"It damn well better be."

"All right, it is. But you don't need to treat me like a little kid. I'm not gonna start crying or turn into a tattletale. It's all good."

"I'm not in favor of this at all," said Ken. "Not even a little bit. But I guess I'm outvoted."

"I guess you are," said Vivian.

"How are we going to do this?"

"Pliers?" Jared suggested. "A lighter?"

Ken shook his head. "No. Nothing like that. She's going to die slowly but we're not doing any of that sadistic shit. We're not gouging out her eyeball and sticking your dick in the socket or anything like that."

"Jesus, Dad."

"I mean it."

"You think I was gonna take out my dick in front of Mom?"

"Enough, you two," said Vivian.

"No pliers," said Ken. "No lighter. No hydrochloric acid, or sandpaper, or nail gun, or anything that turns us into a pack of degenerate hillbillies."

"Knives, then?" Vivian asked.

"Yes. We'll tie her to the chair and go at her with knives. Nice and simple. But we don't have any rope."

"We do have rope," said Vivian. "We got some on the way over here."

"Okay. Jared, go get the rope."

"No, I'll get it. I need a break from the smell. I'll grab some knives, too." Vivian left the room.

Gertie heard Vivian's footsteps as she went up the stairs. When the stairs stopped creaking, Jared smirked at his father. "Wow, Dad. Chicks in cages. And you got pissed at me for getting in trouble at school."

"Is this a joke to you? Do you think this is funny?"

"I think it's kind of funny, yeah."

"Well, you'd better change that attitude really quick."

"Don't worry, I get it," said Jared. He pointed to Gertie. "I liked watching her up there. She's scared as hell. I mean, look at her."

Gertie lowered her head. Yes, she was indeed scared as hell, but she wasn't going to just sit there and let them get pleasure from her terrified face.

"So maybe we lock the other one up there," said Ken. "You and I can come check on them whenever we want."

"Nah. I'd rather cut her."

Jared stood in place and leered at Gertie while Ken paced around the room. The creaking on the stairs resumed, and Vivian returned with a coil of rope, still with plastic wrap around it from wherever she'd purchased it, and three knives. She closed the door behind her.

Gertie and Vivian watched (Gertie helplessly, Vivian with glee) as the men tied Charlene to the chair.

Jared took the largest of the three knives from his mother. He held the knife up to Charlene's face.

"Not yet," said Ken.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean, what's wrong? What do you think is wrong?"

"I don't know."

"Is she awake yet?"

"I figured she'd wake up when I cut her."