She watches me drink from my glass and tells me she is thirsty. I tell her she wouldn’t like what I was drinking and that even if I gave her water it would only prolong her suffering. She told me she didn’t care. Thirst and hunger were only adding to her torture. I raise my glass to her lips and she sips only to spit the Seagram’s out.
“Damn, you drink your own piss?” she exclaims.
“I told you that you wouldn’t like it” I said as I chug the rest of the drink. I walk to the lake and scoop up the cool water in my glass and offer it to her. She drinks it emptying the glass in second. She takes as deep of a breath as she can and thanks me. I ask “When did they crucify you?”
“Yesterday afternoon- maybe evening”
“Then if you are a princess why aren’t there people here watching?” I ask.
“I
was a princess. My father disowned me and ordered his subjects to leave here at sunset last night and not return for a week. That’s why I was surprised to see you here” she explains.
“I’m as surprised to be here as you are” I say still wondering
how I am here.
“I don’t suppose you could get me off this cross.”
“Even if I had my tools it is not good form to interfere in another man’s crucifixion” I reply.
“You have crucified people?”
“Only women” I say.
“I won’t still be alive in week, will I?”
I tell her I would be most surprised. I didn’t bother to tell her if she was unfortunate to survive that long she would have long been insane from pain, hunger, and thirst. She is young; she may last four or five days. I look up at the buzzards already circling overhead. Natasha may not be dead but she is fixed to her cross. Contrary to belief buzzards will not wait until Natasha dies. They like fresh meat and even her cries will not drive them off. But I choose not to tell her. As I walk off I tell her the ordeal will be over soon…
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