The Pillory

Paul's sudden departure had turned me inward, only thinking about my boy and how the two of us would survive. And now, at my lowest low, a man had appeared to spark a yearning I had not felt for quite some time.

Somewhere in my enchanting thoughts of Red and my horrendous fears of the next day, I must have fallen asleep. I awoke to the sound of my door creaking open and a guard walking in with a tray that he placed on the floor.

I looked up at the guard and said the first thing that came to mind. "Where's Red?" I asked sleepily.

"Who?"

"Red," I repeated. The guard who was here last night.

"I don't know lady. He's probably taking the day off" And with that he was out the door, there was little need to talk with me further.

A sadness came over me. I wanted badly to see Red. I needed him to tell me once again that today was going to be okay but he had abandoned me for something more important. I wondered if he had known that he wouldn't be here today when he told me he would bring my breakfast. At that point it felt like he was just another man who left.

I looked at the tray sitting on the floor, like it was waiting for a dog to appear. Why couldn't they at least give me a table? When I stood up and reached down for the tray, my too short dress rose up above my bottom and reminding me of how exposed I was going to be all day.

I sat with the tray on my lap and looked at the bowl of gruel. As Red had predicted I was hungry. I hadn't eaten anything since the morning before so I tried to dive into the hot cereal which I quickly found was not nearly hot and barely tasted like any sort of food I had ever encountered. My body was crying out for substance but I couldn't bring myself to lift the spoon again. My throat was tight, my nerves frayed. There was to be no breakfast this morning.

It wasn't long before my door opened again. Two guards appeared, but there was still no sign of Red. As they remained silent, I stood, fully aware of the situation unfolding before me. I tried to pull down the hem of my skirt to make myself more presentable, but it was futile. One of the men turned me around, while the other secured my hands behind my back.

It was time.

With a guard at each of my elbows, I was led out of my cell and down a long hallway to a door that brought us outside. The coolness of predawn reminded me of my near nakedness and the site of the pillory in the distance filled me with dread. My feet abruptly stopped working. I couldn't let myself get closer to the wooden tower ahead of me.

My halting had little effect on my guards. They continued forward with my feet dragging behind. It was obvious that this was a common occurrence for them.

"Stop! Please! I just need a moment!" I cried to no avail. I felt my slippers fly off behind me as the top of my now bare feet dragged over the dirt path. "My shoes!" I yelled hoping for a tweak of humanity from the burly men.

Instead I heard one of them say under his breath, "I guess she'll be barefoot today."

"Like a woman should be," responded the other.

I decided it was best to get my bare feet moving.

Up three steps and we were on a platform. The old wooden device, standing since that controversial decision was made years ago, stood tall in front of me. One guard stood behind me unlocking my cuffs. The other stood close as if I might run.

With my hands free I went to adjust the hem of my little dress, trying unsuccessfully to make it reach further down my legs. But my hands were taken from me as the two men led me up one more step. I stood nearly naked in front of the pillory.

It was then that I first noticed the small crowd that had already gathered in the square. Their faces blurred in the early morning sun. Some looked at me with indifference, others were obviously excited to see the next victim to be locked up in front of them.

My eyes moved down to the wooden board with three half circles below me, two small ones on either side and a larger one in the middle. Perpendicular and to my left, another board with the same half circles stood tall.

One of the guards pulled my face toward him, hurting my jaw. "Now don't fight us on this," he said gruffly. "It will be a lot easier on you if you do as you are told. The other guard turned me to face the lower bar and pressed on my back to move me into place. I heard a squeak as the upper piece was brought down locking me into place.

My first thought was that the pillory was too low. Was it supposed to be like this? At that moment it all became real. My arms and back ached almost immediately and I shifted around trying to find some relief. There was none to be found.

"Someone will be back for you after dusk," said one of the guards.

"Wait," I cried. "No one is here with me?"

