Secrets of the Cactus Men
8| Black Joe Trail

Philip smelled the scent of carnation as he came to his senses from his stings. His head turned to the right and left to find out where the scent was coming from. The atmosphere was quiet, but Philip heard the voices of people twitching together.

“Where am I?” Philip muttered as he sharpened his eyes. Philip's pair of lenses attempted to adjust to the bright light in this room.

“Hei, Boss! He's up.”

Philip turned his head when someone pointed at him. His face was unfamiliar, but not with the clothes he was wearing. Before Philip ended up in this place, he met a woman dressed similarly.

A burly man came from a small room in the corner of the room. Philip kept looking at him in silence, for he could not move. Philip was tied up and seated on a wooden chair, restricting the man's movements.

“Who are you?” philip asked, panicking as the man picked up the butcher knife on the table.

Wait, Philip knows this place.

The rancid aroma he got must have come from the pile of sacks in the corner of the room. Blood dries on the cold-wall, mixing with the blackened crust of moss. This is a former slaughterhouse.

“Matrias Rogrigo.” The man said his name casually. “Call me Matrias.”

“He uses Mexican accent?” Philip kept looking at him. He tried to recognize the stocky man well, the first time Matrias Rogrigo was his partner.

Matrias pulled out a chair and sat down in front of Philip. A smile was thrown at Philip. “Tell me, where is the new Black Joe headquarters?”

“This madman is talking about what exactly?” Philip kept his mouth shut.

“You don't want to talk to me?” Matrias gave a sharp grin. His head then. “Of course. The Black Joe has always been loyal to their group.”

Philip frowned. Actually this is not the first time she heard ‘Black Joe’ called to refer to her. However, strangely enough, there was not a single shred of memory of Black Joe inside Philip's head.

Matrias approached Philip. The stocky man squeezed Philip's hair and raised his head forcefully. “Stop messing with me, Philip.”

“I don't know who or what Black Joe is!” Philip insisted. “I've never been involved in that group!”

Philip was honest. He is a big boy in the street after a terrible tragedy decades ago. Philip grew up to be an identityless man who lived on the compassion of others, before eventually marrying Flores Lottie and building a household with her.

Matrias laughed out loud. He turned to one of his men, giving the code to take Philip from his place.

Philip looked at the arrival of the man. His face was familiar, but Philip was not familiar with it.

“Wait, have we ever met?” Philip interrupted. “Sounds I know you.”

Matrias patted Philip's head. “You remember Brox, but don't remember me?”

“Brox?” Philip narrowed his eyes.

“It looks like I've heard that name.” Philip's inner self continued to churn, forcing his memories to return as quickly as possible.

Brox untied Philip's hand. But not to let him go and go home. Brox told his two men to take Philip to the edge of the long table beside them. There the ranks of meat knives with various shapes and sizes lined up like an exhibition display.

Philip thrashing. “What do you guys want to do, huh?”  philip asked as he set his foot on the ground, trying to escape. “Let go of me!”

Philip was pushed on the edge of the table. He was forced to stretch out his hand to put it on the table.

“What do you want to do on my wrist?” Philip's vigilance increased when Matrias took a chainsaw of bone and flesh that had already rusted. If it were forced to cut off Philip's hand, the pain would be tremendous.

Brox held Philip's body, assisted by two men who limited Philip's movements now.

“So how can you explain about this tattoo, Son?” Matrias pointed at the tattoo on Philip's wrist with the tip of a dagger, occasionally pressing down on him. “You get from kids toy stickers?” kekeh Matrias's.

Philip slurped. “I don't know,” replied Philip. “Tatonya has been around since I was born.”

“That's because you're Black Joe!” Matrias shouted out loud.

Smile a grin, as if to challenge Philip. Matrias did as he pleased while he was still able to. If Black Joe knew that one of their members was here, then they would die a terrible death.

Matrias sighed. “Before I force, tell me where the new Black Joe headquarters is, Nak?”

“I don't know!”

Matrias turned his eyes away, breathing out full of annoyance. “Stop messing with me, Philip.”

“I don't have much time, because my daughter was taken captive by your group!” Matrias grabbed Philip's hair, making Philip moan. “Tell me the place and I'll let you go home, meet your wife with a full body.”

Philip shook his head. “I swear that I don't know where Black Joe is.”

Matrias. From the way Philip spoke and looked, Matrias did not discover any lies. Then the man removed his grip from Philip's hair.

Matrias' stocky body turned around, turning his back on Philip. “So ... You mean you were dumped by Black Joe?”

Philip was unable to give an answer.

“Black Joe dumped his heir?” Matrias turned to look at Philip. The man had a very broad patience.

Matrias took the meat saw he had put down. Quickly, the man grabbed Philip's hand, about to cut off his wrist. “Then I'll lure Black Joe to show up with a cut of your hand!”

Philip thrashing. “Let go of me!” He screamed as loud as possible. “Release!”

Amidst the hunting panic, an arrow shot out and hit Matrias' arm. Not long after, followed by the other arrows. One by one Matrias' men fell because of the darts from the crossbow.

“Running!” A woman shouted at Philip. “Now!”

Philip took his time well. He tracked down and hit several of Matrias' men who tried to keep him from leaving. The smoke bomb that was thrown helped Philip escape easily.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

Philip gasping. He tried to catch his breath while looking at the back of the woman in front of him.

To be honest, Philip thought a man saved him, but he was mistaken when a woman pulled him to lead Philip down the alleyways of the market to get to this place.

“Hey, you!” Philip nudged the woman's ankle. “Who are you?”

The woman did not look, only answered. “Is that how the people of Black Joe thank you?”

Now Philip's getting sick. Everyone keeps talking about Black Joe.

“Who is Black Joe?” Philip won't make small talk. “You know them?”

The woman looked. Philip looked at him so thoroughly. For a second, no one spoke. Just look at each other, to be on guard as well.

“You ... really don't remember who Black Joe is?” ask the woman. “Samely remember nothing about them?”

Philip nodded confidently. “If you can take me to them ...”

“Useless!” The woman turned her face away. “In vain I saved you from Matrias.”

He started packing his things. Put some arrows and the rest of his smoke bomb into the big bag, then take the crossbow beside Philip.

“I should have let them cut off your hand earlier.” He kept grumbling. “I have to lose five of my arrows and two of my smoke bombs.”

“I didn't tell you to save me.” Philip.

The woman nodded her head. “It's my fault.”

The woman stood up, tidied up her clothes, and glanced at Philip. “Straight on, later you will get to the front of the market.”

Philip prevented him from leaving. “Wait a minute.”

“I don't know who you are,” Philip said. Slowly he let go of his hand. “My name is Philip Sherburne.”

The woman was silent.

“What's your name?” ask Philip. “Now I will help you back someday.” Philip smiled awkwardly. He's become a freak here.

The woman shook her head, without answering she left Philip in his place. Philip surrendered. He doesn't like to force people to fulfill his wishes.

When Philip was about to turn around, suddenly the woman looked at him. “Delcy.” He mentioned one name. “That's my name.”

Philip smiled sweetly. “Delcy?”

“You owe me your life. Promise to pay it someday.”

Philip nodded his head. “Of course, Delcy.”

Next.