SERIAL UNCUT by Blake Crouch, Jack Kilborn J.A. Konrath

side, wincing when I saw the blood. I
took a closer look because I had to assess the damage, then wished
I could erase the image from my mind.
    " What's wrong with my
foot?"
    " You're missing your little
toe."
    " My... toe? "
    I studied the stock. Heavy, solid, the
padlock and latch unbreakable. So I looked at the hinge on the
other side. Six screws held it in place.
    I scooted away from the stock, on my butt,
and reared back my right heel.
    " Stay still, Candi. I'm going to try
to break the hinge."
    I shot my leg out like a piston, striking
the top of the stock once, twice, three times.
    The stock stayed solid, the screws tight.
And if I tried kicking any harder I'd break my heel.
    " Don't you have a gun?"
    I ignored her, turning my attention to the
trunk in the corner of the enclosure. I crawled over to see if
there was anything inside I could use.
    " Don't leave me!"
    " I won't leave you. I
promise."
    I found paper towels, paper masks, starter
fluid, plastic bags, and a large Tupperware container. The lid had
brown stains on it--dried blood--and I got an uneasy feeling looking
at it. Fighting squeamishness, I pulled the top off.
    It was filled with rock salt. But I could
make out something brown peeking through. I shook the box, and it
revealed a few of the brown things, small and wrinkled. They looked
like prunes.
    Then I realized what they were, and came
very close to throwing up. I pulled away, covering my mouth. There
had to be dozens, maybe over a hundred, of them in there.
    That sick bastard...
    " Did you find anything?"
    " Nothing helpful," I said, closing the
lid.
    " What's in that box you were
holding?"
    Taylor was smart. He didn't leave any tools,
weapons, or keys lying around. I eyed the starter fluid.
    " Candi, do you smoke?"
    " Yeah."
    " Do you have matches on you? A
lighter?"
    " In my purse. He took it."
    Dammit. But starting a fire in the enclosed
space probably wasn't a good idea anyway. However, the chest itself
had possibilities. It was made of wood, with metal reinforced
corners. I picked it up, figuring it weighed at least fifteen
pounds.
    " What was in the box!"
    I muscled the chest over to Candi and knelt
next to her.
    " Hold still," I said. "If I miss I
could break your leg."
    I reared back, clenched my teeth, and
shoved the chest into the top of the stock. There was a loud crack, but both objects stayed
intact.
    I did it again.
    And again.
    And again.
    And again.
    My shoulder began to burn, and the corners
of the chest were coming apart, but the hinge on the stock was
bending.
    Two more times and the chest burst open,
spilling its contents onto the mat, the Tupperware container
bouncing next to Candi.
    I hit the stock one last time. The chest
broke into several large pieces. I grabbed one of the slats used to
make the chest, and wedged it in the opening I'd made between the
top and bottom of the stock. I used it like a crowbar, levering at
the hinge.
    It was slowly giving... giving...
    Then the stock popped open like a shotgun
blast.
    Candi sat up abruptly, grabbing her ankle to
see her injury for herself. Then the tears hit, fast and hard.
    " Ah shit... that fucker."
    " We need to find a way out of
here."
    " My toe..." she sobbed.
    " Candi! Focus!"
    Her eyes locked on mine.
    " We need to start rolling up the
mats," I ordered, "find the way out of here before they come
back."
    She sniffled. "They? I only know one.
Taylor."
    " He's got a buddy now." I made a face.
"And they're armed."
    I watched Candi's face do an emotion
montage. Anger, pain, despair, then raw fear.
    " I have kids," Candi whispered. "A boy
and a girl."
    " Then we need to find the exit, fast.
Start pulling up the mats."
    " What time is it? My man, Julius,
he'll come looking for me when I don't report back."
    I thought about the pimp, running out of the
diner with his teeth in his hand.
    " Julius, uh, probably won't be coming
to the rescue. Do the mats. Now."
    She wiped her nose on her arm, and then
reached for the Tupperware