Tonight's the night..

"Who???!"

He slapped me... Hard!

"Wrong answer", The voice said..
"Once again Roc.. How long have you been fukkin' her?"

I must have kept quiet for too long..
Cause all I heard was the rush of wind at my cheek..

SMACK!! SMACK!!

My ears were ringing..
Tears welled up in my eyes, underneath the blindfold..
My wrists strained against the unseen ropes tying them behind my back..
My knees bled from kneeling on, what felt like, shards of glass..
My mind went to the number of students murdered in the six weeks preceding that night..
All within University campus grounds..
All in cult/gang related incidents..
14 and counting..
Decapitated.. Stabbed.. Shot.. Maimed..
Was I about to become another statistic?

In middle of God-knows-where..
Surrounded by machete-weilding, high-on-something, gunpowder-smelling burly men..

Was tonight the night, I'd make those dreaded introductions?
"Roc.. meet your Maker.."
"Maker.. meet roc.."

A chill traversed my spine

They call me Rocky not Rambo..

I begged..
"Please.. I don't know who.. Pleaseee.."

"I said how long have you been sleeping with...
..Pscheeww, Oya! Take his blindfolds off!" The voice commanded..

Shuffle of feet..
Hands on shoulders held me down..
Blindfold came off..

I blinked furiously as my eyes adjusted..
I stammered in shock.. As the face to the voice came into focus..

"Mar.. Ma.. Marino..???!"