On a trip through the Malaysian countryside Nadia’s bus was attacked by rebels. Everyone was ordered outside. The men were lined up along the side of the bus and shot. Nadia was among 6 women who remained.
Their arms were tightly secured behind their backs. Then they were marched through the jungle. The females whimpered as they walked for miles before they came to a grassy field.
The rebels order the women to halt. They were forced to stand together. They had no idea what was going to happen to them.
The women were stripped of all their clothing, some of the garments being cut off with knives. Then a Malaysian woman of about thirty was marched out into the middle of the field. She was forced to kneel as she faced the others.
One of the rebels had a sword which he raised. He took careful aim before he swung hard. The Malaysian woman’s head went flying, causing the other women to scream in horror.
She slowly toppled over onto her side. Her headless body went into spasms. Blood spurted out of her severed neck, staining the ground.
Her head was picked up. It was held aloft by a handful of hair. The rebels cheered their enthusiasm as the remaining women cried out in terror.
A second Malaysian woman was chosen. She was about 24. Her eyes widened in horror as she was walked out into the field.
She began crying as she shook her head. She was forced to kneel right next to the headless corpse. It was still pumping blood onto the ground.
She was turned until she was facing the remaining women. Nadia was horrified. She could not believe this was happening.
Once more the rebel took careful aim with his sword. Then he swung hard. The second Malaysian woman’s head went flying.
Her naked body slowly tipped over onto its side. It went into spasms and convulsions as blood pumped out of the severed neck. The rebel went over and picked up the head, holding it aloft for all to see as the remaining women screamed again.
The third woman taken out was a Thai woman. She had been on vacation with her fiancé who was shot back at the bus. She was only 22.
She went numb with shock as she was forced to kneel close to the dying corpse of the recently beheaded. She was forced to face the remaining females. There was a haunted look in her features.
The rebel who had become their designated executioner hefted his blade once more. He took careful aim. Then he swung hard.
Steel sliced cleanly through flesh and bone. This time the head merely toppled onto the ground. The body appeared to rise up before pitching forward chest first onto the ground
Nadia and her two companions let out cries of horror. They watched the young Thai woman spasm in her death throes. By now the two beheaded Malaysian women had ceased their twitching and convulsing.
The Thai woman’s head was lifted up by a handful of her jet black hair. The rebels cheered her demise. The remaining women simply whimpered in terror.
Nadia panted heavily for breath. Would she be next? No, it was the 36 year old Filipino who was chosen.
The poor woman opened her mouth to scream. But no sound came out. Almost immediately she went into shock.
She was taken out into the field where she was forced to kneel facing her two remaining companions. Her breasts sagged as her chest heaved. Tears streaked down her face as she numbly looked at the two women facing her.
The sword was hefted again. Then the rebel swung hard. The Filipino woman’s head flew a few feet before bouncing off the ground and rolling to a halt.
The body toppled over in the direction of the other beheaded victims. Almost immediately it went into spasms. Blood was forced out of the severed neck by the furious pumping of a dying heart.
The executioner picked up the severed head and held it high. His companions cheered. Nadia thought she was going to be ill.
She tried to scream, but couldn’t. Surely this was a horrible dream! She could not believe this was happening to her.
The rebel came over and appeared to look the last two over. Nadia closed her eyes, fearful she would be chosen next. But when she opened her eyes she saw it was the young Indonesian woman who was being taken.
The poor girl could not make herself scream anymore. What was the point? All she could do was march reluctantly out into the field to her doom.
She reached a spot next to the others. She was forced onto her knees where she weakly faced Nadia. Tears filled her eyes as she stared the stare of the condemned.
There was a brief pause. Then the sword was swung yet again. The woman’s head flew a good ten feet before it rolled to a stop.
The body toppled over and went into seizures. Blood pumped furiously out of the severed neck. The rebel went over and triumphantly picked the head up, displaying it to his comrades before casually tossing it aside into the growing pile of other heads.
He smiled as he slowly came over to retrieve Nadia. She promptly wet herself the moment he grabbed her arm. Then he took her out into the field.
She was forced to kneel next to the beheaded Indonesian woman. Nadia saw there were still little death spasms in the headless body. Blood was not pouring out of the severed neck so freely as before.
She tried to gasp for breath. Nadia began hyperventilating like crazy. She stared at the rebels looking at her, their faces filled with murderous enthusiasm.
She sensed her moment was at hand. She instinctively closed her eyes as she opened her mouth to scream. That’s when she felt the blade slice through her neck.
Her world tumbled as her head went flying. She could not open her eyes or move her lips. Then she felt herself being lifted up.
She heard more cheers from the rebels. But she could feel nothing below her neck. Was this what it felt like to be beheaded?
She was unaware her naked body had toppled over. She could not see the seizures and spasms as blood pumped out of her severed neck. The cheers began to fade away as her head was tossed with the others. Then she heard nothing at all.
(Mar 15 ’20)