The guard laughed at my question. "You're on your own here, hun. These people," he said looking up at the crowd, "will take good care of you."

As the guards walked away, I saw the crowds move closer to the small fence that divided us. It was only about two feet away and wouldn't be much protection. I began hearing murmuring and laughter around me as I stood on display in front of a growing number of people. It wasn't long before words like 'Thief' and 'Shame' were being thrown out. I looked out at the crowd wanting to defend myself but it was immediately obvious that no words from me were going to appease them. I was a thief and I should be ashamed. I knew that I shouldn't have stolen those shoes but I also knew that I had no choice. This crowd would never understand.

The worst were the men. They seemed to be enjoying the sight more than they should. Some were laughing, others just staring in a way that made me feel cheap. I was nothing more than an object, a pretty body that they had permission to ogle. It was those men that forced me to look away from the gathering. I hung my head and stared at the floor beneath me.

It was while I was looking down that the first missile bounced off the top of my head. I don't know what it was, perhaps a lemon or a small orange. It didn't hurt as much as it scared me. I looked up to see the mob screaming with joy.

That first lob gave the rest of the crew permission to begin their attack. Within moments I was greeted with what must have been a very old tomato. It exploded as it crashed into my forehead sending seeds and juices down my cheeks. Instinctively I pulled on my hands to wipe my face but they wouldn't leave their confinement. I shook my head trying to get the juices off which set the crowd into a rage of laughter. More fruit was thrown, most taken as direct hits to the face. Some shots were low and hit my arms and chest. An egg broke against my collarbone and sent its innards down inside my shift. Knowing that my breasts were now covered in egg white and yoke, the crowd burst into insane hysteria. More eggs followed and were aimed low covering my body in a sticky liquid.

My shift, now covered in egg, clung to my body, my face was smeared with rotten fruit, and my hair, soaked in juices, matted against my cheeks. I shook my head violently wanting to scream but nothing emerged. My hands tried unsuccessfully to break free, not only to protect my body from further harm but also to free myself from the relentless assault. However, my hands remained frozen, leaving my face vulnerable to the relentless onslaught.

I raised my eyes to see movement in the crowd. Someone was bursting through trying to get to the front. People were moving away letting this young man by. When he appeared at the fence I noticed the he wore rubber gloves and was holding something dark and soft. Was it mud? People were stepping away from him, perhaps put off by whatever he was carrying. He looked right at me and yelled "Thief" then I saw his hand raise -- seemingly in slow motion as he hurled the dark brown mass toward me.

The crowd became silent for just a moment as it flew through the air. When it exploded on my left cheek and spread over my nose and mouth, sounds of disgust appeared. The cries from the mob and the smell told me that I had just been hit with dog feces.

I screamed and shook my head, spitting out what had landed in my mouth, shaking off anything I could. When I opened my eyes I was looking right at him. I stared him down sending daggers of anger toward him but he just laughed knowing that there was nothing I could do to get back at him. And soon he was lost amongst the townspeople. Others however found something new to throw at me. As it rained lightly overnight the dirt around the platform had turned muddy and having seen the effects of the dog shit, it became obvious that a mud bath would also be good for the criminal. Within minutes mud and dirt covered the rotten fruit and dog shit on my head and arms.

Soon after, I noticed the crowd thinning. Perhaps they became bored with the proceedings or maybe they thought I had been punished enough. As the sun rose to mid-day there were only a few people around me. I stood in my shackles and stared at the ground, wondering if this day would ever end.

The hours stretched on and the mud and juices started to dry on my aching body. I was itchy and dirty and wanted nothing more to be freed. My wrists were throbbing, my neck stiff and my throat burned with thirst. I prayed for water.

Instead of the relief I had hoped for, I was met with the buzzing of flies. I could sense their presence darting around me before they landed on my face and neck, where they began feasting on my unclean skin. I tried to shake my head and wave my locked-in hands to get some relief, but I had no control over them as they continued their relentless feeding.

