"Pulp" Fiction

>"Our boss would like a word with you."
>It had happened in a flash, one moment the door had rung, the next lights exploded in her eyes and she was collapsing to the floor.
>The pair that had knocked her cold pulled her up by the arms and dragged her into a windowless, black van.
>It didn't matter that it was in broad daylight, nor that people could clearly see them.
>It wasn't about stealing the cunt away.
>No, no, The Boss wanted to send a message.
>This was her city, after all.

***

>Her vision was obscured by an impenetrable black hood, her hands bound tight behind her back.
>The pair that had grabbed her weren't gentle, every tug on her strained shoulders brought deep yelps of pain.
>Their arms were hooked under her armpits, and with every step they jerked her shoulders up.
>Deep, muscle-tearing jerks left her breathless, and spots still dominated her vision.
>After what seemed like ten miles, they stopped.
>A door was opened and she was pulled through without care and thrown into a hard, wooden chair.
>It splintered deeply into her exposed flesh, the mere touch wedging them further in.
>A bright flash of light heralded the renewing of her vision, though with the sight that greeted her, being blinded may be a better option.
>Golden, straw-colored hair pulled into a loose tail thrown over her shoulder, bound with a red band traced up to a tanned, freckled face and burning apple-green eyes, hidden under a soft brown stetson.
>It was so unlike the cold, sharp pin-striped suit that formed from the neck down, into crossed arms and down even further.
"So, y'all thought ya could fuck me and get away with it."
>She stayed silent, for Applejack's mere presence demanded silence.
"Yer a real stupid cunt, ain't ya?"
>Applejack fell silent for a moment, her eyes trailing up and down her bruised figure.
"Y'all gonna answer or ya just gon' sit there like a retarded fish?"
>"A-answer?"
>Her jaw chittered uneasily under Applejack's piercing stare.
“An answer ya stupid fuck.”
>”A-a-answer f-for what?”
>Applejack leaned back in her chair.
“I want an answer for my question. Y’all are a stupid cunt, ain’t ya?”
>”St-upid c-cunt?”
“Yep. So are ya gonna give me an answer or do I have to start pullin’ teeth?”
>Her face drained of blood when Applejack’s gaze flickered from her to a shiny, spotless steel tool resting on her desk.
>”I-I am a s-stupid cunt.”
“And why are you a stupid cunt?”
>”I-I.”
>Applejack interrupted her.
“Nah, lemme do you a favor. I’m a courteous gal, so I’ll answer for ya. Yer a stupid cunt ‘cause you tried to steal some of my most valuable workers. Two of who brought you here. Yer a stupid cunt ‘cause you tried to undercut my prices by twenty percent to my biggest clients in the city.”
>”I didn’t mean to! I swear- it was-”
>She stopped dead when Applejack raised her right index finger.
“I know whose fault it was, and I ain’t really blamin’ you, but ya’ve put me in a position, a real difficult one, see?”
>Applejack leaned forward and placed her hands flat on the desk.
“If’n I let this slide then some other greasy fuck’s gonna try to do the same. This is my city, ya’hear? Now, I just need to send a little… Message.”
>”Message?”
“That’s right. A message.”
>”What s-sort of message?”
>Applejack tilted her stetson up and met her eyes with piercing green.

***

>She enjoyed the simple things in life.
>Cider and a nice seat out on a well-lit, sunny day, skies as clear and blue as the ocean.
>The linger smell of apples and earthen soil in the air, and family all around.
>That was as much bliss as she could achieve.
>It’s where she found herself, surrounded by Granny Smith and Bic Mac, Applebloom, and the whole clan on one of their rare get-togethers.
>There had been people that tried to destroy that, tried to destroy her business, but they learned quickly.
>Applejack wound an arm around her beloved and sunk back into the warm chair.
>The woman next to her followed, almost collapsing into Applejack’s shoulder and lightly running a finger up and down her abdomen.
>This was Applejack’s town, and that’s how it would stay.

***