by J A Scooter
Prominently positioned against one wall were four straight-backed chairs. The RSM led the family to these seats.
Elizabeth, Eric, Andrew and Jennifer surveyed the shed. They were quite surprised to see the girls rescued from the brothel seated around the other walls. Strangely, Elizabeth knew that Jennifer felt comforted by the presence of the girls who had become her friends while having trauma counseling on the property. Yet Elizabeth felt uncomfortable that Jennifer had been dressed in her gown and now looked completely out of place.
The family was perplexed, as they had no inkling as to why the Gurkhas had brought everyone to the shearing shed.
Once the new arrivals sat, the RSM stood in the middle of the floor and began an explanation of the planned evening's events. "Tonight we, as a court, will try a number of criminals. We will prove they have committed atrocities on innocent individuals. The young students, freed from sexual slavery at the brothel, and Jennifer will be prosecution witnesses and will identify the perpetrators of the offences against them."
"It will be a long night for some and a very short night for others."
The family cringed. They knew that the RSM was effectively telling them the prisoners would be dead before sunrise.
"Guards, bring the first batch of prisoners!"
They heard the words, "Kedee, kedar, kedee, kedar, kedee,” and four Gurkhas with Kukris prominently displayed, hanging from their belts marched into the room with the four bullyboys captured at the brothel.
Jennifer jumped to her feet and rushed towards the captives. When she reached the tallest of the four she screeched into his face, "You bastard! You raped me repeatedly. Not once did you listen to my pleas for mercy. You were the ringleader!"
"Why didn't you dress like this at the Raging Bull? You really would have turned us on.” Stupidly he leered and leant over to stare down her cleavage.
Before anyone could react, she kneed him in the groin.
Pandemonium broke out but neither the guards nor the prisoners, other than groans of agony from the fallen leader, made a sound or moved. Cheers from the girls rang from the ceiling. Elizabeth rushed to Jennifer's side and as quick as lightning punched the guard as he crouched in agony. Guards immediately encircled Jennifer and Elizabeth and guided them back to their seats where other Gurkhas were restraining Eric and Andrew.
When the confusion ebbed, Eric softly asked the RSM why one bullyboy had his right hand wrapped in bandages and a blood stained bag was hanging from his neck.
Expressionless the RSM pointed out the young baby-faced Gurkha standing beside the bullyboy. "The prisoner believed that being so big and white he was superior. He thought he could escape from the teenage lad guarding him. What a frightful error of judgment! My man may be short and he may look a teenager but that bullyboy found out why he was a guard. In the bag around the prisoner's neck are his fingers. Since that moment, no prisoner has tried to escape."
As the RSM turned away from Eric and faced the family Elizabeth became ashen and her stomach heaved.
As the RSM addressed the assembly it was obvious his words had the most impact on the bully boys. "We are here tonight for the trial of the prisoners. The prosecution needs to identify each prisoner and state the reason why that prisoner should not live. Each prisoner will have a chance to state his or her own case but…,” he turned to the prisoners, "be warned. We have DVD evidence to reinforce the prosecution's case.
"You are here to face the young women who are charging each of you with crimes against them. You will submit your defense in these matters. However, you will not lie, as your lies will bring swift retribution. I am again formally warning you that we have DVDs and written evidence to back the claims of your victims. If the crimes are as horrendous as the prosecution alleges the plea for mercy becomes superfluous. No one in this building will listen to any pleas for mercy.
"Jennifer has made the first charge. Now we will hear the other young women's charges."
Each young woman stood and told of her multiple rapes by the four guards and of their inhuman treatment.
Ashen at their stories, Elizabeth gripped Jennifer's hands trying to show her daughter that at last she understood everything that had happened to her.
Growling softly, Andrew leaned towards his father. "The bastards! Let me just get them into the slaughter pens and I'll make certain they never rape again."
However, Eric was busy and really didn't hear his son. He had his arm across his wife's shoulders trying to console her.
"We've heard the charges. Does any one of you wish to make a statement in his defense?"
