never understand what you were. You will be nothing. It won't be eternal blackness. Blackness is something, you can see and perceive that.''

\t``Look at this.'' Another print was shoved in the child's face.

\tWilliam felt a horrible sense of nausea bubble up his throat.

\tThe photo showed a wooden display, not completely dissimilar to the one that was going to be scheduled to him. Nailed to the inside of the box was what could only be described was a flesh balloon stretched to the very limit. The skin of the flesh was pulled so thin that you could see through what was once an opaque organ. Inside the flesh was junk of all kinds, old wrappers, bits of metal, discarded cords, emptied cans, and e-waste. Taped to the side of the box was the photo of a young fox girl's face. She was even younger than himself. He could barely make out the writing on the print. ``Sophia, Aged Seven.''

\t``You see, this was once the bladder of a little girl.'' Mr. Black exclaimed. ``Girls are a bit more harder to acquire than boys. Girls are seen as more valuable in the world. A little girl or woman goes missing and everyone gets in on it, it's quite a scandal. A little boy or a man goes missing, the most you'll see is maybe a mention in a footnote of a paper, not a big deal. Boys and men go missing all the time and no one bats an eye. I've worked on men too, but they're a little harder to subdue.''

\t``Please, don't... I don't want to see-''

\tOne had crammed another photo towards his face while the other stretched an eyelid open, forcing him to gaze at the horror displayed in the picture. ``Don't try to look away. I need you to see this. I need you to witness the art I've created.''

\tIt was horrible. The picture showed what appeared to be a drinking fountain. The nozzle of the fountain had been replaced with a macabre attachment. An adult man's penis was now an attached fixture of the fountain. The man's severed cock had been expertly bound to the metal. The flesh appeared to be in a state of semi-erect, the veins of the dismembered member glistening viably from the flash in the photo.  The penis was clearly circumcised, evident by the by the pale pink skin of the glans being readily apparent. The mushroom head was engorged slightly, the meatus slit gaping as a long stream of clear fluid: water emerged from it. The severed dick had been hooked up to the fountain's water system somehow.

\tThe side of the fountain had a picture of the victim's face, a muscular otter. ``Jenkins, Aged 22.'' It read.

\tWilliam felt like he was going to vomit.

\t``I caught this one using a gay dating app.'' Mr. Black continued, taking the photo away. ``He was so desperate for action, so cocky. So sure of himself that this little meek mannered cat wasn't going to drug him and hack him apart for a public display. It was his own fault being so desperate.''

\t``My father will find you.'' The cub spoke up.

\t``He might. Your dad is a powerful man I hear.'' Mr. Black tapped his chin and ran a paw across his whiskers. His ears twitched slightly and his tail flickered. ``But I have protection from him. The authorities won't care at all. You're a boy, and they don't care much about the welfare of boys. Had you been a girl, it would have been a lot harder to pluck you from a busy storefront. All I had to do was shake your hand, the outside of my gloves coated in a special mixture of my own design. You took to it almost instantly, falling in my arms. A few people glanced and all I had to say was `it's okay, he's my son, he is just tired' and they went on with their day, completely disinterested. Had you been a little girl, I'd had to wait until night and track you down much more thoroughly. My average tracking time for males, depending on a few factors is about a week to a month. For girls, it's easily thrice that amount. Society loves to protect their girls.'' He smirked, amused with himself. ``Tell me, have you ever heard of Al-Habib?''

\tWilliam just whimpered.

\t``Answer me, boy.''

\t``Y-yes, I've heard...uh...''

\t``No surprise there. They're all over the news now.'' The Siamese's tail flickered in excitement. ``Over the kidnapping of ten schoolgirls. They've been active for a very long time. They were responsible for emptying entire villages of their boys. Many villages of both Zanistan and the Central Mutaba Republic were emptied of their boys. Al-Habib killed hundreds, if not thousands of boys to deprive resistant villages of their future work forces and fighters. Villages would be forced to comply with them. What did the world think about this? Don't know, probably nothing as most news organizations didn't air a single story about it. Then they kidnapped ten girls last week, girls that to my knowledge are still alive, and now they're all over magazines and twenty four hour news stations. The kidnapping of ten alive girls was worth more than the lives of thousands of boys.''

\tA clawed finger poked at William's scrotum, causing him to shift uncomfortably in his bonds. ``To society at large, this.'' Then Mr. Black gasped at his soft boyhood, squeezing the squishy flesh tightly making the child scream out. ``And this make you completely expendable. In time, your father will forget you.''

\tAfter another tight squeeze of his cubhood, Mr. Black let go. A finger was leveled right in front of the boy's eyes. ``These are the only value that the world has for you, nothing else.'' Mr. Black chuckled darkly, watching the resistance leave the boy's face. The child just stared at him with a blank expression.

\t``That's it. Let it soak in.'' The cat said, turning around. ``I believe this conversation is over. Time for me to get to work. You were a little harder to break than most, but now you won't resist.''

\tThe feline returned, holding a long cylindrical device in his hand. There was no doubt what the purpose of the device was. Mr. Black cradled the thing in his paws, like a mother with her cubs. ``I didn't have much time to make this, but I'm proud of it all the same.'' The man said, his voice a tone of pride and gentleness. ``I needed to make something that could remove your eyes with the absolute least harm done to them. I do have many surgical tools, some I'll need anyway.'' He rolled a small cart to the side of the medical bed. The metal clinging coming from the cart hinting at sharp blades placed on top.

