“You sent for me, mother? Who was that on the phone?”
“Mina, that was Faysal,” her mother Hadya answered gravely. “He is on his way even as we speak. I’m afraid there isn’t much time.”
“Time for what, mother? Why is Faysal coming to our house? I don’t understand.” But deep down Mina did understand, and it made her heart beat fast with anxiety.
“I have unsettling news. We are to prepare for the public square.” Hadya was quite subdued, almost in shock. Mina feared her mother might collapse at any moment.
Hadya abruptly settled into a nearby chair, looking as though the weight of the entire world had come upon her. She looked at her daughter for a long moment. Mina saw a single tear roll down her cheek.
She suddenly arose as though the moment had passed. Then Hadya began to remove her garments, having gathered herself. “He will be here soon, Mina. We must prepare. Remove your clothes.”
“Mother??”
Mina swallowed hard. Then she dutifully started to undress. She had always known her mother to be strong. But Hadya was also dutiful and submissive as was her lot in life. If this was required, there was no point in further argument.
Mina removed her garments until she was fully unclothed. Seeing her mother’s breasts and hairy crotch made her realize this was the first time she could remember seeing her mother’s nudity. She winced at a couple of bruises she saw father had left upon her body as a result of his occasional roughness and anger with her.
“Head lowered, Mina,” Hadya reminded her in a firm tone. Mina gulped and nodded. She felt her nipples harden at her mother’s gaze as she became moist down below, moist from fear and anxiety.
There was a knock on the door. Mina kept her head lowered as her mother went to answer it. She heard the voices as her eyes remained on the floor…
“Are you ready, Hadya?”
“We are ready, Faysal.”
“Very well. First I will conduct my inspection.”
Mina dutifully kept her head down as he approached. She was trembling when he brought her wrists behind her back and secured them together with a cord. She glanced up just enough to see her mother being similarly bound. Then she quickly bowed her head submissively.
Male hands groped and pawed her body, squeezing her mounds, rubbing her ass and feeling her up. But it did not feel sexual. Mina felt like she was being inspected, and it was all she could do not to squirm uncomfortably.
“She will bring a good price, Hadya,” Faysal observed. “You and your daughter will both fetch a good price.” Then Mina felt a collar being placed around her neck. A quick glance over showed her naked mother had already been similarly collared.
Hadya gave her a stern look. Mina quickly lowered her head again in submission. Then a leash was attached to her collar.
She gasped as she and her mother were pulled forward to the door. Surely they were not going out in public like this, were they?? Then they were pulled outside.
Mina felt the flush of shame and embarrassment as they made their way to the street. Her nipples hardened again as she became moist down below. But this time it was easy to keep her head down. She did not want to acknowledge the looks that were sure to come their way.
She glanced over to see her mother walking beside her, her nipples also erect. There was some small comfort in knowing they were sharing a similar humiliation. She also noted her mother’s strides were unwavering. If she could be strong despite their humiliation, Mina decided she would do likewise so as not to dishonor her.
She heard voices from many observers as they walked down the street – no, more like they were being paraded. She had witnessed this a couple of times previously with others being led to the public square. So she understood the reason for the public display. It was to alert the neighborhood.
She could hear the footsteps of the followers. There were male voices as some approached. She tried not to react as hands reached out to carefully grab or squeeze at her nudity.
She was trembling and feeling faint, her nipples hard and her pussy dripping shamefully. Next to her Hadya was taking it with grace and submission. It gave Mina the strength to compose herself and to try to walk with that same composure.
There were more voices… more hands. A quick glance over revealed her mother was also being touched and groped. She swallowed hard, fully understanding what was going to happen next.
Her mind tried to fathom what had happened. Had father submitted them for the auction? Had their family given them up? She could think of no other reason or purpose for this. But was any justification really necessary for a family member to be sent to the public square?
It was not as hard as before to walk behind Faysal. Mina deliberately matched his pace. She could not fathom how her beloved mother could handle such a shameful presentation. But she was bearing it as though she had taken this same path naked every day. Thus, Mina was determined to do likewise.