The leader of the group lumbered to his feet and holding his injured hand carefully, glared at the women. Then turning to Jennifer he grunted, "All lies, all lies, all your statements are fairytales. Everything happened because you wanted it to happen. Look how you are dressed!" Shouting and shaking his fingerless hand at Jennifer he continued his rant, "And tell me that you are not enticing every man here. You, Big Red couldn't get enough of us..."
Andrew's roar drowned his further comments. "You bastard, you...” and, with his body contorted in rage, he leapt to his feet. Two Gurkhas forced him back down to his seat and, with hands on his shoulders, restrained him from attacking the bullyboy.
The women's screams of denial and their yells demanding justice went unheeded.
Making no comment, the RSM merely grunted an order in Nepali. Then, as he commenced speaking to the bullyboys, one guard lowered a screen from the roof while another started the projector linked to the lap top on the table and commenced the DVD.
"Is that your defense? You did nothing that the women didn't desire . Do you others agree that these women were willing to accept you as lovers?"
"Of course, he's right. We wouldn't harm them. They wanted...” The words agreeing with the leader's comments seemed to pile one on the other in a confused babble until the RSM gave a nod and the screen sprang into life with scene after scene of the four bullyboys raping various girls, ignoring their pleas for mercy, their terrified screams and their struggles.
The Blake family was extremely distressed.
"Enough,” shouted Andrew while Eric just held Elizabeth's head against his chest trying to blot out the sight and sounds. Staring at the screen, Jennifer sat nodding her head agreeing with the accusations her friends had made against these men.
The screen faded into blackness and the sounds died away. In the silence that followed the RSM ordered a guard to give Elizabeth, Eric and Andrew paper and pens.
"I am asking you to write either 'Guilty' or 'Not Guilty' and to hand the paper to my man. You three were not attacked or physically assaulted by any of the prisoners so you are our jury tonight.” As if expecting a refusal, the RSM waited quietly but the family quickly completed their task and the guard handed their judgments to him.
"The verdict is unanimous. Guilty!” That one word rang out like a bugle call. "Remove their shirts."
The flash of four Kukris startled the Blake family and Andrew stared open mouthed at the single thin line of blood appearing on each of the four bullyboys chests as their shirts fell open.
Whimpering and shaking with fear, the four screamed, begging for mercy.
Ignoring their pleas and disregarding their struggles the guards, obeying the cold, blunt order, "Take them away!” dragged them from the shed.
"Bring in the next prisoners."
Again, the shearing shed echoed with the marching cadence of the Gurkhas as three guards escorted the Katoey, the nurse and the doctor to the center of the floor.
Elizabeth rose out of her seat and gasped remarking, "There are two women!"
"Women?” A little Malay girl darted to Elizabeth. "The tall one is a Thai Katoey - a transvestite whose favorite hobby was to force us to accept her bull mastiff as a lover. The other pretends to be a nurse but in the operating theatre delighted in torturing us.
“The so-called doctor attached our body rings without any use of anesthetics. He also
took pleasure in raping us and torturing our bodies."
Elizabeth turned to Jennifer who nodded her agreement with the Malay's statements. Surprised at the Malay's words and aghast at Jennifer's confirmation Elizabeth sank back into her seat, almost unable to comprehend that women could be the source of such indignities and atrocities that Jennifer and the other girls had endured.
"You have heard what was said to the four previous prisoners so I will not repeat myself. We'll not waste time calling for anymore accusations. Have you any comments to make?” The RSM seemed loathe to mention the new prisoner's crimes.
The Katoey stepped forward. "It's all lies - lies I tell you. I have done nothing wrong."
Unable to control her anger, Jennifer leapt to her feet and purposefully stormed forward to stand in front of the Katoey. "You did nothing? You did nothing?” and her voice rose to a scream. "You have a funny idea of what nothing means. You choked us until we knelt and submitted to your weird needs to witness bestiality or we were unconscious. It was either submit or risk death.”
The Katoey tried to back away from Jennifer but the point of a Kukri in her back stooped her movement.
A nod was the RSM’s only response.
