IT'S 5:00a.m., STILL DARK, AND I BEGIN MY RUN. DOWN APPLETON, ACROSS CHERRY, PASSING THE PARK ON MY LEFT, I CROSS OCEAN BOULEVARD AND RUN DOWN SOME STEPS TO THE BEACH RUNNING PATH BELOW. TAKING A DEEP BREATH, I REVEL IN THE SALT AIR FROM THE PACIFIC OCEAN. I'M GLAD I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA.

I PASS A GIRL, A REALLY BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN A SKIN TIGHT BODY SUIT AS SHE RUNS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. ACTUALLY, SHE FLASHED PAST ME AND IN THIS PRE-DAWN LIGHT, I'M NOT SURE SHE'S THAT BEAUTIFUL, BUT SHE DOES HAVE A GREAT BODY, OF THAT, I'M SURE. I SMILE, AND AGAIN, I'M GLAD TO LIVE IN CALIFORNIA.

I RUN AT A PRETTY STEADY, EASY PACE. I LEARNED TO PACE MYSELF IN THE SERVICE, IN THE ARMY. THEY CALLED IT THE "AIRBORNE SHUFFLE." EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T "AIRBORNE" WE RAN THE SAME "SHUFFLE." I WAS STATIONED IN AN OLD GERMAN FORT, AND I ENJOYED THE MORNING RUNS DOWN COBBLE-STONED STREETS. SOMETIMES I COULD IMAGINE THE NAZI'S PARADING BACK AND FOURTH OR EVEN THE OLD KAISER'S TROOPS ON HORSEBACK. I WAS ALWAYS A SUCKER FOR HISTORY. ANYWAY, I'VE KEPT RUNNING EVER SINCE. THE SOOTHING SOUNDS OF THE OCEAN ARE OFF TO MY RIGHT. MY BREATHING IS STEADY, MY PACE IS GOOD. AN OLD MAN, A MAN ABOUT SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD, PASSES ME! HE'S BREATHING BETTER, HE'S RUNNING FASTER. I LOOK AROUND AND HOPE THAT NOBODY'S WATCHING. NO-ONE IS. I DON'T EVEN TRY TO CATCH-UP, I JUST KEEP RUNNING AT MY PACE.

I PASS WHAT APPEAR TO BE SOME HOMELESS GUYS. THEIR CLOTHES ARE A LITTLE SHABBY, THEIR SHOES ARE WORN, BUT THEY ARE CLEAN. THEY LOOK AT ME, I LOOK AT THEIR WHISKERED FACES AND WE ALL NOD. THEY PROBABLY THINK I'M CRAZY TO BE OUT HERE RUNNING LIKE THIS. I SHRUG TO MYSELF, THINKING: "MAYBE THEY'RE RIGHT." I SMILE.

IN THE BRIGHTENING DAWN, I SEE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON THE BEACH. AS I DRAW NEARER, THEY SEEM TO BE MAKING OUT, MAYBE EVEN MAKING LOVE. THE VOYEUR IN ME IS A LITTLE EXCITED AND I KEEP MY EYES ON THE LOVERS. I CAN BARELY MAKE OUT THAT THE PERSON ON TOP IS A MAN. I ANTICIPATE SEEING THE WOMAN, MAYBE A YOUNG GIRL. THEY SHIFT, THEY MOVE, THE MAN ON TOP BEGINS A THRUSTING AND GRINDING ACTION, MOUNTED DOGGY STYLE, HE'S THRUSTING HIMSELF INTO HIS LOVER. THEY'RE MAKING LOVE! I'M GETTING CLOSER, I'M RUNNING FASTER. I CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF THEM. THEY DON'T NOTICE ANYTHING BUT THEIR UNBRIDLED ANIMAL PASSIONS AS THEY GRIND TOGETHER. I'M ALMOST CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE, TO MAKE IT OUT, A FEW MORE STEPS AND I KNOW I'LL SEE.