It was a long three kilometers to the public square. Mina suspected they were being taken down a path that would attract the most attention. It would mean more people would be alerted to participate in the auction when they arrived.
Hands continued to grope and fondle her breasts, arms, and ass, keeping her in a constant state of arousal and humiliation. She overheard male voices discussing amongst themselves their value. Mina shivered again with growing apprehension.
She was sure of it now. There could be no other explanation. They were definitely being taken to the public square to be sold.
Would they be bought by someone who wished to use them for his pleasure and the pleasure of his guests? Would they be sold into slave labor? Mina had no idea. It was then all her hopes and dreams of a future with a husband and family withered away like the grass under the scorching midday sun.
Mina kept her eyes squarely on Faysal’s footwear. Where he was leading them, she and her mother would dutifully follow. There was no other option.
She wanted to glance over at her mother, wanted to look up to see her face and those soft brown eyes for reassurance. But she dared not. Any non-submissive gesture on her part might sour the business transaction to come. And that might risk dishonoring her mother.
She heard more voices as the path hardened into cobblestone. It hurt her bare feet, but she bore it without complaint. After all, her mother had not uttered a sound of protest the entire time. She refused to bring her shame as a result of any discomfort she might have to endure.
They slowed as they approached the square. There was an elevated stone platform ahead. She matched her steps with her mother, the two of them carefully stepping up onto stone that had witnessed many auctions before.
Faysal stopped, and she almost ran into him with her quiet determination to follow. She caught herself just in time. She saw her mother standing quietly right next to her, and she vowed to respond in kind as she kept her head lowered.
Faysal called out to the crowd. Now it was confirmed they were being sold, to be bid upon like merchandise. She tried to tune out the voices as her heart rate quickened, her breathing becoming heavy and labored.
Next to her she saw her mother silent and poised. Again she tried to match her strength. Somehow she would get through this in order to make her mother proud.
She saw the lower half of bodies as men came forward. There was more touching and squeezing and inspecting. There were fingers down below as though inspecting her sex, and it made her tremble with shameful arousal. Were they to be sold as sex slaves?
The auction commenced and the bids went up. She gasped involuntarily as she trembled again. Keeping her head down meant she did not have to lock eyes with those who now looked upon her as mere property.
Faysal encouraged the bidding, explaining how valuable they were. Then a male voice made a loud bid. The others lapsed into silence. Was this new voice a man of some importance? Mina had to struggle not to look up to see who had made such a high offering.
There were no other bids. Mina sensed some were now walking away. Then Faysal announced the auction was over.
She glanced over at her mother, desperately wishing to make eye contact. Would it matter now? She let out a hesitant gasp and a whimper, only to hear her mother quietly chastise her… “Mina, be still.”
A new male stepped up onto the platform. Their leashes were handed over. “I will take them to Rakhshan for Husayn.”
“They are in your charge, Rifat.”
Mina stiffened in alarm as she and her mother were led down off the stone platform into the street. Wasn’t Rakhshan the town butcher? Why were they being taken to the butcher??
Her mind churned as she tried to process the possibilities. Was he to hold them until this Husayn arrived to claim his property? Was there some sort of transfer in order? The other option was one she dared not consider. The mere thought of it threatened to send her spiraling into a panic.
Mina kept her head down the entire time. She sensed they were being silently observed by those along the path to the meat shop. She felt the renewed heat of humiliation, although thankfully the pawing and groping had stopped.
They reached Rakhshan’s shop and were taken inside. They stood silent as though waiting for something… or someone. Mina risked a glance over at her mother to see she still had her head bowed, causing her to quickly do the same. It was still embarrassing, and she wished she could somehow make her erect nipples retract.
She heard Rifat call out for the butcher. A voice from the back instructed him to wait a moment. Mina kept still with her head bowed, her heart racing with fright as her mother patiently stood right next to her.
She heard footsteps. Then she heard Rifat tell Rakhshan, “They were purchased special by Husayn.”
“I cannot have them ready until tomorrow. I have one in back who must be prepared. Tell Husayn I can have them ready by tomorrow night.”
