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Lyvia
was conscious as the day grew old. She felt
the sun burning her face, she felt the dryness
inside her that made her plead for water without
getting any. No one was allowed to get near
her. The commanding officer was hoping that
she would die before the day was over, he knew
what was ahead for the wretched woman and he
was hoping to spare her that suffering. his
pity was confused with cruelty by the crowd,
the young girl and the old man.
As the sun hid behind
the far away hills, fresh group of soldiers
arrived to replace the old bunch. The soldiers
lit bonfires and prepared to pass the night,
there was a new commanding officer who heard
the cry of distress of the young woman hanging
from the cross.
He ordered one of
his guard to give the woman some water. The
soldier took a rag and drenched it in water,
then placed it hanging from the crossbar over
the womans head. The water began to drip on
her face and Lyvia struggled to position her
mouth under the dripping water.
The struggle went
for sometime, bringing new pains to the woman
as she moved trying to drink the liquid, but
at the same time bringing some relieve to Lyvia
everytime the water touched her lips.
Lyvia fainted a couple
of times, only to be awaken by the pain in her
body.
Most of the crowd
left for home except the young girl who slept
under a tree. She woke up when the old man returned
nesxt day with some food for her and a large
flask of water.
A soldier approached
Lyvia to check if she was alive or dead.
He took the hot iron
from the coals near the cross and placed the
hort red tip on the side of the hanging woman.
She raised her head in pain. She was alive.
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