I'M THERE, I SEE, I, I'M SHOCKED. IT, IT'S TWO MEMEMEMEN... MY MOUTH HANGS OPEN FOR A MOMENT, I ALMOST STOP RUNNING. I SHAKE MY HEAD, I GET NAUSEOUS, COLLAPSING IN EXHAUSTION, THEY LOOK UP IN MY DIRECTION AND I RUN FASTER. I WANT TO GET AWAY. I'M NOT AFRAID, I'M ASHAMED OF WHAT I JUST SAW. I FEEL DIRTY. I RUN AND I RUN, IT'S NOT A SHUFFLE, IT'S NOT A JOG, I RUN AT FULL GAIT. I WANT TO GET AS FAR AWAY, AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. EVENTUALLY, I TURN MY HEAD. NO-ONE'S FOLLOWING ME, I'M FAR ENOUGH THAT I DON'T SEE THEM. I SLOW TO A JOG, TO MY AIRBORNE SHUFFLE. CRISTINA AND JIMMY ARE WAITING FOR ME TO RETURN HOME, I'M THINKING ABOUT TURNING AROUND TO RETURN.

THEN I THINK ABOUT THE GAY LOVERS. EH, THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT, BUT, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM AGAIN. I DECIDE TO RUN UP TO BELMONT SHORES, TO A LITTLE BUSINESS STRIP AND THEN UP BROADWAY AVENUE TO MY APARTMENT. IT'S LIGHTER NOW, DAYLIGHT. I RUN A LITTLE FURTHER UP THE PATH TIL IT CURVES AND TAKES ME TO THE STREETS. ABOUT ANOTHER HALF A MILE AND I'M IN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT. SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS WERE ALREADY OPENED OR OPENING FOR BREAKFAST. GLIMPSING AT THE NEWSPAPER RACKS, I COULD SEE THE HEADLINES. THE PRESIDENT WAS PROPOSING MORE NEW TAXES. THE PRESIDENT WAS ENTERING INTO ANOTHER UNPROPITIOUS TRADE AGREEMENT. HMMM... NOTHING NEW FROM THE DAYS OF KING GEORGE; I THOUGHT, STILL RUNNING.

SHUFFLING MY WAY HOME, RUNNING NORTH UP BROADWAY, I TUG DOWN ON MY RUNNING SHORTS TO KEEP MY THIGHS FROM BECOMING RAW AS I RUN PAST TRENDY STORES, COFFEE SHOPS AND AN OCCASIONAL BAR. THE STREET GETS BUSIER WITH TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE, MORE BUSINESSES OPEN THE FURTHER I RUN. I HAVE TO SLOW MY GAIT, MY "SHUFFLE."

THINKING ABOUT THE BACON CRISTINA PROBABLY HAS WAITING FOR ME, I DON'T NOTICE THE NON-DESCRIPT VAN ON THE CORNER. THINKING ABOUT THE SHOWER I'M ABOUT TO ENJOY, I DON'T NOTICE AS THE SIDE CARGO DOOR OF THE VAN OPENS. SUDDENLY, WITHOUT WARNING, THREE LARGE FIGURES DRESSED IN BLACK, WEARING MATCHING GLOVES AND SKI MASKS JUMP IN FRONT, NEXT TO AND BEHIND ME; THROWING ME INTO THE CIMMERIAN INTERIOR OF THE VAN. THE CARGO DOOR SLAMS SHUT, THE VAN DRIVES OFF AND THE ENIGMATIC FIGURES SET TO WORK BEATING AND KICKING ME UNTIL I PASS OUT!

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN. I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M AT. WAKING FROM UNCONSCIOUSNESS, MY FACE, MY STOMACH, MY RIBS, MY LEGS AND ARMS... EVERYTHING HURTS. I FEEL FAINT AND IT TAKES A WHILE BEFORE I REALIZE THAT I'M CHAINED LIKE A WILD ANIMAL. I HAVE A COLLAR WITH A CHAIN, MY WRISTS ARE ALSO BOUND AND CHAINED AS ARE MY LEGS. I LOOK AROUND A DARKENED DUNGEON. "DUNGEON" WELL, THAT'S THE ONLY WORD THAT COMES TO MIND, THAT'S WHAT IT IS!

MY VISION BLURRED, I'M DIZZY AND ATTACKED BY RANDOM SHARP STABBING PAINS IN MY ABDOMEN. YET, IN THIS DISMAL HELL AS MY EYES FOCUS I SEE SYMBOLS, CABALISTIC SYMBOLS THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I IMAGINE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE OCCULT, SOMETHING DEPRAVED AND EVIL. THERE ARE OTHER CHAINS ON THE WALL, BUT I SEEM THE EXCLUSIVE BONDMAN IN THIS LASCIVIOUS HOLD, THIS TWISTED PRISON THAT MIGHT BELONG TO THE DEVIL HIMSELF. I HEAR STEPS, I HEAR SOMEONE WALKING DOWN STAIRS AND COMING TO THE DOOR.