Mina did not see Rifat bow deferentially. But she did see him hand their leashes over. Rakhshan ordered “Come” as he tugged on their leashes.
They followed submissively into the back of his shop. They were walked over to a set of small metal cages. Mina saw a naked girl in one with dull, lifeless eyes. She swallowed hard, wondering how long she had been there.
Her wrists were freed as well as the wrists of her mother. The collars and leashes were removed. For a moment she felt human again. Then Rakhshan opened a couple of cages and motioned… “Enter.”
She looked up in alarm as her mother began to dutifully enter her assigned cage by crawling in backward. It was very small. Then the woman caught sight of her daughter looking at her.
“Mina. Obey.”
She jumped as though awakened from a horrible dream. With her heart beating fast she attempted to crawl on her hands and knees backward into her cage. Inside on the floor secured to the corner were a couple of small metal bowls.
When they were inside, Rakhshan closed the doors to both cages. There was no way to stick fingers through far enough to reach the latch to attempt an escape. Mina would not have tried in any event, still wanting to find a way to honor her mother through this incredibly difficult trial.
There was no need to keep her head lowered anymore. She watched as Rakhshan went over to a bucket. But when he brought it over, out of the corner of her eye she saw her mother bow her head. It made her do likewise.
Rakhshan poured water into their metal bowls. That’s when it dawned on her how thirsty she was. But there was no way to pick the bowl up in her hands.
She saw her mother bend forward and begin to lap like a dog. It was humiliating to watch. But she realized it would satisfy her thirst if she did likewise.
Mina stuck her face close and lapped the water. It was lukewarm, but it wet her parched throat. At least it tasted reasonably clean.
After slaking her thirst, there was nothing else to do. Mina carefully examined her surroundings. She saw a long table the butcher worked at as well as hooks in the ceiling of the shop from which a couple of pulleys with thick straps dangled. Clearly this was where he slaughtered and then prepared his meats.
She looked over at her mother, only to see her head lowered and her eyes closed. Was she praying? What could Allah do for them now?? Praying seemed pointless.
Rakhshan returned and began laying out his tools on the long table. He gathered a large bucket and placed it near the pulleys hanging from the ceiling. Then he came over to the cages.
Mina inhaled sharply, fearing the worst. Then she saw he was collecting the lone girl with the dull eyes. She looked to be about Mina’s age, with modest breasts and a head of black hair that stopped at her shoulders.
He opened the cage, reached in and forcefully grabbed for an arm. The girl allowed him to pull her out of the cage and stand her up. He had a small cord in his hands which he used to tie her arms behind her back. Then he led her over to the hooks.
He laid her out on the floor on her back with her legs under the pulleys. He lowered the straps until he could grab them and secure them around each ankle. Then he pulled on the ropes to both pulleys.
The girl gasped anxiously as she was slowly pulled upside down into the air by her ankles. Mina’s heart beat faster as she watched Rakhshan take her all the way up into the air. Her nipples hardened and she became moist again down below as she saw the young woman dangle a couple of feet off the ground, gently swaying back and forth. Then he set the bucket directly beneath her head.
Mina watched with growing anxiety and a perverse arousal as he went over to his table. He picked up what looked like a ceremonial knife and brought it over. That’s when he grabbed the young woman by her head.
At that moment the girl’s eyes flew open as though life had suddenly returned. Mina’s heart pounded in her chest as she tried to catch her breath. Then she watched as Rakhshan loudly declared “Bismillah!” before dragging the blade across the exposed throat.
The girl jerked at the pain of the cut. Then she started to gurgle, her naked body writhing around as blood pumped out of the wound in the severed neck. Mina shuddered from a flush of warmth inside her as she stared with eyes of horror. Rakhshan calmly walked the knife back to his table.
She watched in utter shock as the poor girl jerked and gurgled in the midst of her death throes. The flow of blood pumped out into the waiting bucket below. Eventually the body settled down until only an occasional muscle spasm indicated she had once been alive. The girl’s eyes were now dull and vacant.
