<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'">Madness was right. It was madness that Carter had to ever step into this cursed place. Madness that he'd been forced to take this route. But lessons needed to be learned and examples made. <br/>
<br/>
"...Mercy." The laugh that followed the incredulous tone of that word was cruel, devoid of any sign of <i>mercy</i> "Mercy?" Asa grabbed hold of Carter's shoulders and spun him round to face the pleading man. "Do you think he would've given you <i>mercy</i> if he'd gotten his way? Do you think he would have had <i>mercy</i> when he and his friends took turns making you bleed, using your body for their own sick enjoyment? No. No, I don't think he would have. I think he would have laughed, hit you harder, fucked you harder, made you cry harder. I think he would have gotten off on your fear, on your pain."<br/>
<br/>
Fucking mercy. The animal didn't deserve an ounce of it. And that's exactly how Asa saw him, a retched creature needing to be put down. He'd intended to hurt the one living person that meant more to Asa then he could ever show, could ever admit out loud. Carter may have grown up with a clear view of right and wrong, Asa wanting him to have as normal a life as he could. But in just one night, everything Asa had worked to build had started to come undone. <br/>
<br/>
The rules had changed. <br/>
<br/>
This wasn't just another work day, no, this had gotten personal. Every time he thought of what might've--could've--happened, the beast within, that craved, lived, thrived off of blood and death snapped and clawed, demanding to be released to inflict pain of the worst kind on the man that had conspired to hurt what was his. As far as Asa was concerned, the man could be dealing with a whole lot worse right now. This was nothing. <br/>
<br/>
The guy gave a violent shake of his head as Carter stepped towards him, "Nononono! Please, I'm begging you, please don't do this." He refused to close his eyes, fat salty tears, welling up, spilling down his face. <br/>
<br/>
Anger still bubbled, hissing and spiting just beneath the surface as Asa watched Carter attempt to offer the male some small comfort. This man that had intended to hurt him, and no doubt throw his broken body away afterwards, and still Carter treated him with a kindness he didn't deserve. <br/>
<br/>
"Ple--" the guy's tearful pleading broke off into a pained cry as the blade bit into his skin.<br/>
<br/>
Watching as Carter lost his breakfast to the carefully sloped floor, that dipped inward towards the floor drain, that made clean up easier, Asa considered his point made. Rolling up his sleeves, he moved, coming to stand behind Carter, covering the boy's blood stained hand with his own, "We're not finished." He would guide as gently or as forcefully as needed to make Carter face the man once again. This time guiding his hand with the scalpel to press against the other's throat. The man now realizing his fate had stopped pleading, but nothing could stop the tears, or the fear of death bright in his eyes. <br/>
<br/>
A cold, sure slide of the blade across the man's skin. A clean slice from ear to ear, cutting through skin and muscle, split the man's throat open, covering them both in the warm spray of blood. The man let out a choked gurgle as his body fought against the inevitable. The fight was a short lived one, the life fading from the man's eyes as his body slumped forward.</span>