“I am on trial for another man’s sins.
His guilty woman’s were the hands that pushed me in.
Let Heaven and Hell witness this innocent plea.
For neither God nor the Devil can condemn me.
I am on trial for a rich woman’s sins.
Because my own purse is so empty and thin.
Let the cost of the guilt be the guilty’s to atone.
Let the pain of each lash wrack the guilty one’s bones.”
The gathered citizens were strangely quiet for a while. “She’s trying to scare you! Whip her!” The man jumped at the command and prayed in whispers for forgiveness as he readied the sisal rope.
The first strike wrapped around my back to grip my chest and neck.
From the seated gallery, where the nobility and entitled guests sat, a vicious shriek parted the assembly. She stood, gripping her neck where the skin had parted to bleed and stain her new white gown.
“Good man, perform your duties. As she said, my words are only scaring you. Twenty lashes you are to deliver. Grit yourself, sir, and deliver them. The Innocent will remain unharmed and the Guilty will be sore for their sins, just as the judge demanded.”
His prayers became louder as he did as commanded. No one could find their voice to make him stop. Twenty lashes with a new sisal rope were struck against my exposed and restrained body. Twenty shrieks were pleaded to her conspirator to make it stop.
Upon the twentieth, she confessed her machinations against the town, the church, and me. By then the white gown was filthy and soaked in her various body fluids. No one would approach her with help.
My work complete, I slipped from my bonds and in doing so, from the dream.