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Brutal

Mandasue Heller
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. BRUTAL
  3. Dedication page
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. Prologue
  6. PART ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. PART TWO
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. PART THREE
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. Epilogue
  55. BRUTAL
  56. By Mandasue Heller

Cover

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BRUTAL

Mandasue Heller

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Dedication page

For my beautiful mum, Jean Heller.

Always in my heart xxx

Acknowledgements

All my love, as ever, to Win, Michael, Andrew, Azzura, Marissa, Lariah, Antonio, Ava, Amber, Martin, Jade, Reece, Kyro, Diaz, Auntie Doreen, Pete, Lorna, Cliff, Chris, Glen, Nats, Amari, Aziah, Dan, Toni, Rayne, Joseph, Mavis, Val, Jas, Donna, Julie, Brian, Ian – and the rest of mine and Win’s families, past and present. Love also to Liz, Norman, Paul, Betty, Ronnie, Kimberley, Katy, John, Jayne, Laney, Shirley Levi, Jonathan L, Colin, Amanda, Jac, Brian, Rick, Chris, Judith, Dr Sue and all my old friends from Hulme – too many to mention by name, but you know who you are. Thanks, as always, to Sheila, Wayne, Alex, Jez and all at Pan Macmillan. Also Carolyn C, Anne O’Brien, Nick and Cat. And, lastly, eternal gratitude to my loyal readers and supportive FB friends. You guys rock!

Prologue

‘What are you going to do?’ the man asked, staring in horror at the wispy hair sticking out of the top of the rolled-up quilt the two men had carried into the room.

‘Shut it!’ the smaller of the pair hissed, dropping his end of the bundle and shoving him forcefully down onto a chair. Then, turning to his mate, who was carefully setting down his end, he said, ‘Quit fucking about and go fetch the chainsaw. The pigs are waiting to be fed.’

The seated man’s face drained of blood when he realized what was about to happen, and his heart was pounding so hard he thought he might faint.

‘Please don’t do this,’ he croaked. ‘It’s barbaric.’

‘I thought I told you to shut it,’ the smaller one roared, kicking him and the chair over.

‘Pack it in!’ the other man snapped. ‘We haven’t got time for this. If you’re gonna do it, get on with it!’

Flashing him a dirty look, the small one pushed past him and made his way outside.

‘Please don’t let him do it,’ the man begged as he hauled himself up off the floor. ‘You’re not like him, and I know you don’t agree with any of this. But it’s not too late to start over. I’ve got money; I can help you. You just need to—’

‘Oi, dickhead, don’t be telling him what he needs to do,’ the smaller one sneered, walking back in at that exact moment and kicking the door shut behind him. ‘He’ll do as he’s told – same as you. Now, quit snivelling like a little bitch, and start this fucker up.’

He shoved the rusted chainsaw he was carrying into the man’s hands.

‘You’ll be doing the honours,’ he said, grinning nastily. ‘And no funny business, or the grunts’ll be getting double rations tonight.’

PART ONE

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