Ever since they came to power in a bloody coup, the new regime was looking for new ways to instil fear into the general public. Their public executions and tortures were working wonders but they needed to take it to the next level. Several ideas were thrown around but one idea was perfect for what they wanted to achieve: televised hangings. It was a brilliant idea and would mean the entire nation could view it. They decided that a programme dedicated to the hangings of prisoners would take place every Sunday at 7 o'clock in the evening. The first show would feature only one prisoner dangling from a noose. Marianna Scott was the perfect candidate. She was a member of a prominent rebel group who were extremely opposed to the new regime. She was caught on CCTV planting a bomb which detonated outside the regime's regional headquarters in the northeast, killing 7 and injuring many more. After a short trial and much media attention she was sentenced to hang. She was sent to the central prison in the nation's capital where she would await her fate.

Marianna awoke early that morning. She was told about her execution being televised only last night. "What's that going to achieve?" she thought to herself, sceptical of how her being 100 million screens at once would intimidate an already intimidated population. Nonetheless, she was determined to face her death bravely, as a martyr for her cause as opposed to some whimpering damsel in distress. She knew that if she was strong during her death it would provide strength to all the rebels watching and would be seen as a hero. So she decided that she would look her best for it. She used what little water she had in her cell to scrub her long, blonde hair and to wash her face. She also tried to get the mud and blood stains off her orange prison uniform. "Hey baby, you're sexy enough to die for!" she joked to herself as caught her reflection in the water. And she was, her body was unbelievable and her legs went on for days! Her spirits were high despite the fact that in a few hours she would be hanging in a small room just down the hallway with millions watching.

Marianna sat on her bed thinking to herself about how she was going to die and smiled. She was going to go out as a hero. Her name would be remembered as the first person to be hanged live on TV. She leaped up in the air when the guard came to her door, signalling that it was time.

She was led down the hallway to the execution room where the hanging would take place. The camera crew had already set up and a television presenter who looked familiar was there too. "Five minutes until we're on air, Mr Rubin!" shouted one of the crew. Craig Rubin was a newsreader who had supported the regime from the start and as a result was their go to guy for all their propaganda needs. He seemed uneasy about being in a prison with so many criminals and opponents of the regime, and it was pretty clear he wanted to leave as soon as possible. There weren't many guards in the room as most of the space was taken up by the camera crew. Marianna looked at the gallows. It was a simple enough gallows where she would be hoisted up into the air from the touch of a button. Marianna guessed that they didn't want to drop her from a stool or anything due to the executioner getting in the way of the cameras. "30 seconds Mr Rubin!" The presenter took a deep breath and got ready. "5, 4, 3, 2 and we're live."

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is a special cross-station broadcast straight from the Central Prison in our capital. The regime has decided that every Sunday at 7, an execution will be shown live on television as a deterrent to criminal activities. Tonight we will witness the execution of Marianna Scott, the terrorist whose despicable attack on our nation's leaders killed 7 and injured many more." The cameras then panned over to show Marianna sitting, waiting for her death with a brave face. "The condemned has shown no mercy for her crime and must hang!" The guards came over and stood Marianna up. She didn't resist as she was blindfolded and had her arms tied behind her back. They led her just in front of the noose as the national anthem was played while the national seal was shown on screens. Once it was over the noose was tightened around her neck and Craig Rubin read out her sentence. "Marianna Scott, you have been found guilty of terrorism, seven counts of murder, twenty-four counts of attempted murder and membership of a banned group. You are hereby sentenced to be hanged by the neck. Praise be upon the regime." Marianna smiled throughout the whole thing and shouted "Freedom!" Infuriated, Rubin gestured quickly to the guards to start the hanging now before he was made a fool of anymore. The guard hastily pressed the button and the rope started to tighten.

Marianna was slowly lifted into the air as she started struggling. She started kicking madly, her long legs looking for the ground that was just out of reach. Her face was turning red as she fought against the noose. She gritted her teeth and started feeling light headed due to the lack of oxygen. You could see her chest heaving as she tried in vain to catch a breath. She brought her knees up as her noose dance continued. She tried moving her hands up to the noose but the rope tying her hands together prevented that. She turned an even darker shade of red as he tongue pushed through her teeth slightly. "The terrorist scum is clearly suffering, maybe now she knows the pain of her victims." snapped Rubin. The cameras kept switching angle, giving the viewers at home different views of Marianna's hanging. She was starting to lose consciousness and her kicks and turned to twitching. Her last few twitches has provided an incredible spectacle for everyone. Marianna was left hanging for another 15 minutes before she was pronounced dead. "Justice has been served!" exclaimed Rubin as Marianna's lifeless corpse was slowly swinging in the background. She had stayed strong to the end and died bravely on national television. She would like to think that rebels took strength from her death.

They did.

(To be continued)