Alice, Daughter of Barabbas

[bobinder]

Messrs Bobinder, Madiosi, and Phlebas, otherwise known as 'The Oracles' are giving me help and advice, for which I am exceedingly grateful.

They felt that Alice was too large in some of the immediate post-crucifixion images,and I could see what they meant, so they have been 'improved' (the images, not the Oracles )



I shall replace them above as well,

We may be harsh critics and task masters for novice manipulators, but I should stress that the improvements are entirely your own work, inspired by your personal quest for higher standards - which you are undoubtedly achieving.

 

[thehangingtree]

A wonderfully concise analysis of relative attitudes towards crime and punishment by the condemned - and complemented by more impressive artwork!

The men admire Alice for both her looks and her 'crime'. Since their own offence is relatively trivial, they seem to envy Alice's worthy efforts to qualify for an equal penalty. Of course, this is no comfort to her and she trivialises the men for their misplaced admiration.

I seem to recall an Anzac prisoner of war being crucified for chicken theft in 'A Town Like Alice' - is that a deliberate reference or simply a topical coincidence?

Describe 'chicken' and I'll let you know...

 

[bobinder]

Describe 'chicken' and I'll let you know...

Doing something in a cowardly manner?

Actually it's about poetic justice. They wanted to eat a bird, and now the birds are going to feed on them.

 

[Jollyrei]

"I'm Ramen," he croaked, "what's....your... name?"

"We....stole a chicken. All....this....for a fucking....chicken!"

An interesting moment of levity in a situation that is otherwise not funny at all.

Alice looked at them. 'Idiots,' she thought. 'Nothing is worth being crucified for. And now I have to die between a pair of morons.'

I understand Alice's frustration.
A very Wragg-esque moment, if you don't mind me saying so. It was so blatant that at first my mind glossed over it, not believing it was there. Then I saw it and didn't know whether to laugh or not - it seemed almost sacrilegious to do so, given Alice's predicament. In that sense, I think the device was very effective - almost as if the trio was trying to assert some control, as if recognizing a joke would somehow help them normalize a situation that defies any coming to terms with it. The reader sees the joke and it actually contributes to the sense of their inevitable hopelessness.

 

[Uitebawng]

Marcius has figured out who's who!

Sorry @Ramengmawiaaa, I thought you deserved a starring role!

I like it thank you ^^

 

[Wragg]

Alice gave up on conversation, and concentrated on fighting her battle against agony. Everything hurt. Every tiniest movement sent shockwaves of pain throughout her body.



She called out to the soldiers still milling about below. "Please! Please get me down! It....hurts.....so....much!"

The centurion looked up at her and grinned. "Sorry, Miss! More than my job's worth!" He held up her tattered robe. "And we'll take this. You won't be needing it any more!"



Alice felt totally humiliated.



"Bastards!" she cried, "I....HATE....you....all!"

 

[Wragg]

Alice gave up on conversation, and concentrated on fighting her battle against agony. Everything hurt. Every tiniest movement sent shockwaves of pain throughout her body.

View attachment 584929

She called out to the soldiers still milling about below. "Please! Please get me down! It....hurts.....so....much!"

The centurion looked up at her and grinned. "Sorry, Miss! More than my job's worth!" He held up her tattered robe. "And we'll take this. You won't be needing it any more!"

View attachment 584926

Alice felt totally humiliated.

View attachment 584927

"Bastards!" She cried, "I....HATE....you....all!"

Many thanks to Bobinder, who did most of the work on Alice on 049.

 

[bobinder]

"Bastards!" She cried, "I....HATE....you....all!"

Such defiance!

I love her when she's angry...

 

[Jollyrei]

"Please! Please get me down! It....hurts.....so....much!"

Good enough for me. Get her down. (I'm terrible at this.)
What do you mean I'm off the squad?

 

[phlebas]

Good enough for me. Get her down. (I'm terrible at this.)
What do you mean I'm off the squad?

Just take some time off for now, Jolly, you'll get your big moment later

Many thanks to Bobinder, who did most of the work on Alice on 049.

So we see a nice contrast between her small vulnerable figure and the men either side. The eye is drawn to her, but all have a part to play in the spectacle. All are vulnerable, humiliated. But now we see the contrast between a woman struggling with the physicality and shame of crucifixion, and the men, who are probably more used to hard physical exertion, more used to public nudity and disregard for their dignity.

 

[Wragg]

Such defiance!

I love her when she's angry...

View attachment 584930

Just look at the quality of work that has gone into that image!

If nothing else, this exercise has taught me how much skill the true masters of this art possess!

 

[bobinder]

Just look at the quality of work that has gone into that image!

If nothing else, this exercise has taught me how much skill the true masters of this art possess!

Only the left hand portrait is mine. The others are by Anzilov and Makar.
You can tell that my left hand portrait is a manip, because it uses the teeth from the right hand Makar picture.



I like to be authentic about these details.

 

[Krieg the Savage]

I can't wait for the end of this story. So well done! (And maybe it'll be added to the library in epub format for easy reading?)

 

[Barbaria1]

You can tell that my left hand portrait is a manip, because it uses the teeth from the right hand Makar picture.

Only her dentist would know for certain

 

[Uitebawng]

I can't wait for the end of this story. So well done! (And maybe it'll be added to the library in epub format for easy reading?)

It should be. One of my favourites so far.

 

[Wragg]

The dreadful day wore on. Hour ground into relentless hour.

The tortures of the cross did not abate. Crucifixion focusses the forces of nature onto the victim in an almost ingenious multiplication of suffering. The force of gravity drags the body down against the nails, the unnatural position held so ruthlessly for hour after hour turns muscles and sinews into screaming knots of agony that vie to outdo the nails themselves for sheer torment.

And then, there is the sun. The scorching, Mediterranean sun climbed higher into the sky, its rays beating mercilessly down upon the exposed body cruelly stretched out below it.



There was no cloud to offer any shred of relief.

It was as if the gods themselves conspired with the Romans to cause maximum suffering.

And Death, deaf to Alice's pleadings, seemed as far away as ever.

 

[Jollyrei]

And Death, deaf to Alice's pleadings, seemed as far away as ever.

I'M PLANNING TO GET MY HEARING CHECKED, AND YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE HOW SLOW THE SERVICE IS IN THIS TAVERNA. YOU'D THINK THEY HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY TO INDIA TO GET A CURRY. YOU COULD DIE WAITING HERE.

A truly fine image and a very fine description of our Alice's ordeal.

 

[Wragg]

YOU'D THINK THEY HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY TO INDIA TO GET A CURRY.

Enjoy your curry. Alice isn't going anywhere.....

 

[Apostate]

And Death, deaf to Alice's pleadings, seemed as far away as ever.

Thanks for this one, Wragg. There are too few Alice manips in which ropes remain in place of nails.

 

[xso]

The dreadful day wore on. Hour ground into relentless hour.

The tortures of the cross did not abate. Crucifixion focusses the forces of nature onto the victim in an almost ingenious multiplication of suffering. The force of gravity drags the body down against the nails, the unnatural position held so ruthlessly for hour after hour turns muscles and sinews into screaming knots of agony that vie to outdo the nails themselves for sheer torment.

And then, there is the sun. The scorching, Mediterranean sun climbed higher into the sky, its rays beating mercilessly down upon the exposed body cruelly stretched out below it.

View attachment 585540

There was no cloud to offer any shred of relief.

It was as if the gods themselves conspired with the Romans to cause maximum suffering.

And Death, deaf to Alice's pleadings, seemed as far away as ever.

This story is so hot W! (especially under the strong Palestinian sun ) Both story and pic's are great. Thanks!