Cassidy’s Kidnapping Part 16

“Perhaps our doomed heroine would like a close-up view of Madame Guillotine, ladies.” Lady Death said as the two accomplices walked back over to the trembling Cassidy, with Torture on her right and Terror on her left, and each took hold of the captive’s bound arms. “Well, to be truthful, our prisoner would like to be as far away as possible from the device that is going to execute her, but this is not going to happen. You can help to get Captain Canada off the platform in a minute, so that she can be made to hop over to the structure that will bring an end her life.”

No, you can’t mean to do this to me please. Shoot me, knock me out, or do anything but put my head in that thing. This is barbaric!

“I just love your facial expression at the moment, as horror is written all over your face.” The leader walked around to the front of the captive and smiled in way that made her victim tremble even more, before patting the right side of her pale face. “According to legend, you will remain conscious for eight seconds after your head separates from your body so the last thing that you see may end up being the blood shooting out from your own neck. I think that it’s just a story to scare people, but no one really knows. After all, the only way to find out would be to perform some kind of brain scan on the person while they are decapitated, and even I would not participate in such a perversion of science. I’ll sit down and watch, while my faithful assistants help you to become acquainted with the machine. If you fight back, we will just have to carry you, so there really is no point in struggling.”

Oh dear, no! This just can’t be happening! I must be dreaming! Cassidy felt the push on her body, and she hopped forward a little by an instinctual reaction to remain upright, rather than because of any actual desire to move any closer to her doom. This happened again and again with the bound woman being made to end up getting closer by hop after small hop, and soon she was at the edge of the metal platform. If I jump down there, I’m going to fall and end up breaking my neck, but if that did happen at least I would be spared the dreadful fate that you three have in store for me. Any chance of this happening disappeared in an instant, as Terror stepped down from the platform before standing in front of the captive and taking hold of her waist, while Torture stood behind her. There was a push from behind the bound woman and she couldn’t avoid jumping forward, but she was made to remain upright by the captor who stood in front of her.

“Did you think that we would end up taking the chance that you would break anything?” Terror said as her fellow tormentor stepped off the platform. “Our Lady would be most unhappy if something was to happen to you that would delay your well deserved punishment, and we have no intention of suffering her wrath.” The two women took their previous places on either side of the captive so that they could keep hold of her, and she was forced to approach the hideous construction a hop at a time.

As the doomed Cassidy got closer, she noticed that there was no elaborate mechanism to activate the blade, but there was a large metal cleat on the near side with a long red rope wrapped around it in a figure of eight pattern. This device didn’t have a table that the prisoner’s body would be strapped to, but there was a plank on the floor with a cushion on top along with two black leather straps, which indicated that the victim would be made to kneel before having their head locked into place. A large wicker basket was on the other side of the guillotine, and it almost looked as if something large, round and hairy was already inside, with the captive praying that it wasn’t a human head. Once she was close enough so that she could see at a proper angle into the basket though, it turned out to be just a water melon with a large wig covering it.

You bastards! You did that just to terrify me even more! Oh no, it’s not that you are just going to take my life, it’s that I’m to be tortured as much as possible before I die, and this is what it’s all about. You want me to suffer first.

“Terror, we cannot put Captain Canada into the guillotine at the moment because the basket is currently occupied.” Torture said as she stepped up and reached into the basket so that she could lift up the melon with the wig on top. “We seem to have one satisfied customer, or at least one who isn’t making any complaints about the equipment that we use.”

“I would care to disagree about this, Torture, as he does appear to be a little meloncholy. However, he does seem to have lost a lot of weight in the process.” Terror said. “We need to use him to check that the blade is sharp enough, though as our leader was most upset last time.”

“Yes indeed, terror.” Torture said as she removed the wig from the melon, before the large piece of fruit was placed into the hole where the human neck would go, and the other accomplice started to unwrap the scarlet cord from the cleat. “That blade got stuck in the backbone of the poor woman, and she screamed for such a long time before the last ounce of life drained from her.”

“We do not want a repeat of that.” Terror said as she finished removing the rope from the cleat, and the blade only remained in the air because the assistant was still holding onto the rope. “Take a good look prisoner, as you may not see this again. Well, you might do if you bounce high enough out of the basket, although I do not think that I have ever seen this happen. Three, two, one, zero!”

