bigger than god

Manolo was a walking, talking, breathing dream for a psychologist. They would be desperate to find his turning point from a well-behaved child, who cared deeply for his brother to a paranoid killer who hated his brother. It was truly fanaticising how a person could change so much. It would be something that would take years to get to the bottom of, not that Manny gave a shit. This was the person he was always meant to be, in spite of what Ricky thought about his little brother.

The bouncer on the door made a cheerful joke about Manny’s lack of fancy dress, which landed badly with Manny, as always. The man quickly realised his error and offered an apology to Manny, but it was too late. He had already pushed past the employee, dreaming of shattering the man’s jaw on the way out later, although Hector wouldn’t be pleased Manny had chosen violence before that stupid siren sounded. The thought of having a sound controlling his actions unsettled him, like he wasn’t allowed to reach for his gun and fire at someone yet. Much like his dad would tell Manolo what he could and couldn’t do when he was growing up, not as if he was around to keep an eye on the boys. They were left to their own devices throughout childhood, with Ricky taking the lead naturally. He was the one there tucking Manny into bed every night and making sure there was an apple in Manny’s lunchbox the following morning before school. Things were peachy until Miguel decide to finally involve himself in Manny’s life and by involving himself that meant dragging Manny into the family business. It was alluring to a young boy. His dad was offering him a life of luxury with better wages than his shitty job at the store downtown.

There was the smallest twitch in Manny’s left eye as he observed the others in the club. One of them could be Ricky, sliding into someone else skin to try and trick Manny into sharing his secrets. Even more reason to head home once he had finished his drink. Even the ill-mannered man at the bar could have been Ricky. He considered it for a moment. The stranger certainly look like the type of person to approach Manny for business, but it didn’t seem likely. The stranger was just an idiot who needed teaching a lesson.

He gave the stranger a quick look up and down, “No. I don’t associate with assholes like you.” His grip was tight around the glass, ready to swipe at the stranger’s face. A pretty little scar across the man’s face would look good.

Either way, the guy had balls, refusing to back down from Manny, proving Manny’s theory that the stranger was an idiot. “Don’t make me repeat myself… I hate having to repeat myself.” Hear the first time or face Manny’s anger. He’d taught his men to keep their ears open at all times because he refused to say things twice. He lifted his other hand up, wrapping it lightly around the man’s jaw. “If I smash this glass hard enough into your temple there’s a chance a shard of glass could break off and pierce your eye. Do you wanna risk that?” Maybe he would stay for the siren after all, that way he could eliminate the piece of shit standing in front of him without complaints from Hector and Luc.


DOMINIC PHENDER

Manny was constantly like a bull and everyone around him was red. He was ready to charge at anyone for the smallest thing, even something as little as smiling at him. Why the fuck were they smiling at him? Did they know something he didn’t? Were they sent by his enemies? It was a mystery as to where all his testosterone came from given he wasn’t like that as a child. He wasn’t rolling around in the playground bashing other children’s skulls into the ground. Something that would have upset his brother and there was a time in his life when he actually cared about Ricky’s feelings.

Their mom would be turning in her grave if she saw the person Manny had shaped in, but also that Ricky hadn’t tried harder to drag his younger brother away from the family traditions. If the business didn’t land in Ricky’s lap then it was clear it would be passed down to Manny. It was at that moment the brothers should have both run, together, away from Miguel and all the shit that surrounded their family. But instead Ricky went off to become a cop, thinking that was the best way to bring his dad down. If Ricky had suggested they ran at the very start Manny would have willingly followed.

The man at the bar was his target for the evening, Stocky build but standing smaller than Manny, not that he ever spent much time weighing up his victims before attacking. There was a stiff smirk that crept across his face as the stranger asked him if he was crazy. “Potentially.” Chopping off your own finger to mail to your brother did sound pretty crazy.

Manny stumbled back slightly as the man’s fist made contact with his cheek. That smirk remained glued to his face though, “Is that all you got? I know girls who punch better than that.” If they were going to fight, at least they could make it bloody.

Any night was the perfect night for a fight.

He quickly stepped back forward, raising his right hand and smashing his fist into the stranger's jaw. “Let’s go!” He yelled as he grabbed the man collar of his t-shirt to yank him back upright before bringing his right fist up again, driving it down into the man’s face again.


DOMINIC PHENDER