The screen again became alive with action and the shed filled once more with piteous screams and heartrending pleas for mercy.
"Turn it off, turn it off!” The Katoey's shrill voice demanded as she admitted her guilt but then, in her defense, she added that Dingo had insisted that she do it.
The RSM withered her with a look of intense loathing and scorn.
"No girl will be asked to testify as you have pleaded guilty.
"Bring the other two forward.
"You, nurse, are a lesbian who forced your unwelcome attentions on various girls. You also encouraged the Doctor to rape the girls before and after attaching their nipple and clit rings. You took delight in their fear and their agony. Are you about to tell us of your innocence and have us show your activities on the screen?
The nurse didn't reply.
"Your silence is taken as an admission of guilt.” The RSM was remorseless as he quickly moved on, trying to bring the evening to an end. He knew Elizabeth and Eric were at their wit's end.
"Bring the Doctor forward.” The moment the guard urged the doctor forward at the point of his Kukri the RSM continued. "Our surgeon has informed us your cruelty knew no bounds and you are a disgrace to your profession. We have DVD evidence of your crimes. Do you wish to view and hear the evidence? We believe the bodies in your own little morgue were the result of your callous attitude to life. We will present the evidence if required. How do you plead?"
Disdainfully the doctor looked around the room. "Your surgeon dares tell me I am no doctor? He is a surgeon from what third rate Asian university where education is a matter of attending a semester's lectures. As for cruelty, that's a figment of the imagination. I..."
Furious but holding his emotions in check the RSM held up his hand and stopped the litany of arrogance. "This fool thinks the training in the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh is inferior to his education. Anything else to say, Doctor?
"Whatever was done was at Dingo's insistence. Therefore, none of us is guilty of any crime. Your problem is with Dingo."
Snarling the RSM replied. "Obviously you did not listen earlier when I said such an excuse was unacceptable. Not once on any DVD we have studied does Dingo order any one of you to commit the atrocities you so lovingly enjoyed inflicting on the girls."
His next words were so icy and so frightening that Elizabeth took a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to control her thoughts.
"Remove his shirt, remove the blouses from the other two."
Three fine lines of blood followed the swift flick of three Kukris and three pieces of clothing fell from the prisoners' shoulders. The guards led three crying, sniveling wretches out of the shed.
"Bring the remaining prisoners!” The RSM seemed intent on hastening the end of the proceedings.
Even at the point of a Kukri, Dingo and Pretty Boy arrogantly strolled into the arena.
Jennifer leapt to her feet and pointing at Dingo, shrieked, "Kill him! He had Peter murdered!” Then, indicating Pretty Boy, she screamed, "Kill him too! He murdered Peter. The bastard boasted that he'd done it!” With flashing eyes and clenched fists, barely able to keep still, she failed to control her anger.
The shearing shed erupted once again. The girls shouted at Jennifer, "Peter's not dead. He rescued us. He's not dead. Jennifer, wake up! Peter's alive."
In her confusion, Jennifer began to realize that perhaps they were right but her mind refused to accept that he was alive. 'Where is he?' She looked around at her mother, father and brother seeking an answer but they had none to offer.
Surprisingly, Elizabeth, Eric and Andrew remained seated, appearing calm although clinging to each other as if in shock unable to speak. They were concerned for their daughter and sister and the long-term effect all this would have on her if Peter did not appear this very night.
The RSM quietly restored order and Jennifer's angry outburst died away. There was silence except for her quiet sobs.
Suddenly in the distance, they heard the drone of a chopper. The noise became louder and louder until the shearing shed shook with the heavy beating whirr of the chopper's blades. Obviously the chopper had landed nearby.
"He's here, he's learned to fly.” Jennifer sprang to her feet, shouting. Again, the RSM moved quickly. Patiently and kindly, he seated her.
He turned away from Jennifer and no one noticed him scatter a handful of powder into the fire that immediately exploded into wild flames. To protect their eyes, everyone turned away from the fierce glare. When they turned back long tendrils of white smoke swirled to the ceiling and the shed filled with acrid smoke.
This white haze slowly cleared leaving a spicy odor.
