Later in the afternoon Barb hangs from her cross tiring quickly from the 57 hours she has already suffered on the cross. Her third day on the cross is much warmer than the first two and though Tree gives her as much water as she wants an IV hooked to a fire hose could not keep up with her dehydrating body.
Messa and Judith have long left. In a guest house of a billionaire Judith makes Messa apologize for her insolence at the cross.
Then she has Messa kneel before and says while she accepts Messa’s apology she must still be punished. She asks “What should it be, Messaline?”
Hesitantly Messa says “Perhaps you should whip me.”
Judith laughs and says “What, you expect me to work to pleasure you?”
“I meant to say ‘you should have me whipped’… by the groundskeeper.”
“That’s better but it is still not enough. I think I will have you nailed to the cross that Barbara Moore is on once she is done for three days. I’ll have them use square shanked spikes so you bleed. What do you think Messaline?”
“If that is what you deem necessary, Mistress” Messa replied with her face flush with fear.
“That’s better, Messa. And since we will start tomorrow I while have him use a flogger instead of a whip. I would hate to have my little jewel displayed on a cross with unsightly welts” Judith smiles. She goes to the phone and makes a call.
“Hello, RR… Yes, I want the hospitality tent and the caterers retained and make sure Tree has some square spikes… Chao, love you!”
That afternoon the groundskeeper fastens Messa’s wrists above her head and entertains Judith by giving Messa the flogging she deserves.
Back on the hill it is late evening and Barb isn’t doing so well. Her lungs are beginning to aspirate as her strength ebbs. She was going to vomit the water mixed with stomach bile but due to her body stretched on the cross and her weakened state she begins to choke and inhales it. The coughing fit that follows does nothing to help and instead tears muscles in her chest.
She watches the sun set sure that it is the last one she will see…
Tree