Without You I Have Nothing (80 page)

_{Elizabeth left to follow her
daughter upstairs while the men pondered over what the evening was to bring.}

_{Although accustomed to farm life
Eric and Andrew feared that the evening could end in a bloodbath. Neither dared
discuss their fears with the other. Eric was troubled that Elizabeth would not
cope despite her words of assurance.}

_{Jennifer allowed her mother to
dress her. Making no effort to help, she was completely disinterested even when
her mother applied her make-up and did her hair. In contrast to the last
evening she wore those clothes, tonight she felt neither glamorous nor special.}

_{The men were standing at the bottom
of the staircase when the women appeared on the landing. Seeing Jennifer
dressed in her gown Eric realizing what he had lost - one beautiful daughter -
almost sobbed.}

_{Andrew placed a hand on his
father's shoulder to give him comfort but he was also trying to find strength
to cope with the loss of his sister's vitality for life.}

_{Armed Gurkhas in their uniforms
stood at the car and the RSM saluted the party as it emerged from the house. Walking
slowly before the car he led the way to the shearing shed where rolled out
before them was a red carpet.}

_{Completely perplexed, the silent
party entered the transformed shearing shed. Black sheeting hung from the
ceiling and spotlights focused on the middle of the free space. In the center
of the shed, was a 44 gallon drum cut lengthways. Supported on bricks it
contained a blazing fire although the night was quite warm. Behind the fire was
a table on which rested a laptop and a projector.}

_{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?"}