Andrew was the first to react to the pungent aroma. He looked about trying to see if the shed was on fire.
It was quite some time before anyone noticed the wizened old man sitting cross-legged on the floor at the far side of the fire. He looked completely out of place with tribal markings on his face and chest. Around his hips, he was wearing a sarong.
Slowly, ignoring the heat he reached across the flames extending his right hand towards Jennifer with his palm, facing the floor. He flexed his fingers in the "Come here” Asian fashion.
Almost sleepwalking, Jennifer rose and moved to kneel opposite the old man who tossed more powder into the fire, which suddenly blazed again, sending more clouds of smoke billowing to the ceiling before dying away. A sickly sweet smell filled the shearing shed.
Beginning a singsong chant, he stared into Jennifer's eyes. They did not falter before his gaze. The chant went on and on, gathering in volume and intensity until suddenly, he stopped.
No one moved.
In the deathly silence that followed, Jennifer could feel the chant hammering into her brain.
Then, softly he spoke breaking the silence. His cultured Oxford English accent stunned Jennifer's family as much as it had shocked her back in the jungle. Her parents were dumbfounded especially as his appearance belied his education.
"Jennifer, the gods are pleased. You have paid them in full and you never once forgot your love for Peter. I promised you that your trial would finish when I learned to fly.
"Well,” with a triumphant smile he added, "I learned to fly and your trial is now over, never to be repeated."
"What a fairy story.” Pretty Boy spoke up. "Come here bitch and kneel and do what you've been taught to do. Then have them release us and if you're quick, the punishment will be speedy and not prolonged. Your husband couldn't do for you what I did, so get busy and pleasure me in front of your family,” and the cruel demeaning words tumbled from his lips.
The family rose as one. The hatred in Jennifer's eyes boded ill for Pretty Boy as she leapt to her feet. The RSM stepped between them.
"Don't dirty your hands with this fi
lth. He and his friends are ours.” His grim smile and the tone of his voice sent shivers up everyone's spine except for Pretty Boy who opened his mouth to continue.
No one saw the RSM unsheathe his Kukri but everyone heard the sharp loud crack as the butt of the handle smashed into Pretty Boy's jaw. He wiped the blade of the Kukri across Pretty Boy's bloody lips ignoring his scream of agony.
Pretty Boy's jaw had been broken and he spat teeth onto the floor.
"Don't ever speak to our little Mem that way again!” Snarling viciously, the RSM advised him. "She's a lady and not for scum like you."
Elizabeth's hands flew to her mouth and she gulped. Eric and Andrew reeled back at the speed of the RSM's reaction and the punishment.
Jennifer's joy at the retribution handed out to Pretty Boy immediately drew their attention. "Is that the type of pleasure you were talking about?” For the first time in months she was actually laughing. "You were always keen to hand out pain, are you so keen now to accept it?"
A soft voice of authority calmed the mayhem, "Jennifer, I have something for you. Remember in the jungle I gave you...” and in his right hand the old man held out his section of her incomplete serpent bracelet. "I told you when you needed me I would give you this.” He held out his left hand and Jennifer removed her half of the bracelet and put it in his outstretched palm.
After closely studying both halves, he again ignored the heat of the fire, leaning across and handing her both sections of the bracelet. "Put them together Jennifer, wear the bracelet forever and your trial is over.” Closing his eyes, the old man resumed his chanting.
She studied them as if trying to remember the past events of her day in the jungle. Slowly, she intertwined one bracelet to the other. An inner calm and strength seemed to flow through her body, as she slid the completed bracelet onto her wrist. She looked at the old man with tears of relief in her eyes.
A cackle from the direction of the fire took her attention. "You were saying Peter is dead? Is he now? What, this scum kill ‘The Little One’? I really don't think so. Jennifer, come around here and kneel beside me.” He waited for her to settle beside him before continuing. "Now stare into the fire and concentrate on your husband. He's been patiently waiting for this moment for a long, long time.” The old man again threw a handful of powder onto the fire and sweet perfumed smoke filled the shearing shed.