My prayers for water were answered a few hours later. I was all alone at that point and I suddenly heard people behind me on the Platform. Were they coming to get me? Did they decide that I had had enough? At first they were quiet and I worried that it might be someone who had come to cause me more harm. Then I heard a voice. "Go and apologize to the lady." The voice was familiar but in my distraught state I couldn't identify it. I turned my head as much as I could but wasn't able see who it was.

And then someone came into my view. It was the young man who had assaulted me with dog shit. At first he was watching whoever was standing behind me. He turned to face me, his gaze piercing through me. "I apologize," he said, his voice filled with not quite enough remorse. "I was completely out of line."

He looked up at the person behind me asking with his eyes if that was enough. I saw a hand pass something to him. It was a rag, wet with cool water. The young man took the rag and cleaned off my face, the water cool against my skin; the flies suddenly gone. He was handed a small cup of water which he brought it to my lips. I slurped it down refreshing my dried tongue and throat.

Part of me wanted to thank him but I couldn't. He had done so much harm and I was still angry with him. Thanking him would be an act of forgiveness and I wasn't ready to go there.

He muttered another sorry and vanished behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of two people walking away. One of them was a man who was holding the other by the nape of his neck.

The day continued, the pillory held me fast, my neck and wrists locked in place, my body exposed and vulnerable. People appeared in smaller groups, their voices a constant drone of cruelty. There was an occasional embarkment of rotten fruit. A banana peel, thrown at me stuck to my hair which caused a young woman in an expensive dress to giggle and point. I bit my lower lip and bore it all as another well dressed girl held her phone which I knew would turn my horror into a viral social media post.

As the sun began to set, I grew even more anxious to be freed. Shadows were growing longer and it became hard to see. I quickly surmised that those around me were stragglers; groups of men lingering and staring in my direction. My stomach twisted as I noticed their eyes openly evaluating me as if I were their prey.

I heard one of the men ascend to the platform behind me. He approached quietly, moving around in front of me, standing close, much too close. I could smell the beer on this breath. "Looks like you've got yourself into a little trouble, young lady," he said in a whisper that was loud enough for this friends below to hear.

I said nothing and refused to meet his gaze. He reached up and brushed his fingers against my cheek then pushing my chin so that I had no choice but to look in his eyes. I wanted to bite at him but I didn't have it in me. Then to my horror, he reached under the crossbeam and grabbed at my loosely hanging breast. I flinched but there was little else I could do. I was trapped.

Seeing that I was no threat, his buddy appeared behind me. His hands crawled up my bare legs pushing up my thin covering and exposing my bottom. His hands explored my most private area. No one had touched me there since my husband had fled. I felt myself warm to his touch. No, I wouldn't allow my body to feel any enjoyment from this assault.

What could I do to ward off his attack in the last hour of my punishment? I looked around as best I could hoping to find a Good Samaritan to rescue me but the drunken man in front of me blocked my view as he continued to feel me up.

When I felt the other man's hard penis rub against my rear, I finally let out a scream. It amazed me that I had the power to scream that loud and it scared the man in front of me so much that he let go of my breast, jumped back and abruptly fell off of the platform landing hard on the dirt below. I screamed again feeling a new power.

A loud whistle responded to my scream. I couldn't tell what it was or where it was coming from but the cock that was rubbing against me disappeared. I heard a loud argument behind me. A voice telling the man to get away. And then there was silence.

Finally a gentle hand rubbed my back and pulled my shift back down. "The only way through is out," the voice said, "and you're almost out."

I realized then that not only had Red saved me from those wicked men, he had been watching me from afar all day. It was he who brought the young miscreant to wipe my face and give me water. He took the day off to protect me.

He had disappeared by the time the two guards came to release me. They were the same two who had brutally placed me there that morning and they were just as pleasant that night.