Mina glanced over at her mother. The woman still had her head bowed and appeared to be praying. For all Mina knew, she hadn’t watched any of it… perhaps knowing in advance what was going to happen?
Mina wanted to scream… to cry out… to make some sort of sound to express the horror she felt. But she dared not, not if she wanted to risk dishonoring her mother. Somehow she managed to keep silent except for the sound of her heavy breathing.
Rakhshan walked over to the dangling corpse once the blood had mostly stopped flowing. He used the knife in his hand to remove the head, which by now exhibited an expression of lifeless pain and horror. He calmly took it over and set it on a display tray.
He came back and untied the wrists from behind the back, allowing the arms to dangle. Then he proceeded to sever the hands at the wrists. They joined the head on the tray.
The arms were severed at the shoulders. Mina was now witnessing a woman being butchered. And still her mother remained silent with her head bowed low.
Another bucket was brought over. Rakhshan took a knife and cut into the dead girl’s stomach. Out spilled her entrails as he dug inside to pull out all the organs.
Mina began to feel faint as she watched the entire process… faint and perversely aroused. The girl was gutted and then split in half, both parts dangling from their assigned pulleys. Then she was cut at the waist into quarters.
The quarters were separately taken over to the table where they were cut into smaller sizes. Mina felt another wave of dizziness mixed with a strange arousal. It made her dip her mouth into the bowl of water, hoping she could clear the bile that wanted to rise up in her throat.
All that afternoon Rakhshan quietly cut up the body of the girl he had butchered. When the legs came down, he severed the feet and put them on the tray with the hands and the head. He paid no attention whatsoever to his two remaining charges.
Mina looked over at her mother. She needed something from her now – a word, a glance… something! But her head was still bowed. She appeared to be praying the entire time.
Rakhshan brought the bucket of water over to make sure their bowls were filled. Then he brought over a partially filled sack. Something was poured through the wires into their empty bowls.
Mina assumed it was their evening meal. It reminded her of food one gave to a dog. But she was hungry, and she forced herself to stick her mouth into the bowl and eat.
The taste was not pleasant. But it eased her hunger. Then Rakhshan left the rear of the shop for the night, turning the lights out and plunging them into darkness.
All was quiet. Mina had a difficult time bearing the silence. In a trembling voice she finally called out, “Mother?”
“You must pray, Mina. There is nothing left for us now. You must pray.”
“Mother?”
“You must pray.”
“Allah does not hear us, mother! He cannot save us!”
“It is His will, child. You must be silent. You must pray.”
Mina lapsed into silence. This time it seemed her mother had no words of comfort. But after all, what could she say that might offer the least little reassurance? Their fate would still be the same.
She bowed her head and tried to pray. But the words would not come. She could not fathom a god who would allow them to be butchered in such a manner.
She looked over at her mother: so devout and so strong. Mina swallowed hard. There was nothing left to do now but strive not to dishonor her.
The cage was uncomfortable; it was not designed for sleep. But somehow Mina’s body found a way. Stress and exhaustion overcame her discomfort, allowing her to drift off.
Horrible nightmares awakened her, causing her to cry out. She turned to see her mother bowed low. Was she sleeping or praying? What did it matter? There was nothing else to do.
She drifted off to sleep again, only to awaken some time later to find the lights were on. It was morning, and Rakhshan was at his table preparing his instruments. The bucket had already been placed near the pulleys.
Mina inhaled sharply as she looked over at Hadya. She was still bowed low. Mina decided she would not challenge the faith of her mother at this moment in their lives.
And why should she; what would be the point? She did not want to shake her mother’s faith. Hadya’s faith was in Allah… and her faith was in her mother.
Rakhshan calmly walked over to the cages. Mina gasped in horror as a tear welled up in her eye. Then he opened her mother’s cage.
Hadya dutifully offered an arm which he accepted. She went willingly as he pulled her out and stood her up. Then he tied her arms behind her back with the cord he had brought along.
Mina’s heart beat fast as she watched in wide-eyed horror, her nipples hardening all over again in shameful arousal. Rakhshan led her naked mother over to the pulleys where he laid her out on her back. Then he lowered the straps attached to each pulley.
