CHAPTER 26
Amy kept looking down at the dress they had slipped over her own clothing. She was mainly doing it to get her mind off of where she was being led to. Unlike Danni, Amy had actually seen what they had put up in the middle of that little stadium of theirs. Howler noticed what the girl was doing and almost laughed, “don't tell me that red is not your color.”
“Actually,” Amy was very scornful, “I was going to say it makes me look fat.”
As the execution party stopped at the crude looking gates and waited for the guards to open it, Howler then said something that surprised Amy a little, “I respect you.”
It did not really impress Amy that much, “no offense but, you're not the guy I wanted to tell me that.”
Howler acted as if she had not even replied, “you could have been one of us. It makes this even more painful. Know that I will regret it.”
The gate opened and Amy found herself with an unobstructed view of the pole, the platform, and especially the seasoned wood that was piled underneath. She tried to maintain her composure and then told the guy, “I don't think you'll find it as painful as I will.”
When one of the guards wanted to push Amy through the gate, Howler actually punched the guy out. He then politely gestured for Amy to continue and told her, “I made sure it will be fast. When the arrows strike the pile it will instantly engulf you. It should spare you most of the horror.”
Amy gathered up her courage and, unfortunately that did not take very long because she was not really sure that she had any left. She lifted up the skirt like she was going into a formal ball room, and took each step with careful deliberation. Her legs started to shake and Howler politely steadied her until they reached the steps of the platform. Two beefy guys with leather hoods took over from that point and Howler walked off after leaving them instructions, “she is to be treated with courtesy. I find out otherwise and you will deal with me.”
The two hooded guys took him seriously because Amy found them to be the most polite murderers she had ever met. That was not saying very much since Amy was not so sure what the number was. There was also the little problem with how polite one can be when they are chaining you to a pole and they used quite a bit. She supposed it was good because the longer they took, the more time she had. That was crucial here and she looked around at the roaring crowds. Amy had to force herself to do it because all of those eyes on her, every single one, felt like a knife that was piercing her skin. What made it worse was, she could not see who any of them were. She needed to know that. It was crucial to her plan and, the only chance she had.
They locked the chains with this, huge, crude looking, padlock. The click of the gears made Amy jerk. She started breathing heavy as she looked up at a platform that had to be a VIP section. That's what she really needed to see but the torch light was bad. She had no idea who was up there. Amy suspected that her entire plan, for surviving long enough to see the sun come up from anywhere but under he feet, was on that platform. As the hooded guys began climbing down, and the stairs were being pulled away, Amy started to panic and she admitted out loud, “ok, this was a bad plan.” She finally just had to say it, “HELP!” No one could hear her over the crowd.
Jim Dove was not having any trouble being heard over the crowd because he felt very much like yelling anyway, “if you people do this, you're going to bring the CG down on us too.”
Howler was unimpressed by the antics and he glanced at Horst as he said, “I somehow don't believe that the Palace is in any position to retaliate.”
“Oh I get it,” now Dove turned his attention on Horst, “you made a deal with these cocksuckers too.”
Horst could not say that he was now dressed in more comfortable clothing but, it was most certainly more befitting of a man of his position. He was also far more used to his ceremonial white uniform and perfectly happy to display his medals and sash. It certainly made him feel more comfortable when conducting negotiations wit primitive colonials, “I might point out Herr Dove, that you have failed to deliver. I am not in the habit of paying for services that have not been rendered.”
Dove was pretty angry as he pointed to Howler, “oh and he has?”
Horst shrugged that off with, “at least he has produced something of value. It is, perhaps, time to see if someone else can properly manage affairs.”
Dove looked towards the back of the stands, like he could see the arena floor, and then back at Horst. Dove was very angry when he accused Horst, “this was your fucking idea!”
“Please,” Horst acted offended, “I would never suggest such a crude barbarity but, since Herr Howler has gone to so much trouble, I can see no reason to interfere in local customs. IFOR has very specific regulations on the matter and I am afraid I am bound by these.”
“Yeah,” Dove shot back, “when it suits your purpose. Crass might not be able to come after my flock but she can sure as shit can come after me. She won't have any choice when the ranchers decide to put their foot down and start an all out war.”
Howler was confident, “then go up there, before your throne, and stop it.”
Dove grunted in frustration, “you know I can't. I'd wind up out there on that pole.”
That left Horst remarking, “how could that ever happen Herr Dove? After all, they are your loving flock, are they not?”
“Not when the council has them all stirred up about this goddamn vaccine which,” Dove looked right at Howler, “I never made a single person take. I can't help it if a few of our people are smart enough to figure out they need it.”
Howler remained his usual passive self but he was quite resolute when he told Dove, “then step down. That is all we demand.”
“Then what Howler?” Dove raised his sleeve and pointed to the mark left by the vaccine needle, “your people start looking for the mark of the beast and we get these weenie roasts every night?”
“That will not be any of your concern if you leave,” Howler replied in the same even tone.
“Gentlemen please,” Host said as she checked his wrist watch, “I am on something of a schedule here and, I am sure that, Miss Nguyen is a bit anxious to finish this affair. It is rude to keep a lady waiting. I believe we should assume our positions.”
Dove snarled in Howler's face but, he went to the stairs and climbed up to the VIP platform as he yelled back, “you think this is going to be easy? I still have cards to play Howler. You and your cronies have a fight coming.”
That left Howler looking at Horst and he told the man, “see what we have to deal with.”
Horst walked past the man, on his way to the platform, and supremely confident as he pointed out to the man, “my only concern is who I have to deal with. So far, you are well on your way to proving that this should be you.”
“I serve a cause,” Howler replied as he walked back to the arena floor.
He heard Horst's reply of, “and that is your problem, not mine.” When Horst reached the platform and walked out next to Dove, he finally made himself look out on the area. He was seriously wondering how he was going to make himself watch this and not flinch but, after all he had seen in the war, he figured he could. Then he saw who was chained to the pole and he forgot all about not flinching as he mumbled, “and suddenly it is.” Horst barked at Dove, “stop this, NOW!”
Dove laughed and gestured to the stake with Amy tied to it, “be my fucking guest. Trust me, I won't get in your way if you do.”
Horst's eyes narrowed as he looked at Dove, “this was your doing?”
“Hey man,” Dove replied, “I don't even know who this Nguyen chick is. I thought you were the one that...”
“Never mind!” Horst huffed and though before he threatened, “do you really want me to use the radio?”
“Go ahead,” replied Jim as he smugly replied, “I figure I'm safe as long as I'm standing right next to you.” Oddly enough, that drew absolutely no rebuke which was kind of what Dove had been expecting. It would be nothing more than just some more pointless ranting from another pompous Prussian twit. That could even be entertaining at times. That was why Jim was a bit nervous when Horst was clearly in deep thought. He also gave the air of a guy who had a serious dilemma and Dove's nervousness came from the fact that he could not figure out why this was the case.
When Horst called for one of his staff officers and began rapidly conversing with the man in German, Dove got even more nervous. He did not speak German so he had no idea what they were going to do. Again, he had no idea why they would even care. When Horst was about to storm off the platform in anger, Dove stopped him and said, “blowing this place up gets you absolutely zippo dude. We're talking game over here.”
Angrily Horst replied, “relax Herr Dove, the king may long live even yet, so, just sit down and enjoy your mead.” The man stormed off.
Days as a Schizophrenic (Poem)
Decant
It's Hurting Again