IMPULSIVELY, I TWITCH NERVOUSLY AND JERK MY HEAD BACK AS THE DOOR SLAMS OPEN WITH A DEAFENING CRASH AGAINST THE BARE STONE WALL. A BLINDING LIGHT FLASHES INTO MY EYES AND I SQUINT TO SEE JUST WHO MY WARDEN MIGHT BE. I COULD MAKE OUT FOUR LARGE FIGURES, DRESSED IN BLACK, I ASSUMED THEM TO BE MY ABDUCTORS AND ATTACKERS. AS THEY NEARED, I COULD MAKE OUT THEIR LONG HAIR, THEIR FIGURES. AS THEY NEARED, I COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE WOMEN.

THEY WORE NO MASKS, THEIR BLACK UNIFORMS OF SHINY LEATHER AND HIGH BLACK BOOTS REVEALED WOMEN OF INCREDIBLE AND EXQUISITE BEAUTY. IF NOT FOR MY SITUATION, WHICH I STILL COULD NOT FATHOM TO UNDERSTAND, I WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE ATTRACTED TO ANY OF THEM, TO ALL OF THEM! ONE OF THE COMELY YOUNG AMAZONS CAME STRAIGHT TO ME WITH A STERN LOOK ON HER ANGELIC FACE AND A RIDING CROP IN HER RIGHT HAND. ALTHOUGH I TRIED TO FAIN UNCONSCIOUSNESS, SHE BEGAN YELLING: "YOU BASTARD!" THEN, 'WHACK' SHE STRUCK ME WITH HER CRUEL CROP. 'WHACK' SHE STRUCK AGAIN! HER FRIENDS WATCHING FROM THEIR POSTS SEEMED TO ENVY THEIR SADISTIC COHORT AS SHE CONTINUED: 'WHACK', 'WHACK', 'WHACK'... AND THE BLOWS CONTINUED, ALMOST METHODICALLY. EXCEPT FOR MY CRIES OF PAIN AND PLEADING TO STOP, THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION. EXCEPT FOR HER PROFANITY MY TORMENTOR SAID NOTHING MEANINGFUL. AGAIN, RETREATING WITHIN MYSELF AND UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THIS ABUSE, I FALL UNCONSCIOUS.

AHHH... SOMETHING FEELS SO SOOTHING, SO GOOD AS I AWAKEN TO FIND A VIXEN GIVING ME A SPONGE BATH. ASSUMING THIS TO BE AN ACT OF KINDNESS, I ASK IN WHISPERED TONES: WHERE AM I, WHO ARE YOU, WHY, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?" TAKING ME BY SURPRISE, SHE VEHEMENTLY SPITS OUT: "SHUT-UP YOU FILTHY DOG!" "YOU JUST REMEMBER YOU ARE OURS TO DISPOSE OF IN ANY MANNER WE PLEASE!" "YOU JUST REMEMBER YOU ARE NOTHING, YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS, AND YOU ARE FORTUNATE INDEED TO BE A PART OF THIS AND TO SERVE OUR SACRED MASTER!" "MASTER?" THAT WORD STICKS IN MY MIND: "THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO TALK LIKE THAT SEEM DEMONIC!" I ASK MYSELF WHAT KIND OF "MASTER" COULD THESE AMAZONS BE SERVING? HELPLESS, I JUST LOOK DOWN AT THE FIENDISH WENCH AS HER PORCELAIN WHITE HANDS CLEAN MY NAKED BODY, I WATCH HER GENTLY WASH THE WOUNDS HER FRIEND INFLICTED ON ME. I WINCE AT THE OCCASIONAL PAIN AS SHE RUBS AGAINST RAW AND EXPOSED MEAT PEERING THROUGH BRUISED AND TORN FLESH. ANOTHER CLOSE-MOUTHED, RETICENT SERVANT OF THIS MASTER ENTERS, CLEANING THE FLOOR BENEATH ME WHERE I'VE SPILLED ALL MY BODILY WASTE. THE WOMAN IS OBVIOUSLY DISGUSTED, PUSHING MY BODY IN OPPOSITION TO THE LIMITATIONS IMPOSED ON ME BY THEIR CHAINS. I CHOKE, I GAG, I HURT, BUT THEY DON'T CARE, THEY DON'T GIVE-A-DAMN.

