The Satchmo P.I. - Living Amongst Monsters - Chapter 4

therneau (58)in #story • 7 years ago (edited)

Chapter 4 - Mob Justice!!

Warning: Strong language!

As Cameron opened the door he briefly saw one of the young men's faces before he disappeared into the crowd. There was a real raw fear in his eyes. "This kid can't be more than 16 years old" Cameron thought.

"You're a thief!" "You're a rapist!" "It’s the drugs!" These were the calls Cameron was hearing from the crowd. He has dealt with many drug related investigations in the past and knew, from that brief moment he had eye contact with the young man, that he didn't do drugs at all. "He just looks like a terrified kid. There was nothing in those eyes that showed any signs of deceit. What are they going to do?" All these thoughts were racing through Cameron's mind as he decided to start pushing his way through the crowd. He has read about this so called 'Mob Justice' before and for the most part, it isn't pretty.

As Cameron worked his way through the crowd he saw people wielding all sorts of weapons. Some wielded sticks, some machetes, others carried bricks and he even saw someone with a crowbar. Cameron felt as if his heart was beating in his throat! He was terrified.

“Calm down Cameron” he was thinking of when Catherine was teaching him how to get out of a choke hold. “There is always a way out.” As Cameron reached that thought he broke through the front of the crowd. “Oh my God, oh no!” Cameron thought. He saw that they had put tyres around the bodies of both of the young men, from their feet up to their shoulders and someone was busy dowsing them in fuel. He’s heard about ‘Necklacing’ before where they literally burn you alive. The young men were screaming and begging them to stop! Cameron saw a man approaching with a stick held up high. The crowds started cheering. On the end of it was cloth burning with flames. As the man started bringing the stick down towards the ‘Necklaced’ young men Cameron exploded towards him. He smashed into the man with his shoulder and sent him tumbling into the crowd! Cameron was slightly confused because what seemed to have been eight steps away felt like it was only one. Suddenly the crowd went silent except for the occasional cheer here and there. Before Cameron could even think he heard someone behind him. As he turned a machete was already being swung towards his head. Cameron stepped in towards the front right side of his attacker while at the same time ducking just below the machete. The machete scraped the top of his hair and in that movement Cameron hit him with the palm of his hand on the chest. Cameron could hear the breath escaping sharply through his mouth and bones cracking in his body. His attacker went flying back into the crowd, knocking two people completely over!

Suddenly Cameron felt a sharp pain in his head and from there it shot throughout his entire body. He fell down onto his one knee. He looked up and everything around him seemed blurry. He could vaguely see some people from the crowd approaching when he heard two loud bangs, “gunshots” he thought “did someone just shoot me?” Cameron fell over backwards. Just before he passed out he saw a familiar face close to his. It was Catherine. Then, he was gone.