When they pulled the board off my neck, I tried to stand but immediately my body gave up and I fell to the ground. The two "gentlemen" stood and watched as I slowly made my way to my feet. One of them handed me a bag that I assumed contained my clothing and possessions.

"Where can I change?" I asked meekly.

The guard laughed. "How about right here," he laughed causing the other guard to join in with glee.

I had my answer. I was to walk home as I was. I would get no help from the guards or anyone else.

Nearly naked and barefoot, I began the mile walk home. Once away from the square I pulled my phone from the bag. It had been on for the last two days and there was no charge. I had no choice but to continue my journey on foot

While I usually feel fortunate to live in a secluded area, the woods around me were dark and foreboding. Were those footsteps behind me? Was someone there? Could it be the man who was assaulting me on the platform back for another try? I hurried as best I could but I felt him closing in.

"Wait!" he called as I started to run. I stopped and turned to see Red. "I just want to make sure you get home safely."

Tears came to my eyes as I let him take me by the arm and walk me home. When I stood at my door I barely had words to thank him and I watched as he disappeared quietly into the darkness.

#######

Anna didn't realize how strong the stink of her body was until her sister, who greeted her at the door stepped back and pulled her hand to her face. She didn't know how horrible she looked until she made it to the bathroom and looked at herself in the full length mirror. She studied herself while the tub ran a warm bath

Anna's once blonde hair had lost its bright wavy look, it was flat, colorless and matted to her head. It was decorated with tomato sauce, pieces of now dried fruit, and other discarded foods. Her face was puffy and dirtier than it had ever been. She could see and feel the bruises which lay under the layer of mud and spoiled food.

And then she looked down. The thin shift that once offered her body the slightest shield of modesty might well have been gone. Stuck to her body, the thin fabric showed everything. Each of her breasts were well outlined As was her stomach. The shift was plastered to her crotch giving her that camel toe look that she had always hated. Anna hurt so much that she had to call her sister to help her remove the crusted garment.

One bath was not able to fully clean poor Anna. After soaking for an hour she still felt dirty. It was two days of tubs before she felt comfortable enough to hug her son or her sister.

And it was a full month before she dared leave her house. The thought of facing the townspeople was terrifying. Strangers would point her out remembering her up on that platform; friends would pity her. She wondered if life would ever be the same.

When she finally did leave her home, Anna found herself loitering around the courthouse, hoping to see Red. She forced herself to pass the pillory which fortunately stood empty each day. When there was no sign of him after a week, she braved herself to go back into the building where the dreadful chain of events had started. She found a desk and asked about the young red haired man. A young girl sent her to the guards' office where by chance she found the large man who had, with Red, taken her to her cell. She asked where she could find him and said she wanted to thank him for being so nice.

The guard looked confused. "I dunno what your talking about lady. I remember escorting you downstairs but we always do that alone; unless if course it's some big troublemaker guy and, well, that ain't you."

Now Anna was confused. "Maybe he didn't take me down but there was a guard, sorta short, young, dark red hair. You must know him."

Another guard heard them and joined the conversation. "Is she talking about that little Danny Wilton guy? The perp who..." his voice dropped off. He didn't want to finish his sentence.

The first guard suddenly looked flushed. "Look lady I don't know who you're talking about. There was a red head guy who was here last year. He was put up on the pillory and later died. Them left wingers tried to blame it on us, on the use of the pillory. It was a whole big thing."

Anna felt like she did back in the courtroom. Her knees started to buckle and she thought she was going to fall. She managed to thank the guards and found her way out of the building where she stared at the pillory. Had she imagined Red?

Back at home she picked up her phone and googled Danny Wilton. Anna quickly found numerous articles about the events surrounding his death. Apparent he had died after spending a day up on that same platform she had been on. The government called his death unrelated to his punishment but critics claimed otherwise. His crime: stealing food which he maintained was for his hungry children.

Anna put down her phone and looked up to the heavens with tears in her eyes. "Thank you Red. The only way out is through."