MAYBE THE PAIN DULLED MY OTHER SENSES, MAYBE I'M JUST SO DEPRESSED AND AFRAID, MAYBE IT HASN'T BEEN AS LONG AS I THINK, BUT NOW, RIGHT NOW, I'M HUNGRY. I FEEL MYSELF, MY BODY CONSUMING ITSELF. I FEEL THE TORTURE OF HUNGER, A PAIN FAR WORSE THAN WHAT THEY'VE INFLICTED ON ME SO FAR. I WANT TO EAT! I WANT TO DRINK! I NEED TO EAT AND DRINK OR I'M AFRAID I'LL DIE.

A DAY, TWO DAYS, MAYBE MORE TIME PASSES. NO-ONE VISITS, NO TORTURE, BUT NO CLEANSING, NO FOOD OR WATER EITHER. MAYBE THEY'VE LEFT ME TO DIE. I FEEL WEAK, I FEEL DESPONDENT, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME AND I DON'T HAVE MUCH STRENGTH. I DON'T EVEN THINK I CARE ANYMORE, MAYBE I'VE ALREADY LOST IT... MAYBE I'M INSANE!

THE DOOR, THE OLD LARGE WOODEN DOOR SWINGS OPEN AND SLAMS INTO THE DARK STONE WALL: "BANG"!!! THE SOUND BLASTS ITS WAY INTO MY HEAD. "BANG"!!! THE SOUND ECHOES IN THE DUNGEON AND IN MY HEAD. "BANG"!!! THE DOOR, THE OLD LARGE WOODEN DOOR SWINGS OPEN. IN STEPS MY WARDEN AND MY GUARDS. I LOOK UP AND SMILE. I'M GLAD TO SEE HER, I'M GLAD TO SEE HER PRETTY FACE AND HAPPY TO THINK THAT THIS TIME, THIS TIME, MAYBE SHE'LL KILL ME. MAYBE SHE'LL BRING THIS NIGHTMARE TO A CLOSE. "BASTARD" SHE YELLS.

SNARLING AT ME, SHE TURNS TO HER EVIL COHORT AND ORDERS: "BRING IT HERE, BRING IT TO HIM AND FEED THIS WORTHLESS SLIME!" HER LEATHERCLAD HELPER BRINGS SOME FOOD AND WATER IN DOG BOWLS. SHE PUTS THE WATER DOWN, HOLDS THE FOOD IN ONE HAND AND GRABS MY HEAD WITH THE OTHER. SHE PUSHES THE TWO TOGETHER AND HUMILIATED I OPEN MY MOUTH, I EAT. IT TASTES TERRIBLE. SHE PULLS AWAY THE BOWL, PICKS-UP THE WATER BOWL AND BRINGS IT CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME TO DRINK. SHE SPITS OUT: "GOOD DOG!" THE WOMEN ALL LAUGH AT THAT, AT MY DEGRADATION. I DON'T CARE, I DON'T HAVE ANY PRIDE, I LAP UP SOME MORE WATER AND WAIT FOR HER TO BRING UP THE FOOD, SHE DOES, AND I EAT SOME MORE. THEY LAUGH AGAIN. I CANNOT EAT MORE, MY STOMACH CAN NOT HANDLE IT. MY LIPS, CHAPPED AND CRACKED FROM THIS LACK OF ANYTHING LIQUID OR SOLID ARE BLEEDING I THINK, YES, I'M BLEEDING.

THE WENCH OFFERS ANOTHER DRINK OF WATER, BUT, NOW, LOOKING DOWN AT THE BOWL, I SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE MURKY, DIRTY WATER AND I REFUSE IT. THEY PUT THE BOWLS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM, BUT NOT REACH THEM AND SAY: "YOU FILTHY DOG, IF YOU WON'T FINISH WHAT WE GIVE YOU NOW, YOU WILL!" THE WOMAN I CALL MY WARDEN SMACKS HER LIPS, SHE GLIDES HER LONG AND SLIGHTLY PINK TONGUE ALONG HER GLOSSY RED LIPS AND SMILES. SHE TELLS ME THAT THEY'LL KEEP IT THERE UNTIL I'M HUNGRY ENOUGH TO CLEAN MY BOWLS LIKE A GOOD DOG. "SLAM" THEY CLOSE THE DOOR ON THEIR WAY OUT... I HEAR LAUGHTER AS THEY CLIMB THE STAIRCASE, GOING OFF TO THEIR 'REAL LIFE' I ASSUME.

