Violation

Crimes

No one should foul their sight with the crimes … Was that really what Kull had heard that gang leader say? Downright strange talk from outlaws. And “violators”? Violated what? Kull and Katz had been going at it, fighting to the death when these suckers had turned up. Kull had violated fuck-all. But as a result his head had got stuck in this sack. And the suckers had been rough on Kull .. leading him blindfold. Punched and beaten because he couldn’t see where he was going and tripped. It was hard to tell inside the bag how long he’d been escorted here. His thoughts had been all over the place. Wondering what shit he had stumbled into. Angry at Katz Angry at these outlaws. Angry with himself for getting trapped.
On edge at what they’d do when they arrived wherever …. Punished for disappointing when they found out he’d not got anything to his name. Nervous that he’d get sold off when they found out he had nothing to rob. That was it .. best he could hope .. they’d sell him off .. he was tall, a strong body on him. The way he dressed, to show off …. they could see they’d get plenty of coin for his muscular strength, he would fetch a good price.
Not how he’d planned on this turning out. He was kicking himself for his greed .. thinking he’d get rich quick with the blood money on Katz’s hide. Thinking he could outsmart those evil mean-minded gods. He could always have got himself work .. why hadn’t he held out for that option? Good honest toil. There was always someone looking for a strong bodied man. There was never any money to be made out of work like that, though. No get-rich-quick. But at least he’d not be slaving away for nothing from dawn to dusk. At least he’d still be free. Yeah, free to starve and live from hand to mouth. Fuck those gods for their scheming tricks.
Lost in such thoughts, he’d stumbled more than a few times .. tripping on a rock .. slipping on a wet tree root. Earning a kicking. His minders didn’t always bother to catch him. They’d let him fall. Hands tied behind, going down hard, he couldn’t always break his fall. Then they’d set about him. Shouts and kicks. Boots into his sides .. yelling and threatening. Last time .. he’d struggled to his knees. Then a knee to his jaw sent him back sprawling to the dirt. And their game of encouragement started all over again. This gang of thugs didn’t mess around. He’d got the message .. they thought he was some worthless piece of shit. But why were they so riled?
Katz too .. through his bag Kull could sometimes hear his escort yelling and kicking the hell out of Katz. He heard him cry out just now. It sounded like they were going at him with sticks this time. Beating and yelling at him.
“Stinking dog. This is what you get for sacrilege.”
Only when they’d stopped kicking the shit out of him would Katz be able to struggle to his feet. Hands tied behind, not easy .. and constantly on the watch for another kick up the arse sending him sprawling. Kull hardly felt sorry for him. It had been chasing down the bandit that had got Kull into this mess. And characteristically Katz had been lippy to them. He’d got them riled. And he’d got them both gagged and bagged. All that arsehole’sfault. And then .. just now .. there was that strange reference again, Kull had noticed. Sacrilege. Earlier the gang leader had accused him of violation. What pile of shit had Katz dragged Kull into?
Within minutes of getting out of that depressing tunnel again .. Kull felt his spirits lift a little with the warmth of the sun of his bare skin .. then he heard the drumming start. Single thuds onto tight skin, a large drum, a deep sonorous thud. Which got louder as he walked. They were walking him towards it, someone must have gone on ahead .. that drumming, they were announcing Kull’s arrival. Arriving for what. The ominous slow drum beat did not sound welcoming. In time to his steps. His escort had fallen in line, marching Kull to the sonorous thud of one single drum-beat. A constant thud, increasingly menacing. Drumming in time to his approach. Threatening him on arrival. He swallowed down the knot of nervousness in his throat. For whatever reason they had taken him prisoner, he was about to find out,
He heard voices, muttering, calling out, questioning …. all around but not close by. The drum beat continued its ominous welcome. And the voices began to sound angry. The drumming sounded near now, that thudding beat .. but it was all around, echoey, like bouncing off walls. He was suddenly stopped, turned, his bound hands backed up against something, a pole, a stake. He tensed. He couldn’t see. But he knew they’d arrive. Something was going to happen.
It did. Hands, movement, touching his shoulders, pushing his back to the stake. Then a yanking, tight, rope cutting into his throat, tugging his head back. Pulled back into the stake. He was being throttled. The rope on his throat pulled back hard, strangling him. Back trapped up against the pole. Kull twisted, he pulled back. But that only increase the pressure on his windpipe, he was garotting himself.
His bound hands had been cut free. Like a desperate man, Kull fought to get his hands up to his throat .. mad to free himself from the stranglehold. But strong grips tightened on his lower arms. He screamed anger into the gag. He fought like crazy. He gagged, choking into his mouth. He fought to fight them off .. … But still he was being strangled. Fuck! He had to breathe. A punch thudded into his gut. He bawled out. Another gut-punch upwards under his ribcage blasted all the wind out of his lungs. But it had nowhere to go, splattered into his gag. He snorted, his eyes ran, snot ran down his face. Vaguely he was aware of his hands being raised. Rope being tied on his wrists. But he had other pressures. It felt like his chest would explode. He needed air.
Free. Unexpectedly. He could breathe. Gasp. Heave in sir. The chokehold released him. Kull bellowed at the freedom, he sucked in air like he hadn’t breathed in a week. Coughing and spluttering doubled him up. But his hands pulled him back .. tied above his head to the stake . Worryingly, torso vulnerable. But Kull focussed on other worries …. breathing, getting his wind back. He gasped in air like a desperate man. Like there was no tomorrow. They had got him tied to a stake. Hands secured above his head. But …. But at least he could breathe.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>