The Source: It Will Come From Within

SALVO

The Awakening

The date is Saturday, June 25, 1976 and a little after 5:00 p.m. when Eli Booth, a day laborer, strolls through Philadelphia's Italian Market on Washington Avenue. Locals simply call it 9th Street. It's essence is the same as it has been for generations. Eli enters Lou's Fresh Meats to find Lou, the butcher and the shop's owner, waiting on his last customer. The bare brick walls, saw dust covered floors add to the simplicity and charm of his shop. Eli looks past the rustic interior, and calls the second floor apartment home.

Lou greets Eli, Hey, Eli, how's it going today? Do me a favor and turn that sign to closed. That's it for me today. Thanks… Hm, I hate to ask…but the rent… Even as a second generation Italian Lou's distinctive accent is noticeable.

In an almost inaudible voice Eli stands there and apologizes. He's humble. Sorry, Lou. Can you give me a little more time? I can have it for you in two days?

Lou avoids making any eye contact with Eli as he straightens out the meats in the case. Eli sees him shake his head, and wave his hand. Giving him the reassurance he needs that their arrangement is okay.

I can't go pass that. Alright. Lou declares.

Eli responds with a soft, yet strong, Thanks.

Eli is a man with plenty of ambition, and to support his family works as much as he can. However, the only jobs he's been able to get are low paying, with long hours. But no matter what his day is like the moment he sees his girlfriend, Maria, and holds his one year old son, Thomas, his mood brightens up considerably.

Sawdust kicks up from Eli's work boots as he walks towards the back of the store. When he reaches the door he senses something isn't right. He pulls open the door, and the stairwell is filled with the loud, hysterical screams of his baby. In a blind panic he climbs the stairs, taking them two at a time. When he reaches the top he finds the apartment door standing wide open. He lets his eyes move across the room. Eli is paralyzed when he sees Maria laying there half-naked and motionless. A howl of anguish penetrates the air, NO, NO, MY BEAUTIFUL, as he runs into the room. Maria is on her back with her arms straight by her sides. Her mouth and eyes are swollen shut. Almost every inch of her face and body is bruised, black and blue. There are streaks of dried blood all down her legs.

Eli convulses with anger at seeing what the wickedness of the human race can do. His mind shuts down at the thought of his son being a witness to a crime of utmost savagery, and having his innocence yanked away. Now sickening images flood his head…

KNOCK. KNOCK.

Maria lays young Thomas down in his crib. She takes the distance to the door in six short steps. Her happy expression changes to surprise, then concern after she opens the door.

Oh…Hi. Is there something wrong?

Lou's eyes scout out the apartment. He doesn't say a word, but he does notice the baby is asleep in his crib. Then without warning he shoves Maria. The force causes her to stumble backwards. Her back slams against the kitchen table. She tries to compose herself as Lou rushes her. With an open hand he smacks her in the face. Maria is stunned as blood fills up in her mouth.

GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! GET OUT! She screams.

Lou ignores her strong demands. He grabs a hand full of her wavy black hair, and drags her over to the bed. Her arms flailing helplessly in the air as she tries to fight him. The force in which he throws her down on the bed causes her body bounce.

BAM!

BAM!

The hard blows to Maria's face causes her nose to bleed. She is dazed, and realizes she's not physically able to fight him. Defenseless, she succumbs to what is about to happen next.

Lou sits all 186 pounds of his gross girth on top of her. He's crushing her petite frame as she sinks down into the mattress. She clinches her mouth closed, and holds her breath when he kisses her. His sweaty body reeks of stale cigarettes and old meat. The pungent smell makes her gag. He claws at her pink blouse, it rips open, and the buttons scatter all over the floor. He's rough with her. He pushes her bra up under her neck, then uses his tongue and mouth to viciously maul her breasts. Impatient, he pops the button on her pants, and violently jams his hand down between her legs. In the process he scratches her thighs with his ragged fingernails. His roving hands search, unrestrained and molest her vagina. He stops, but only long enough to yank her pants down. A crazed look appears in his eyes, and saliva forms in the corner of his mouth. A frightened Maria looks up at Lou's face. She doesn't recognize him, he has transformed into a monster. Lou yanks her underwear down and spits on Maria's vagina.

She tries to sit up, but Lou punches her in the face again. Tears stream down her face. Lou jumps up, clumsily unzips his dirty pants, and they fall to the floor. Maria stares with bulging eyes to see he's not wearing any underwear. Lou orders Maria to turn over. Slowly she complies, taking a moment to glance over at the baby's crib. She stifles her cries as much as she can so Thomas stays asleep, and doesn't wake up to see what is happening to Mommy.

Lou plunges his hard penis into Maria's rectum, violently tearing it. Her piercing screams causes Thomas to stir. Lou smashes her head down into the pillow. She struggles to turn her head so she can breathe. He plunges his penis into her rectum, over and over and over again causing her body to jerk after each violent thrust. He removes his penis from her rectum, and blood drips onto the sheets. While kneeling on the bed he orders Maria to turn around. Too impatient, he grabs her body and flips her over. Lou grabs her hair and pulls her up to a sitting position. Maria clamps her mouth shut, fearful of what is coming next. Using one hand he pries her mouth open, and with the other jams his penis into her mouth. The thrust causes her to choke. SHIT! Lou loudly complains because he can't ejaculate. At that very moment, Baby Thomas stands up in his crib.

