Light pierced my eyes as I wearily opened them. A drowsy humor, like poison flowed through my veins burning. I screamed out in pain only to find that I had no voice. What hell is this that I should be put to such torture? My throat is parched, I need of drink. Beads of sweat rolled into my eyes, stinging like needles. I went to wipe dry but found that my arms were bound with iron shackles and my legs too.
My weary body ached all over and with every motion brought new pain. I forced my eyes to see what was happening, but the sun glared down into my eyes. I flinched at the brightness.
A noise much like that of many people was heard all around me. I turned my face to see, and there, before me a crowd, they jeered and called me names. They threw spoiled food at me and shouted, “Kill him!” Then I remembered. They are fools who follow a leader that takes their money and keeps it for himself, but I, for standing up and protecting what was rightly mine, am tortured. They killed my family, my only son who by all means was innocent. They will have their day.
“Art thou in pain?” A voice, rough and demanding shouted at me. Am I in pain…am I in pain? What are you blind man. Bastard. You, who hide behind a mask, be a man yourself. For this injustice, I will keep my silence and bare no ill effects from this game you play. I spat on him.
“Thou insolent beast, I’ll make thee pay for thine impertinence. Tighter!” He roared and the crowd cheered.
More spoilage was thrown upon me as the sounds of rope rubbing against wood pulled taunt. Bones that were once joined together, now split. My eyes and mouth flew wide opened as new pain made the old feel ten times worse. Tendons, ligaments ripped blood vessels that once were canals of life now stretched beyond their will, broke opened and my flesh turned into ghastly shades of blue as it pooled within the skin.
I wanted to scream the pain was unbearable, but I held fast. They laughed and cheered the monster on as he ordered the ropes still and then that is when, through pain of death, I saw a child…there in the crowd. He was so angelic, so beautiful. He did not join in with the rest; he just stood there and watched. I felt a connection, a bonding, something I hadn’t felt in years, and then he smiled. It was him; it was my child, my son. I tried to reach for him, but he shook his head against it.
“We want justice! We want justice!” They taunted him on.
I looked up toward the heavens and pleaded with God to take me now. To end this pain, but my words were unheard as vinegar was thrown on me. A searing, like that of a fire, burned my skin. I clenched my fists, my teeth to keep silent, they would not be sated. This is my revenge.
I glared at the hooded man, I showed him that he could not and would not win this and screamed, “Imigh sa diabhal!” It took all what strength I had left in me to scream it loud enough for all to hear. I screamed it again and again. I wanted justice for those that died at their hands, for the innocent lives they took…woman, children, wives and husbands. “Imigh sa diabhal!”
“Thou wilt pay for that blasphemy!” What I saw next, I knew was my end. A hook, black like death and sharp to do vile damage, he held it high. The crowd roared their delights; they were going to get their wish. I was going to be gutted, like a fish. In front of those that cheered him on. In front of my child, my son.
“I will give thee pardon, if thou speak loyalty to his Majesty.” He waited as if I would give him such satisfaction. The bloody bastard, who killed my family, killed the families of those that knew me well, and hung them like a whale in the court yard, dead or there soon would be. No… “No!”
Then, in one fell swoop the hook plunged deep within my belly. I gasped eyes wide with fear and pain. I tried to breath, but all that came was blood. Choking I looked into the crowd, but saw no one, no one but my son, whose smile was even brighter than before. Whose little hand reached for me and nodded.
Entrails ripped from me were held high for all to see. They applauded and cheered, but I didn’t see them, didn’t hear them. The pain was all but gone…I was finally at peace and I could give my soul to God.
“Father! It’s me Jonathan, you’ve finally come home!”
My weary body ached all over and with every motion brought new pain. I forced my eyes to see what was happening, but the sun glared down into my eyes. I flinched at the brightness.
A noise much like that of many people was heard all around me. I turned my face to see, and there, before me a crowd, they jeered and called me names. They threw spoiled food at me and shouted, “Kill him!” Then I remembered. They are fools who follow a leader that takes their money and keeps it for himself, but I, for standing up and protecting what was rightly mine, am tortured. They killed my family, my only son who by all means was innocent. They will have their day.
“Art thou in pain?” A voice, rough and demanding shouted at me. Am I in pain…am I in pain? What are you blind man. Bastard. You, who hide behind a mask, be a man yourself. For this injustice, I will keep my silence and bare no ill effects from this game you play. I spat on him.
“Thou insolent beast, I’ll make thee pay for thine impertinence. Tighter!” He roared and the crowd cheered.
More spoilage was thrown upon me as the sounds of rope rubbing against wood pulled taunt. Bones that were once joined together, now split. My eyes and mouth flew wide opened as new pain made the old feel ten times worse. Tendons, ligaments ripped blood vessels that once were canals of life now stretched beyond their will, broke opened and my flesh turned into ghastly shades of blue as it pooled within the skin.
I wanted to scream the pain was unbearable, but I held fast. They laughed and cheered the monster on as he ordered the ropes still and then that is when, through pain of death, I saw a child…there in the crowd. He was so angelic, so beautiful. He did not join in with the rest; he just stood there and watched. I felt a connection, a bonding, something I hadn’t felt in years, and then he smiled. It was him; it was my child, my son. I tried to reach for him, but he shook his head against it.
“We want justice! We want justice!” They taunted him on.
I looked up toward the heavens and pleaded with God to take me now. To end this pain, but my words were unheard as vinegar was thrown on me. A searing, like that of a fire, burned my skin. I clenched my fists, my teeth to keep silent, they would not be sated. This is my revenge.
I glared at the hooded man, I showed him that he could not and would not win this and screamed, “Imigh sa diabhal!” It took all what strength I had left in me to scream it loud enough for all to hear. I screamed it again and again. I wanted justice for those that died at their hands, for the innocent lives they took…woman, children, wives and husbands. “Imigh sa diabhal!”
“Thou wilt pay for that blasphemy!” What I saw next, I knew was my end. A hook, black like death and sharp to do vile damage, he held it high. The crowd roared their delights; they were going to get their wish. I was going to be gutted, like a fish. In front of those that cheered him on. In front of my child, my son.
“I will give thee pardon, if thou speak loyalty to his Majesty.” He waited as if I would give him such satisfaction. The bloody bastard, who killed my family, killed the families of those that knew me well, and hung them like a whale in the court yard, dead or there soon would be. No… “No!”
Then, in one fell swoop the hook plunged deep within my belly. I gasped eyes wide with fear and pain. I tried to breath, but all that came was blood. Choking I looked into the crowd, but saw no one, no one but my son, whose smile was even brighter than before. Whose little hand reached for me and nodded.
Entrails ripped from me were held high for all to see. They applauded and cheered, but I didn’t see them, didn’t hear them. The pain was all but gone…I was finally at peace and I could give my soul to God.
“Father! It’s me Jonathan, you’ve finally come home!”
Comments
Post a Comment