andy01
Magistrate
Though it was only some ten feet away, dragging the cook to the neighbouring post was no easy matter. It took four of them, all flustered now and nervous of accidents. At the sergeant's commands they grabbed the beam and hauled it a few inches along, pausing between each move to adjust their hold. The cook's bottom bounced from tussock to tussock as her legs spraddled and kicked, brutal pain splitting her mind as they jerked her forward. At last they reached the foot of the post.
"Right," said the sergeant. "Let's think this through."
"Right, get them ropes, and tie them round the beam just outside her wrists."
And they did.
"OK," said the sergeant. "Now Julius, get that one on the left and put it over the post just beside tenon."
Julius gawped at him.
"The bit sticking up at the top of the post … the bit the hole in the beam fits on."
"Oh," said Julius, and he reached up and draped the rope on the flat shelf of the post.
"Not that side," sighed the sergeant. "The opposite side, so it won't slip off. Now pass it down to Nosey, and Nosey, you back off to the left again, so you'll be pulling the rope against the tenon and it won't slip off. Right, now put the other rope up the same way Julius, and Loopy you grab it and take it over to the right."
And they did.
"Now," said the sergeant, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, and wincing at the twinge even that movement caused in is back. "Now Julius, go get the ladder and put it up at the back of the post … that's it. Now up you go, and get ready to help haul the beam up and get it in place over the tenon."
And Julius did.
"Right," said the sergeant. "Now you four get hold of the beam and get ready to haul her up. Loopy, Nosey, when I give the word you haul on those ropes like billy-o and help take the weight, right? Julius, as soon as that beam comes up near enough, you grab it and help them, and steer it into place."
He stepped back, grabbed at his back again, and groaned "Oh Gods."
"Now does everyone understand what to do?"
"Yes sergeant?"
"Everyone?"
A murmur of assent.
"Then everyone ready. Haul her up on a count of three. One, two, three"
And they did.
It was not a tidy crucifixion. The ropes were only a couple of feet apart and with the cook's frantic kicking and swinging the beam swerved frantically down on one side and then the other as the sweating men tried to keep it straight.
As Julius reached down to grab it, clutching at the post with one hand to keep his footing on the ladder, the beam slammed back upon his fingers. With a yell he went tumbling backwards, the ladder toppling after him.
"Hold her," the sergeant was yelling. "Bloody hold her will you. Maxi, get that bloody ladder back up and get up there. Now grab the beam. Now all of you, pull … pull … get it on there you bastards!"
And at last they managed to hoist the beam over the tenon and it dropped into place. Then of course they realised they wouldn't be able to get the ropes out, but "Stuff it," said the sergeant. "We'll get them later."
"Julius, get off your useless arse and get some wedges. Pass them up to Maxi. That's it Maxi, hammer them in."
And they did.
Then they forced her feet one by one against the side of the post and hammered nails between the ankle bone and Achilles tendon.
They hammered the titulus with its crudely lettered "Venefica" to the back of the tenon.
And then they crucified the skivvy, which was easier.
TBC
I do apologise to anyone eager to see Gabriella Sivilla punished. Somehow it has taken eight posts without even getting her to the killing place. With any luck she will be here shortly.
"Right," said the sergeant. "Let's think this through."
"Right, get them ropes, and tie them round the beam just outside her wrists."
And they did.
"OK," said the sergeant. "Now Julius, get that one on the left and put it over the post just beside tenon."
Julius gawped at him.
"The bit sticking up at the top of the post … the bit the hole in the beam fits on."
"Oh," said Julius, and he reached up and draped the rope on the flat shelf of the post.
"Not that side," sighed the sergeant. "The opposite side, so it won't slip off. Now pass it down to Nosey, and Nosey, you back off to the left again, so you'll be pulling the rope against the tenon and it won't slip off. Right, now put the other rope up the same way Julius, and Loopy you grab it and take it over to the right."
And they did.
"Now," said the sergeant, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, and wincing at the twinge even that movement caused in is back. "Now Julius, go get the ladder and put it up at the back of the post … that's it. Now up you go, and get ready to help haul the beam up and get it in place over the tenon."
And Julius did.
"Right," said the sergeant. "Now you four get hold of the beam and get ready to haul her up. Loopy, Nosey, when I give the word you haul on those ropes like billy-o and help take the weight, right? Julius, as soon as that beam comes up near enough, you grab it and help them, and steer it into place."
He stepped back, grabbed at his back again, and groaned "Oh Gods."
"Now does everyone understand what to do?"
"Yes sergeant?"
"Everyone?"
A murmur of assent.
"Then everyone ready. Haul her up on a count of three. One, two, three"
And they did.
It was not a tidy crucifixion. The ropes were only a couple of feet apart and with the cook's frantic kicking and swinging the beam swerved frantically down on one side and then the other as the sweating men tried to keep it straight.
As Julius reached down to grab it, clutching at the post with one hand to keep his footing on the ladder, the beam slammed back upon his fingers. With a yell he went tumbling backwards, the ladder toppling after him.
"Hold her," the sergeant was yelling. "Bloody hold her will you. Maxi, get that bloody ladder back up and get up there. Now grab the beam. Now all of you, pull … pull … get it on there you bastards!"
And at last they managed to hoist the beam over the tenon and it dropped into place. Then of course they realised they wouldn't be able to get the ropes out, but "Stuff it," said the sergeant. "We'll get them later."
"Julius, get off your useless arse and get some wedges. Pass them up to Maxi. That's it Maxi, hammer them in."
And they did.
Then they forced her feet one by one against the side of the post and hammered nails between the ankle bone and Achilles tendon.
They hammered the titulus with its crudely lettered "Venefica" to the back of the tenon.
And then they crucified the skivvy, which was easier.
TBC
I do apologise to anyone eager to see Gabriella Sivilla punished. Somehow it has taken eight posts without even getting her to the killing place. With any luck she will be here shortly.