The only downside to old warehouses in the amount of echoing you get whenever someone screams. For weeks on end it had rained and now there were puddles scattered amongst the concrete potholes, pools of water from breaks in the old ceiling. A scream pierced the otherwise tranquil setting of the not-so abandoned warehouse. A barge blew its fog-horn off the coast. Even if there was someone nearby they would know better than to try and play the hero.
Around his wrists Mister Warren Tang could feel blood beginning to drip. The red-rope bindings were not only tight enough to nearly stop circulation to his hands, but they were also rough enough to severe the skin if he so much as flexed the muscles of his forearm. Two thugs, brainless and brawny, were standing with their arms crossed. They were chuckling at the man's misfortune.
No one heard the approaching footsteps of Chairman Meow, but against the blackish shadow of the warehouse Mr. Tang could see the eerie glow of his eyes. The line of Mr. Tang's neck tightened and fear was clearly bubbling up on his face. The thugs stepped to the wayside and with an agile pounce, Chairman Meow jumped up onto a metal chair with his glare set on the traitor in bindings.
"Good Evening, Warren. Rong time no see." The Chairman's accent was a bit too thick for his own good. With irritation his fluffy tail ticked against the metal edge of the chair. "Have you missed me, Warren" I've missed you. Did you get my present I sent to you?"
The man in bindings shivered at the mention of a present. A few seconds later a tear rolled down his cheek. "You bastard!" Mr. Tang shouted with mounting anger at the cat.
"Yes, well" po"haps you shourdn't have crossed me, Mister Tang. You"we daughter Risa was a beautiful woman in the pwime of her rife. Next time you rearry ought to think of yow famiry." The cat seemed to smile and his eyes glistened in the darkness. "Oh, well" I forgive you, Warren. I know that you have seen the erwor of you ways. That's why I am go-ring to give you time to say goodbye to this worrrld. A whole month to spend wit' you famiry."
With perfect theatrical timing a few more thugs came in carrying Mr. Tang's wife Jane and his son Shen. They were struggling and it set Mr. Tang into a panic. He bucked against his bindings and fresh blood flowed down his forearms. Jane and Shen were each taken to neighboring pillars and the thugs began to attach identical bindings.
"This neighborhood certainry has gone downhirr, don' you think Warren" I want to do my part to spruce the prace back up again. So, I thought I'd get some of those prants you rike so much. Straight-shooting bamboo, yes?" A puzzled expression appeared on Mr. Tang's face as the cat talked. Then, he noticed the patches of dirt beneath him, Jane, and Shen and the sprinklers overheard. He gawked at the cat.
"Wiff"in a month's time I bet I could get dis prace to rook absorutery faburous." A demon's smile spread across his furry face. "Bring in the bamboo!!!" With that there was another wav e of thugs carrying thick stalks of luscious straight-shooting bamboo. The curious thing about this particular variety of bamboo is that it will grow in a line, straight upwards, regardless of where it is placed. At least fifty bunches were placed beneath each of the family members. Jane Tang was crying. This was bound to be a very slow and painful way to die.
"Have a preasant evening, Mistow Tang." With that the cat departed. The sprinklers above the rope-bound family and the fast growing bamboo began to send streams of cold water cascading over the victims below. Within two weeks the bamboo will have entered their skin" and within three weeks they will have died from the stalks tearing apart their internal organs. The chorus of thugs put gags in the family's mouths and chuckled again to themselves before they started heading for the exit.
In the back of an ivory-cream Lexus, Chairman Meow rode away from the scene feeling content and ever-so happy to have his freedom. This was going to be a very good week.
Around his wrists Mister Warren Tang could feel blood beginning to drip. The red-rope bindings were not only tight enough to nearly stop circulation to his hands, but they were also rough enough to severe the skin if he so much as flexed the muscles of his forearm. Two thugs, brainless and brawny, were standing with their arms crossed. They were chuckling at the man's misfortune.
No one heard the approaching footsteps of Chairman Meow, but against the blackish shadow of the warehouse Mr. Tang could see the eerie glow of his eyes. The line of Mr. Tang's neck tightened and fear was clearly bubbling up on his face. The thugs stepped to the wayside and with an agile pounce, Chairman Meow jumped up onto a metal chair with his glare set on the traitor in bindings.
"Good Evening, Warren. Rong time no see." The Chairman's accent was a bit too thick for his own good. With irritation his fluffy tail ticked against the metal edge of the chair. "Have you missed me, Warren" I've missed you. Did you get my present I sent to you?"
The man in bindings shivered at the mention of a present. A few seconds later a tear rolled down his cheek. "You bastard!" Mr. Tang shouted with mounting anger at the cat.
"Yes, well" po"haps you shourdn't have crossed me, Mister Tang. You"we daughter Risa was a beautiful woman in the pwime of her rife. Next time you rearry ought to think of yow famiry." The cat seemed to smile and his eyes glistened in the darkness. "Oh, well" I forgive you, Warren. I know that you have seen the erwor of you ways. That's why I am go-ring to give you time to say goodbye to this worrrld. A whole month to spend wit' you famiry."
With perfect theatrical timing a few more thugs came in carrying Mr. Tang's wife Jane and his son Shen. They were struggling and it set Mr. Tang into a panic. He bucked against his bindings and fresh blood flowed down his forearms. Jane and Shen were each taken to neighboring pillars and the thugs began to attach identical bindings.
"This neighborhood certainry has gone downhirr, don' you think Warren" I want to do my part to spruce the prace back up again. So, I thought I'd get some of those prants you rike so much. Straight-shooting bamboo, yes?" A puzzled expression appeared on Mr. Tang's face as the cat talked. Then, he noticed the patches of dirt beneath him, Jane, and Shen and the sprinklers overheard. He gawked at the cat.
"Wiff"in a month's time I bet I could get dis prace to rook absorutery faburous." A demon's smile spread across his furry face. "Bring in the bamboo!!!" With that there was another wav e of thugs carrying thick stalks of luscious straight-shooting bamboo. The curious thing about this particular variety of bamboo is that it will grow in a line, straight upwards, regardless of where it is placed. At least fifty bunches were placed beneath each of the family members. Jane Tang was crying. This was bound to be a very slow and painful way to die.
"Have a preasant evening, Mistow Tang." With that the cat departed. The sprinklers above the rope-bound family and the fast growing bamboo began to send streams of cold water cascading over the victims below. Within two weeks the bamboo will have entered their skin" and within three weeks they will have died from the stalks tearing apart their internal organs. The chorus of thugs put gags in the family's mouths and chuckled again to themselves before they started heading for the exit.
In the back of an ivory-cream Lexus, Chairman Meow rode away from the scene feeling content and ever-so happy to have his freedom. This was going to be a very good week.