He wrapped each one around Hadya’s ankles. Then he pulled on the pulleys in unison. Mina’s mother was slowly taken upside down into the air and was left to gently swing back and forth.
Hadya’s brown hair hung down as her breasts sagged. There was a glisten of moisture in the hair of her crotch. Her nipples were exceedingly erect.
Mina stared in speechless horror as her arousal shamefully intensified. She wanted to cry out, to beg Rakhshan to spare her mother. But there was something in her mother’s eyes that prevented her from calling to her. Somehow she held her tongue.
Rakhshan placed a bucket directly underneath Hadya’s head. Then he went over to retrieve the ceremonial dagger. Mina’s breath caught in her throat as he calmly walked it over.
She saw her mother deliberately close her eyes as Rakhshan grabbed her head. She watched helplessly as he loudly declared “Bismillah!” Then he dragged the blade expertly across the exposed throat.
Her mother’s eyes flew open at the suddenly infliction of pain. Then her naked body started jerking about as blood flowed out of the wound into the bucket. It even looked like there might have been a little fluid expelled out of the hairy crotch.
Mina stared in shock, shuddering from a shameful warmth at the casual slaughter of her mother as her heart pound loudly in her chest. To this point it had all seemed so surreal. Now she was witnessing the death of her mother. Mina acknowledged she was now all alone in the world, alone to serve as witness as her mother’s life’s blood poured into the waiting bucket below.
Rakhshan returned the dagger to his table. He retrieved the other blade and brought it over. He waited until most of the blood had drained away. Then he began to calmly sever Hadya’s head from the rest of her body.
Mina went numb: numb with shock and numb with grief at the loss of her mother as the butcher cut into her so casually. Her eyes witnessed it all: the severing of the head, the freeing of the arms to dangle at the sides, the taking of the hands, the removal of the arms. Mina saw it all, but it was as though it did not register… could not register
She witnessed the gutting of her mother, the splitting of the body into halves, and then the quartering. Each section was taken over and sliced up into smaller parcels. Mina watched dully with a strange arousal until she no longer recognized her mother as anything but parcels of meat.
Rakhshan finished the process of butchering. Then the separate pieces were hauled away. The table was cleaned and the buckets taken out until no evidence of her mother remained. It was as though all traces of the woman had been wiped away.
Rakhshan returned to pour more water into her bowl. But Mina did not eat or drink. It was as though her ability to function had been taken from her.
She was left alone for a moment. But all Mina could do was stare at the location where her mother had died. Her mind simply could not process the information.
Rakhshan returned with a couple of nude women. They looked like they could have been sisters. Mina hardly registered their presence. But she did hear them gasp in alarm, each one crying softly.
She barely registered Rakhshan getting his table ready for the afternoon. The buckets were readied, the knives prepared. Then he came over to her cage.
She put up no resistance as he opened it up, reached inside and grabbed her arm. He pulled her out and secured her arms behind her back with a cord. Mina was too numb to react or resist.
He walked her over and laid her down on the ground on her back. The pulleys were lowered; the straps fitted around her ankles. Then she was slowly taken up into the air to gently swing back and forth.
At that moment something seemed to penetrate. Her nipples stiffened as her crotch once again grew moist. She felt a growing arousal that felt shameful yet welcome.
Her senses returned in time to see two frightened young woman in cages watching her with horrified expressions on their faces. She cracked the faintest hint of a smile of sadness that she could not help or comfort them. She wondered if they felt the same strange excitement she was now experiencing.
A hand grasped her head. She heard the word “Bismillah!” before she felt the blade cut across her throat. The pain registered as her eyes flew open in shock. Then her naked body flushed with a pleasurable warmth as she began to jerk around, her life bleeding out into the waiting bucket below.
The last thing she saw were the faces of those two horrified girls. But her last thought was the hope she had not dishonored her mother. Then the pain and humiliation mercifully faded away into nothingness…
© 2017 (written for Mina Oct 4 ’17 by riwa)