MY "WARDEN", MY "GUARDS", MY "DUNGEON", IT'S ALL BECOME SO STRANGE AND SO BIZARRE. I LOOK AT THEM, I LOOK AT HER, THEIR BEAUTIFUL FACES, THEIR SHAPELY FORMS, THEIR PROVOCATIVE OUTFITS AND HIGH-HEELED BOOTS. THERE ARE TIMES NOW WHEN I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE COMPANY, FOR THE DEGRADATION AND HUMILIATION EVEN. THERE ARE TIMES I FEEL SO LONELY THAT I WOULD EVEN RATHER THEY BEAT ME THEN TO LEAVE ME ALONE LIKE THIS. AND, IN MY DREAMS, IF I AM HONEST, I HAVE EVEN HAD FANTASIES ABOUT TAKING THEM, ALL FOUR AND PEELING THEM OUT OF THE LEATHER UNIFORMS AND RAVAGING THEIR LUSCIOUS PORCELAIN BODIES IN EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE TO A DEPRAVED MAN IN MY STATE OF MIND. I'M MAD, I'M MAD, SURELY I'VE GONE MAD I THINK WITH A TWISTED SMILE ON MY FACE AS I WATCH A COCKROACH CRAWL INTO MY BOWL OF GREYING AND ROTTING NON-DESCRIPT FOOD. I SMILE AND I LOOK AT THE DOOR. I WAIT, I WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THEIR NEXT VISIT AND MY NEXT HUMILIATION OR BEATING. "I'M A NAUGHTY BOY" I THINK, AND THEN I LAUGH, I LAUGH HARD AND NOW IT'S THE ECHO OF MY LAUGH THAT BOUNCES OFF THE HARD STONE WALLS OF MY ROOM, AND THEN I LAUGH SOME MORE! MY LIFE IS GONE, MY FAMILY, EVERYTHING EXCEPT MY LAUGHTER, I LAUGH EVEN MORE!

I SLEEP, I WAKE-UP, I LAUGH, I FALL BACK TO SLEEP. WHO KNOWS, A DAY, TWO? TIME PASSES AND I WAIT IMPATIENTLY WITH ONLY MY LAUGHTER, THE LAUGHTER OF A LUNATIC FOR MY COMPANY. I WAIT AND I LOOK AT THE DOOR, THE BEAUTIFUL OAK DOOR, THE WONDROUS SYMBOLS ON THE WALLS ARE STARTING TO MAKE SENSE TO ME. BEELZEBUB HIMSELF DOESN'T SEEM FRIGHTENING ANY-MORE AS I LOOK AT THE PRETERNATURAL REPRESENTATIONS DANCING ACROSS THE WALLS AROUND ME. I LAUGH EVEN MORE AT THE LUCIDITY AND THE REASONABLENESS OF IT ALL.

SHHH... LISTEN, DO YOU HEAR IT? SHHH... THE CLICKS OF THEIR HEELS, YES, IT'S THEM, MY LOVES, THEY'RE COMING DOWN THE STAIRS! "BANG!",THE DOOR SLAMS OPEN. I PULL MY HEAD UP AND SHE (MY WARDEN) TRULY TAKES MY BREATH AWAY. SHE'S BEAUTIFUL, THEY'RE ALL BEAUTIFUL AS THE STRUT TOWARDS ME. WHAT'S MORE, THEY ALL HAVE BAGS AND THINGS THEY'VE BROUGHT FOR THIS VISIT. WHIPS AND BELTS, CORDS AND ROPE? I WONDER, BUT, I KNOW I'M NOT ALLOWED TO ASK. SO, I BEHAVE, I SUBMIT TO THEIR WISHES AND STAY QUIET. I DON'T EVEN ALLOW MYSELF TO SMILE (ALTHOUGH I WANT TO).