The accomplice released her grip on the rope, which allowed the blade to start its accelerating descent with the all too familiar sound, and the prisoner was in a state of shock as she followed the inevitable path of the metal down to the melon that was bisected, with half of if falling in the basket. Any remaining blood drained from Cassidy’s face just before she screamed at the sight in front of her, and the shrieks continued with only one thought going through her mind.

This is going to happen to me! THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME!

“This always seems to happen to our victims.” Torture said as she picked up the two halves of the melon before putting them to one side. “They are always so brave before they see what happens to the melon, and then they go into hysterics. But then again, they would be like this when we put their necks in the hole, anyway.”

“I agree.” Terror pulled on the rope so that the weighted blade was hoisted back up to the top of the device, before wrapping the rope around the cleat in a figure of eight, so that the machine was made safe for the moment.  While this was happening, Torture pulled back the bolts on the upper plank of wood so that it could be lifted up high enough for the unfortunate victim to have her neck locked into place.

“Now we have to put our prisoner down so that she can be executed for her crimes.” Torture said as both of the aides grabbed the screaming woman, who started to struggle as she knew what was going to happen next. “We have to go through the same routine each time with our captives, but I think that our leader prefers it if they scream and struggle.”

Please kill me now, don’t put me in that machine! Cassidy attempted to struggle with all of her might in the slim hope that she could escape, but all off her twists and turns were in vain as her two captors carried her around to the side of the guillotine. Once the helpless woman was in position, Torture forced the captive down so that she was kneeling on the cushioned plank, and Terror took the leather over the thighs of the prisoner with the ends buckled down tight, which held the prisoner in a kneeling position.

“It is easier from here, Torture.” Terror said as Cassidy persisted in her squirming and shrieking. “You can have the honours of putting her in position this time, as I did it to our last ex-person.”

“Thank you, this part is most enjoyable.” Torture took hold of the helpless woman and forced her to kneel forward until her front of her neck pressed against the semi-circle which was at the top of the lower plank. Once this was done, the upper plank was lowered by Terror who slid the bolts back into position, and the victim knew that there was to be no escape from her execution.

This is where I’m going to die! The sheer horror of Cassidy’s situation stopped her from screaming as she trembled in her bondage with the feeling of wood all around her neck. The rope will be released, the blade will drop, and I-

“Now that she knows that it’s too late, she goes quiet like all of the others.” Torture said as she walked over with Terror so that they could move one of the tripod cameras along with the monitor cabinet to the current area, and the tripod camera was set up to show the captive plus the guillotine on the monitor, while the cabinet was placed in a position that the prisoner could see it if she turned her head to the right. “Perhaps we can help her to find her voice again. Do you want to play a game of catch with me?” Torture said as she unravelled the rope from the cleat, and the bound woman looked up in horror from her position on the device.

Just get it over with, I can’t take any more.

“I will play as it is always fun, and we do not have anything to lose.” Terror said as she held her hands apart just above her associate’s and there was a screech from Cassidy as the second woman released the cord with Terror grabbing it just an instant later. Even at the speed of the captor was very fast, the blade dropped down until it was just a few inches from the top of the upper plank, and the prisoner cried out as she saw on the monitor just how close she had come to a sudden end, “I am a bit rusty, but it is your turn next.” Terror pulled down on the rope until the weighted blade was back as the top with her friend holding her hands open this time.

No, no, NO! The helpless woman watched what was happening on the monitor and she  yelled out in horror was the cord was released, with Torture managing to take hold of the rope in a moment. However, her hands were pulled up enough so that the blade was again close to the plank.

“The trick is that you have to slow down rather than stop immediately, as you are unable to keep hold of the cord and this does result in a rather unpleasant experience.” Torture worked hand over hand on hoisting the blade back up to the top of the guillotine, and the helpless captive started to sob as she despaired of living for much longer.

“That is the tricky part of playing this game, and I remember the rope slipping through my fingers that one time, but it was very interesting to hear a scream cut off in that way.” Terror kept her hands open above her companion’s and she caught the cord so that the blade was stopped in time, but the woman whose neck was at stake emitted louder sobs as her torture continued.

