Noose

Guilty until proven innocent.

Noose

By Joshua Kyle McLaughlin

Soon this will be over.

The wagon creaks over the dirt road toward the village. I hear them now.

Screaming. Shouting. Cursing my name. I breathe heavy against the musty burlap sack, and hope God fulfills my final prayers. The manicles around my wrist cut into my flesh, and sweat slowly fills my wounds. I hear the wheels groan in murderous delight as they turn into the square. My captors rip the sack off my head and throw me to the ground. "Is this the murderer you charged us to find? and bring to justice?" One of the men says with a wicked gleam in his eyes. The crowd roars in approval. My broken body is pelted with rotten food and unspeakable items as the crowd chants "Hang him! Hang him!" My captors laugh at my torment. I am alone. In the midst of those who wish to tear me apart for the crimes of another. "Justice!" They cry. What a cruel and barren word. Two men with iron faces are called forth from the crowd, they grab me by my arms and drag my bleeding body up the steps to the gallows. I search the faces in the crowd, for just a glimpse of pity, but all I see are hate filled people, waiting for my death. The two men hold me tight as the executioner ties the heavy rope tight around my neck."Please." I beg anyone and everyone. "I didn't do anything wrong." The executioner kicks me foward. "You b******s! I have a family!" I kick and scream. The two men back away and the executioner pulls the lever. My screams are silenced. The rope tightens. The floor drops but I stop before it does. Numbness. Pain. Numbness. I kick and struggle but soon give up. I look up to the blue sky one more time, tears rolling down my face. My vision starts to blur, but friendly voices comfort me, call to me. I leave my body hanging on a noose. I meet them in the blue sky. Soon this will be over. Soon.

Reviews

[Chris]

Short and sweet. This definitely moves fast (maybe it could benefit from a bit more description--the thoughts going through his head, the looks on the people's faces, etc.) and gets the point across well.