This via crucis scene is wonderful! The victim carries her whole cross which I think, sometimes, is easier than carrying a heavy crossbeam by itself. I can imagine an incorrigible victim swinging the end of a heavy crossbeam around to menace soldiers, executioners, or taunting civilians who get too close. After all, what has she got to lose?
Dragging the end gives more stability, I think, and some of the weight is transferred to the ground. Lots of variables, though. Which is heavier? Carrying the heavy end of a complete cross across one's shoulder, or just the crossbeam across both shoulders?
Carrying the complete cross is more visually powerful, I think. As is nailing the victim to the complete cross on the ground.
Ah, anticipating what is to come --
At the place she will die the exhausted victim drops the cross to the ground. She herself drops to her knees, or perhaps rolls over onto her side. Glad for the temporary relief, though her terror rises anticipating the horrendous pain to come.
No longer ashamed of her nakedness -- she hasn't worn clothes in days -- she rolls over onto her back, even carless that her legs are open. Ah, the morning sky is so beautifully blue today!!! A cool breeze provides slight refreshment to her hot, sweaty skin. Crude comments from spectators make her aware again of her nakedness. She closes her legs and rolls over onto her side, suddenly feeling so violated, so humiliated, so exposed.
Her executioners position the end of the upright near the hole in the ground in which the cross, with her upon it, will be raised and secured. Bags of nails are dropped at the crossbeam and the far end. She hears the heavy clanging of the nails together inside the leather bag. Men approach carrying hammers and rope. Screaming and kicking she is stretched out over the rough wood. Ropes secure her, then nails are placed, and the hammers fall.
As the cross is made upright and steady in the ground she hangs in utter agony, screaming, gasping, struggling.
She looks down from her perch, watching the executioners step back to admire their work, looking up at her writhing nakedness. A few dirty comments then they leave, for the next victim is approaching and they have work to do.
The crowd quickly gathers, kept at the allowed distance. The women look impassive as they observe one of their own sex so shamefully displayed. The men, especially the younger, are in quite an excited state -- as she can see from their bulging erections. Where are her friends, her family? Will she see them at some point? She both wishes it and dreads it.
Ah, but now her muscles are cramping and she reflexively begins to "dance on the cross." There is no need to learn the steps -- the body simply knows what to do.
She and the cross are now one. Her mind is still active, though suffused with the horrific pain and humiliation of one crucified. She stares down her body, between heaving breasts, across her tensed abdomen and her sweat-bejeweled pubic hair. Her bent thighs are quivering. The dance requires them to part now as she struggles. She stares at the heads of the nails through her feet nailed side by side to the upright. Now, the next movement, to push up and out. As she does, fresh bolts of searing pain flash up her legs. A new round of shouts, jeers, and lewd comments from the crowd as a few more square inches of her naked body are revealed.
It's just a pussy boys -- calm down.
Pushing skyward she stares along her arms and at the heads of the nails through her wrists, more throbbing, searing pain as she pulls on them. Soon her thighs cramp and she drops down, heavily, suddenly. She nearly faints from the pain.
How ironic, she thinks:
I carried this cross all that way over the rough and stony ground; now it carries me a few feet up into the air! To dance for these jeering assholes!
Sorry -- didn't mean to write so much. Just hard to stop once started.
Like the idea of carrying the whole cross. While you focusing on via crucis, maybe are you going to create some moments-before-nailing pics? That's a personal taste, but I find the moment when condemned sits or lays down on the cross one of the most intense parts. Anyway - thank you for these and it is good to see you posting once again. Also - looking forward to your next crux Andaroos.
to you and