\tHe held a paw out. ``I have such still hands. Many will work for years if not decades to have the amount of stillness I have in my hands. These are the hands that a torturer or surgeon would sell his soul for. I was born with it, with such a gift. Even with this, I don't trust them to remove your wonderful crimson beauties through conventional means. A single scratch on one of those orbs would absolutely devastate me. Scream if you must, but try not to cry.''

\tAll the cat cub could do was flinch when the odd cylinder was lined up with his left eye. The words of the man had broken him. It was hopeless. There was nothing he could do. He was worthless, expendable. There was nothing for him anymore. This was the fate he was destined to. This was how he was going to end his short life.

\t``You will feel a slight pressure.'' The feline told him.

\tThe device was pressed into his eye. He couldn't close them even though he now wanted to. The hopelessness had melted into pure terror. The breaking hadn't been complete. He didn't want to lose his eyes. He didn't want to die. ``NO!'' He screamed.

\tSuddenly it hit. He felt the oddest, strongest pain he'd ever felt in his nine years of life. He could hear the suction gave way to his eyeball. It was an odd sensation. Not only could hear hear it through his ears, but the suction conducted and vibrating through his very face caused it to be even more horrifying.

\tThe pressure was excruciating. He couldn't even hear his own screams. The sound was drowned out by the eyeball remover. The sound shifted into a squeaky noise and then a sudden pop as the orb was lodged into the tube proper.

\tThe sucking ceased. The boy's eye fell out of the device, still attached to the optical nerve. The long pink strand of flesh burned as it was exposed to the elements. The kid was writhing in agony but it almost seemed like the ropes had tightened, giving him very little room. He felt a heave coming through his trachea.

\tThe sight from his left eye was completely disorientating. He felt like the entire room was spinning as Mr. Black handled his removed eyeball in his paws. Every subtle movement of his eye caused the entire room to bounce. He was going to puke.

\tThe torturer seemed to sense this. Quickly he used a blade to sever his eye from the nerve, leaving the flesh hanging out of his eye socket like an umbilical cord from a woman's cunt. Suddenly the sight from the eye was removed in an instant, that side of his vision going completely black, no, not black, it didn't exist. It was nothing.

\tMr. Black carefully set the severed vermilion eye down on the cart. William could hear a plop as he sat it down into some kind of container. He could barely hear it as every sensation of his body was concentrating on the pain the blade had left as his eyeball had been cut from him.

\tHe coughed and vomited. A spew of yellow bile draped all over his chin and neck. The vomit burned his flesh and caked and matted his dark fur. It was a food-less puke, composed almost entirely of bile and other digestive residue. Thick mucus lined globs stuck to his chin as a smaller burst of throw up began to emerge from his lips.

\tRed ran down his left eye socket, mingling with the thick mixture of bile and mucus of his face, creating a rancid sheen of red and yellow. Thick strands of puke coughed out of his young mouth as his body shook in his binds.

\t``What a mess.'' Mr. Black said, looking down at his prize before looking at the other eyeball that he needed to pluck. ``Are you done now?''

\tThe pain was too much. William couldn't say anything. He was a beast of sensation. All he could think about was what had happened to him, what was currently happening. He was a sputtering mess. The little boy wanted to cry, but that had been taken from him.

\t``I still have one left to go. Stop moving around. The sooner I get it out of you, the sooner I'll release you.''

\tThe words meant nothing to the boy's ears. He couldn't understand anything now. All he was, is, and was ever going to be was pain. There was no sentience left inside of him.

\t``Hold still.''

\tHis right eye was forced open. There was nothing he could do to stop the inevitable. Not that he even really understood what was going on anymore. The pressure now was on the lone eyeball, the suction returning. He writhed, his screams now soft as his throat was completely ruined by the sore flesh exposed by the acidic vomit. All that came out of his puke covered lips was a light wheeze. A pathetic noise if there ever was one.

\tHe could feel every micro movement of his eyeball as it was slowly coaxed out of his skull. Every tiny little sensation bringing a new horrible layer to his suffering. He gagged as he dry heaved. His movement was stifled further by a strong paw against his chest.

\tThe second eyeball was lodged into the device with a squeaking pop. The tool was removed leaving the scarlet eye in the careful paw of the Siamese. He almost seemed to relish in the suffering of the boy, not that William could tell anymore. Mr. Black looked down at the eye, still connect to the nerve that was hanging out of his head.

\tHe sliced the eye away from the next expertly. The flesh landed on his vomit matted face with a gross plop. Mr. Black observed the little boy's eyeball in his paw, holding it carefully between his pointer finger and thumb. ``Wonderful.'' He said, putting it with the other.

\tNow the two eyes were resting in a container that was filled with a clear liquid. It was a special repetitive of his own creation. When the liquid had done it's work, the eyes could be put on display without needed to be submerged constantly. They would never rot and theoretically could last almost forever, long after his own lifetime at least.

\tHe looked at the boy, who was only a squirming mess. He couldn't scream anymore and wasn't capable of any thoughts. All he could do was suffer. As fun as that was, the enjoyment he'd get from it wouldn't last long. Without any thought behind the pain, the suffering would be boring in mere moments.

\tWilliam couldn't comprehend what the stranger grabbed, or even that the Siamese was grabbing anything at all. He couldn't even see what was leveled to his head. The last sensation he could feel was a cold metal against his temple. After that, he would never feel anything ever again.

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