ONE OF THE MISTRESSES, THE ONE WHO NEVER BEAT ME YET BRINGS DOWN A LITTLE TABLE. ANOTHER MISTRESS SETS A BLACK CLOTH ON THE TABLE, WHILE STILL ANOTHER DRAWS A PENTAGRAM SURROUNDED BY A CIRCLE ON THE FLOOR. MY LADY, MY "WARDEN" LIGHTS SOME CANDLES, STRATEGICALLY PLACING THEM ON THE CLOTH COVERED TABLE SITTING WITHIN THE PENTAGRAM AND CIRCLE ON THE FLOOR. THE MADMAN IN ME IS EXCITED AT THE THOUGHT OF A FORBIDDEN CEREMONY, A PAGAN CEREMONY PROBABLY INVOLVING SEX.. ALL THE LADIES ARE LOOKING SO LOVELY. ALL DRESSED IN BLACK, SOFT BLACK ROBES LIKE I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE. I CAN ONLY FANTASIZE ABOUT THEIR UNDERCLOTHING, THEIR BLACK STOCKINGS, I FEEL MY MANHOOD AROUSED TO A LEVEL I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE.

TWO OF THE LOVELY YOUNG MISTRESSES COME TO ME. WITHOUT A WORD, THEY GO ABOUT CLEANING ME, CLEANING MY WASTE ON THE FLOOR . I LOOK DOWN AND ALTHOUGH THE SMELL IS TERRIBLE, ALL I CAN THINK OF ARE THE TWO SETS OF IMPECCABLE, FIRM, PORCELAIN BOSOMS. BOTH GIRLS REVEALING THEMSELVES AS THEY KNEEL , COMPLETING THEIR TASK. AS I BECOME AROUSED, ONE OF THE MISTRESSES LOOKS UP AND NOTICES. "LOOK AT THIS" SHE LAUGHS, POINTING AT MY ERECT PENIS: "AHHH, I KNOW WHAT HE WANTS" THE OTHER JOKES AS SHE TAKES ME IN HER HAND AND GUIDES ME INTO HER HOT, MOIST AND HUNGRY MOUTH. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SHE'S ACTUALLY LICKS AND SUCKS, SHE PLEASES ME. WHILE SHE DUTIFULLY GIVES ME ORAL SEX, OTHER WOMEN DRESSED IN BLACK ROBES ENTER. THEY WATCH, THEY LAUGH, THEY COMMENT. I DON'T CARE!

JUST AS I NEAR MY CLIMAX, JUST AS I'M ABOUT TO BURST AND FLOOD THE ROOM, I FEEL A SHARP PAIN AND LOOKING DOWN IN HORROR, I SEE THE MISTRESS, SPLATTERED IN BLOOD, A SILVER KNIFE IN ONE HAND, MY FULLY ERECT MEMBER IN HER OTHER HAND. I SCREAM, I YELL, I HEAR THE OTHERS LAUGH, HOOT AND HOWL. I FEEL THE MOST INTENSE PAIN I'VE EVER KNOWN AND WATCH AS MY MANHOOD IS PASSED AROUND THE ROOM, FROM HAND TO HAND. THE WITCHES COME TOWARD ME, THEY LOOK, THEY POINT, THEY SPIT AND THEY MAKE COMMENTS. I FEEL THE BLOOD DRAINING FROM MY BODY. I LOOK DOWN AND SEE THAT THEY'VE PLACED A CHALICE, A GOLDEN CHALICE UNDER ME TO CATCH MY DRIPPING BLOOD. BLOOD THEY'LL USE IN THEIR CEREMONY, I ASSUME. I FEEL THE BLOOD FLOWING FROM ME AND I WATCH IN HORROR AS THE WOMEN, THE COVEN OF WOMEN GROW UGLIER AND I GROW SANER.

GROWING SANE, I REALIZE THE FOLLY, I ALSO REALIZE I'M ABOUT TO DIE. MY "WARDEN" STANDS BEFORE ME. "ACCEPT THE MASTER" SHE DEMANDS: "YOU STUPID BASTARD, ACCEPT YOUR SAVIOR, THE NOBLE LORD PRINCE OF AMORAL DEPRAVITY AND DARKNESS!" I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT SHE ASKS, I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'VE ALMOST FALLEN INTO. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M DYING. I FEEL THE BLOOD DRAINING FROM ME, MY LIFE DRAINING FROM MY VEINS. THE ROOM SPINS AS I WATCH MY "WARDEN" TAKE UP THE SILVER KNIFE, SHE SMILES AND LICKS MY BLOOD OFF IT, SHE SMILES AND SHE STABS ME, AGAIN AND AGAIN SHE STABS AT ME. THE ROOM SPINS, THE PAIN FADES... I ESCAPE THE MADNESS, I DIE!

Created: October 29, 1999r.
Last Updated: May 23, 2005r.