This state of affairs went on for some time until Lady Death stood up in her chair, picked up her bag and spoke as she walked over to the death trap. “Ladies, we should end this game now, as it has gone on for long enough. I think that our prisoner should be allowed to have her fate in her own hands, as this is only fair, so Terror can untie Captain Canada’s fingers while Torture can keep hold of the execution rope for the moment.”

It took several minutes for the assistant to unravel the thin cord that was wound around the fingers and thumbs of the defenceless lady, as it had been very thorough. Once this was completed, Lady Death pulled the knife out of the bag which was then placed to the side of the infernal machine, before she took a step back. “If I remember correctly, Western civilisation had three mythical figures called The Fates, who were in control of destiny. There was a first Fate who wove the thread of life, who is represented by Torture, so will you take the rope of destiny around to the rear of the guillotine?”

The assistant did so and held the end of the rope above the back of the helpless captive, who was looking more and more scared by the moment. “The second Fate was the one who measured the thread of life. Terror, lift up Captain Canada’s hands as high as they will go.” As the helpless lady’s arms were lifted up by the accomplice, she cried out through her gag as her joints were tormented by the strain. “Torture, put the rope so that it goes between the hands of our pathetic heroine. Captain, once this is done I would suggest that you hold on as tight as possible, unless you do want to end up without your head.”

Torture moved the rope so that it went between the hands of the doomed Cassidy, who held onto it as tight as possible with both of her hands because her very life depended on it. The rope was released by the assistant and the captive screamed as her arms were pulled even higher by the weight of the blade, and as she looked in the monitor, she noticed that the edge of the blade was lower. You three have turned me into my own executioner, so that my death will become some perverted form of suicide. This is what you meant by having my fate in my own hands. At least there’s plenty of rope trailing so I may be able to wrap itself around my hands somehow.

This idea was to be thwarted even before the victim could carry it out as Lady Death stepped close to the captive. “The third fate was considered the worst, as she carried a blade which was used to cut the thread of existence.” She said as she picked up the rope below the helpless woman’s hands, and cut through it with a knife so that only a foot remained. “This is the thread of your life, Captain Canada. You have this much left to live. Once it slips through your fingers it will all be over.”

Cassidy watched as the three ladies moved their chairs so that they would have a good view when the blade dropped, and the captive was reduced into a constant state of begging and pleading as the torment in her shoulders increased with the weakening of her muscles. This by itself was not enough to cause her to let go of the rope, but it did slip through her fingers a little at a time, with an inch or half an inch escaping her grasp. Soon, she could feel the end of the rope in one of her hands, and this meant that she would be unable to hold on when the next slip happened, so the captive closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable fatal moment.

Goodbye everyone, I’m sorry that I left you down. Her fingers weakened one last time, with the rope slipping from her fingers, and she let out a last despairing scream as she heard the sound of the blade falling...

I’m not dead! Or do you still feel alive even when you are dead. What if I’m a spirit now?

It was the continued sound of her own scream along with the rapid beating of her heart that let Cassidy know that she was still alive, but she was terrified to open her eyes to discover what had happened. Will I look down and see my dead body with my head in the basket? I must know what has happened! She raised her head a little, and there was a new feeling as cold metal touched the back of her neck, so she opened her eyes before turning her head right to look at the monitor. The blade stopped! It stopped just before it reached me, but how?

“Okay assistants, which one of you forgot to maintain the guillotine?” Lady Death said, and again the two ladies managed to look embarrassed at what happened. “Oh great.” She said as she walked over to the execution device. “You two should know that the loose piece of wood needs fixing.” The blade was raised by the woman who tied the free end of the shortened rope around the cleat so that it would remain in place. “I must apologise for the incompetence of my henchpersons, but I don’t believe in the old fashioned methods of punishment as they never learn anything if I kill them.”

I must be the luckiest woman in the world at the moment, but I’m sure that it’s not going to last.

“Now Captain Canada, I am allowed one last chance to deal with you, and I will take care of it myself. Believe me when I say, that I do not fail in my objective.” The lady said with the helpless woman trembling in her bondage.

I have no chance of survival, now that you have taken charge.

(Cassidy has survived her second trap, but is her good fortune at an end? To Be Continued.)