Today's special guest author is
Rebecca Stroud
Here's a little about Rebecca in her own words:
I am an avid animal lover…have been all my life. My experience with them has been all over the map. I worked for veterinarians; for humane societies and wildlife sanctuaries; and - then - became a columnist, writing The Animal Advocate for various newspapers. Now, I'm proud to say, I'm an 'indie' author.
So it should come as no surprise that everything I write involves an animal (primarily dogs, who I personally think are the most fabulous creatures on this planet).
That said, Do Unto Others is not a 'comfy cozy' book. Meaning: Over the years, I've become so sick and tired of animal abusers getting off with a simple slap on the wrist that I took my frustrations out in this fictional story.
As our legal system seems to be perpetually hamstrung when it comes to punishing those who commit horrendous crimes, my 'special' twins have no such problem. Ergo, the book is - at times - quite gruesome and graphic.
Of course, I understand this book isn't for everyone. Yet, if you believe as I do that those who abuse the helpless - be they animals, children, or the elderly - deserve to pay dearly, then this novella may be right up your alley. For I think most of us harbor a deep desire for justice in whatever shape or form it may come…
A must read for those that abhor animal abuse.
DO UNTO OTHERS by Rebecca Stroud is a very well written short story/novella (approximately 15,000 words) about animal abuse and vengeance taken on their behalf by people who have suffered life-long abuse themselves.
I really liked this story, although I must admit that it is not for the faint of heart. What made it truly believable to me is the fact that we've all heard the stories of animal abuse on the news and said to ourselves, "Just once, wouldn't it be great if the abusers got a little taste of their own medicine?" The only difference is that we, as people offended by the abuse, would never actually think of carrying that thought out. In the book, two sisters, who have been abused their whole life and find themselves helping the abused animals have no problem seeking vengeance for those atrocities against the animals. Their actions against the abusers are even more bloodthirsty than those of the animal abusers.
If you love animals, you should read this book. If you are an animal abuser, you should read this book.
Rebecca's Books:
Excerpt from Do Unto Others:
Set up for excerpt: Amanda Silver is an animal-loving homicide detective and her fiance, Kevin Monroe, is the lead investigator for the Jacksonville Animal Cops Unit; Bullet is their dog: Sonia Forbes & Linda Jacobs are identical twins who work at the county shelter as euthanasia technicians: Bobby Cochran and Serenity Smith are animal abusers.
A twenty-six year old man was found tortured to death this afternoon in what police are describing as one of the most horrific sights they've ever seen…
Amanda switched off the TV and flopped down on the couch next to Kevin. Hoisting her glass of wine, she sighed. "What a crappy day."
"You can say that again," Kevin agreed as he proceeded to tell his roommate, lover, and best friend - now his fiancee - about the mutilated puppies, about their strangled mother that had been discovered in the trash after he'd already left.
"Good God, Kev! Do you have any leads on who did it?"
"Yeah. We got the shithead. Some scumbag who's done this before. Naturally. And, naturally, he'll be out on bond before we eat dinner."
Stroking Bullet's head, Amanda said, "Why is it that these monsters always get off? I mean, don't any of them ever get locked up for years? Hell, they don't even serve any time at all…" Her voice trailed off in frustration.
Kevin pulled her close. "I know, babe. Maybe if the state of Florida would change its laws and stop looking at animals as mere property. But I wouldn't hold my breath on that one."
"I swear to God, Kevin, when I saw that guy today literally oozing from all those bites, I thought, damn, how could anyone do this. Then when I heard he'd been arrested on multiple counts of animal abuse…well, I could almost understand."
Pouring more wine, Kevin said, "I hear ya. Man, do I ever."
* * * * *
Midnight, yet still as hot as an oven. Parked a block away from the ritzy condos, the two women let the van's engine run, cranking up the AC to full blast.
"So, how long are we going to wait?" Sonia asked her mirror image.
Linda scouted the street and said, "Half an hour maybe?"
"Okay, then let's go over the plan one more time."
* * * * *
Serenity Smith parked her Mercedes in the underground garage and took the private elevator to her penthouse. Dropping her purse on the bar, she poured a Scotch, kicked off her shoes and headed to the bathroom.
As the manager of a strip club, Smith should've still been at work. But exhausted from all the questions those "animal people" had drilled her with, she'd left early and now wanted nothing more than a cool shower followed by some cool sheets.
Just before undressing, she heard a loud rapping at the front door. "Who is it?" she yelled at the top of her lungs. No reply. Thinking they'd gone away, she started to turn on the water when the knocking came again. This time, non-stop.
"Shit, shit, shit," she cursed as she stomped out to glance through the peephole. And what she saw confused the hell out of her: Two gorgeous - and identical - brunettes stood smiling in the foyer. One was completely naked.
How they'd gotten past security, Smith had no clue. But never one to turn down possible new talent, she turned up the intercom and said. "And may I ask what you two are doing on my doorstep at this ungodly hour?"
The nude replied, "Applying for a job?"
Weary as she was, Serenity couldn't resist the temptation and opened the door.
* * * * *
Bobby Cochran was a thug. At the ripe old age of nineteen, he'd been in and out of jail at least ten times. Charged with everything from petty theft to attempted rape, he'd nevertheless skirted the justice system because of the good ol' boy network. Meaning: his daddy was a state senator.
Short and wiry with flaming red hair, Bobby was the spitting image of his father, J.R. He also possessed the same explosive temper. Quick to anger, he lashed out at anything that pissed him off. Including the family pets. Having already killed the last three, Bobby - now living independently in a trailer park - had one of his own.
Chained to a post in the remote and weed-filled backyard, the mongrel was as filthy and decrepit as Bobby's living quarters. Her name was Lady and Bobby hated her guts. But she served a purpose as she was a fantastic outlet for his anger and he was taking advantage of that now.
At two o'clock in the morning, few would hear the howls of agony as Bobby Cochran stuck a screwdriver into Lady's nose. And twisted with all his might…
* * * * *
Serenity Smith lay spread-eagled on her canopied bed, arms and legs tied at each corner post. Sonia was no longer naked but Smith was. And she was bleeding profusely.
The sisters sat on either side of her and told her why she wouldn't live through the night.
"First of all, Serenity," Linda said in a calm and matter-of-fact voice, "you betrayed an innocent creature. A dog who loved you with all his heart, who depended on you for everything. Yet you chose to ignore him completely. He had no food, no water, he literally lived in his own crap…" She gritted her teeth, her voice trailing off in disgust as she held up the pair of small lawn clippers, prepared to remove the last of Smith's toes.
"Furthermore, you thought you'd get away with this, didn't you?" Sonia sneered at the gagged and terrified woman, nodding at her sister to proceed.
Smith's eyes bulged as Linda smiled and snipped off Serenity's right thumb.
"Sorry," she said. "But your stinking feet were making me sick."