What Goes Around Comes Around

(Warning! Brief scene of abuse!)

Shark was thrown onto the floor of a location he couldn’t recognize. It had to be somewhere on the property, so chances were it was a hidden basement.

The room was bare, and small. There was nothing in the way of decorations. All four walls were in dire need of cleaning.

Behind him, Max was already pulling out a rather terrifying object, among other horrors he had in wait.

“I think it’s high time you learned a lesson, you shameless heathen,” Max snarled as he slapped a rattan cane against his own hand.

Trembling even more now, Shark tried to crawl away from his grandfather. When he was backed up against the wall, he gulped in fear.

…

It felt as though time had slowed to a near standstill.

All Shark could really do now was curl up into the fetal position, as he felt Max repeatedly strike him with the rattan cane. Each time the cane hit him, he could feel searing pain across his back.

By this time, Shark was hysterically sobbing. He couldn’t find the words to beg his grandfather to stop. Internally, he wished his father were here to stop him.

It then occurred to him that even Dennis was likely powerless against the head of the Racket family. This sad thought now plagued him as he felt the cane smack against him one last time.

Max then put it back, and them grabbed something else to hit his grandson with. It was clear his intent was merely to inflict as much pain as possible.

…

Eventually, it was over. After what felt like an eternity with so many devices of torture, Max had finished administering the so-called ‘punishment’.

Now Shark was laying on his side, in horrible pain. He didn’t even seem to be aware that his father came in to see where he was.

“Oh, Shark…” Dennis sounded remorseful that he couldn’t have done anything to help his son. All he could do now was approach him and try to get him to stand to his feet.

As soon as he was standing up again, the rest of Shark’s injuries were quickly made evident. Sometime during the assault, his lip had been split open. The warning signs of a black eye were also there on his face.

“Daddy…” Shark’s voice came out hoarse, and unsteady. He tried to give his father a hug, but nearly toppled over again.

Seeing his son in such a painful condition, Dennis only wished he could take him to the hospital. That idea quickly vanished when he realized Max or Marigold could try and complicate that plan.

Instead, he thought of somewhere else he could go.

…

A few minutes later, Dennis had Shark as cleaned up as he could get him. Both of them were then in the car, driving someplace.

“Where are we going?” Shark asked in a weary, timid voice. Carefully, Dennis placed a hand on his shoulder.

“You’ll see, boy,” was all he said. Sure enough, they pulled up to Sinbad’s house a short while later. Outside, a small bonfire was burning. Sinbad was casually throwing some magazines from a box onto it.

He looked over at the two coming up to him, and his eyes widened at seeing Shark. The cigarette he had between his lips fell out of his mouth, and dropped onto the fire.

“Boss? The fuck happened to your kid there?”

Dennis looked over at what was being burned, and had a question of his own. “Well, first off, Mister Rotter, what in the hell are you doing there?”

“Uh…” Sinbad took a glance at another magazine, before throwing it into the fire. “Just burning my roommate’s stash of Asian Fever magazine. Can’t stand that filth in the house.”

Then, Sinbad was told exactly what had transpired back at Racket Mansion. The more he heard, the more disturbed his expression became. When the story was over, he then took on a frightful expression of tranquil fury.

Extinguishing the fire he had going, Sinbad then excused himself from Dennis and Shark’s company, and got into his truck and drove off.

Both of them stood there for a few moments before getting back into the car. Dennis had a good idea of where he was going to go.

…

Dennis’ prediction was proved right. In front of the mansion, Sinbad’s truck was parked in a rather hurried manner. One of the trees had been run over, and skid marks were driven into the ground.

When Shark and his father re-entered the house, Sinbad had already gotten a hold of Max. He was seething mad, with a strong grip on Max’s collar. Max himself had been beaten quite badly, enough to draw blood and leave plenty of bruises.

“You listen to me, you abusive old prick,” Sinbad hissed at him. “You lay a hand on your grandson like that again, I’ll blow your fuckin’ brains out! Got it?!”

Clearly frightened at this threat, Max could only nod quietly. He was then dropped to the floor with a loud thud.

Sinbad then showed himself out, but not before taking a glance over his shoulder at Shark, and asking him in a rather blunt way:

“You coming or what?!”

Shark was still a little bit frightened over the situation. Taking a look at Dennis, he was given a nod of silent approval.

With that, Shark began to follow Sinbad back to his house.