Maria closes her eyes rather than look him, but Lou doesn't stop. He takes his penis out of her mouth, and pushes her down on the bed again. Soaked with sweat, he spreads her legs wide. He leans forward to whisper in her ear, Let it come natural. Then plunges his penis into her vagina over and over again. The composition of different elements, his flesh pounding against hers, accompanied with his moans, and the squeaky bed, play out in a symphony of disgust.

Exhausted, he pulls his penis out of her vagina, and holds it in his hand. He takes pleasure in ejaculating on Maria's stomach. Traumatized, Maria lays there in a catatonic state.

After two hours of unspeakable torture Lou is finally finished. He eases his large girth off the rickety iron bed. Then pulls half of the blue chenille blanket from under her stiff body, and uses the end of it to wipe off his penis. He wastes no time pulling on his pants, but lingers to gawk at a naked Maria. To add insult to injury Lou takes the time to grab a bottle of soda out of the refrigerator before running out the apartment.

****

Eli sits down on the bed, and softly cradles Maria in his arms while trying to erase the sickening images out of head.

He tries to comfort Maria, and begs her to speak to him. Maria, my beautiful, can you hear me? Maria, Maria tell me who did this to you?

Silence…

He asks her again, Was it that bastard downstairs?

Eli didn't need to hear the answer. It was the tears streaming down Maria's face that told him what he needed to know. Gently, Eli lays her head down on the pillow. He removes the bloodied underwear from around her ankles. She grimaces in pain as he lifts her battered and bloody body back onto the bed. He walks swiftly across the creaky, linoleum floor to grab a crying Thomas out of his crib. Humming softly as he walks the floor, while rocking the baby to reassure him everything is okay. Then Eli goes to the refrigerator, grabs a bottle of apple juice to give him. Thomas is hungry, and the bottle immediately quiets him down. Eli takes him over to the bed and tucks him in mother's arms. He gently pulls up the blanket to cover both of them.

With Maria and Thomas safely tucked in bed, Eli goes down the stairs in a series of flying leaps. Lou, hears the sounds of his heavy boots and runs for the door. Eli leaps, like a leopard on a gazelle, just as he gets his hand on the door knob.

There's a tug of war between the two men. The streets are empty so there's no one to hear the butcher, who has been in the business for over 40 years, yell, GET AWAY FROM ME! Eli grips Lou's collar, and pulls, and pulls, until he starts choking. He manages to yank Lou back into the store. Violently he throws him down on the saw dust covered floor. SNAP! The bone in his right arm breaks. The pain causes Lou to belt out a blood curling scream. Lou grabs his arm as he tries to get up, but the saw dust is slippery, and he falls down again on the same broken arm. Eli stands there looking at him through eyes like daggers. Slowly he walks over to Lou who cries out and pleads with him. Eli, Eli. Please. It wasn't me. I swear.

Lou cowards down, helplessly, beneath the repeated pounding of Eli's fists on his head and body.

In his silent rage Eli reaches into his back pants pocket, and pulls out a pocket knife. The clicking sound of the knife opening causes panic in Lou's eyes. Eli raises his right hand, high above his head and waits. He wants Lou to know death is coming. Lou closes his eyes, makes peace with his God, fully prepared to awaken on the other side.

Eli yells at Lou, If a man causes a blemish on his neighbor, does any hurt, causes mutilation, as you have done, you must make satisfaction for it. You must pay for the cure and pain endured. His voice trails away, ….and the shame and disgrace. With all the anger and strength he can muster Eli thrusts the knife into Lou's head. CRACK! The blade penetrates clear through, and sticks in the wooden floor. His face glistens red from the spray of blood. Lou takes his last, ragged breath.

Eli covers Lou's body with the same parchment paper he uses to wrap up meat for his customers, then heads back upstairs. Down the hall, in the tiny yellow bathroom, he is visually shaken at the thought of what he just did. Eli cleans himself off, as best as he can, because he needs to act quickly.

Taking no changes he desperately looks around, and gathers what meager belongings they have. He carries Maria downstairs, and shields her eyes so she won't see Lou's body laying on the floor.

Once they were outside the sight of his car triggers a panic attack. Maria flips out and begins to yell and scream, NO! NO! NO! Eli grabs hold of her. She is sweating, trembling, and having difficulty breathing. Sshh, Sshh. My love. It's alright. Eli assures her. He manages to get her to calm down, and places her inside the car. He runs back up stairs, wraps up a sleeping baby Thomas and takes him downstairs. He puts the cooing baby, who's making soft murmuring sounds, in her arms.

The darkness of the night provides the perfect camouflage for their exit. That night they take shelter inside the car and park down by the waterfront.

For the next couple of days they drive around