The Witness

Amir entered the empty aircraft hangar, straying with particular fascination at the long thick, metal beam running along the hangar's length. Today was going to be an unusual day. Today he would witness the execution of members of the condemned Iranian Bahai sect, whom Ayatolla Khomeini had declared illegal and forbidden to practice their pagan beliefs. What made this execution special, was the fact that two dozen females accused of practicing forbidden Bahai rituals against the revolution, were to be hanged inside the hangar this afternoon. Among the condemned, it was known, were five or six young girls, who were to be deflowered before their execution as demanded by Islamic custom.

Amir wondered if he would get a chance to pleasure himself with one of the condemned girls, before receiving another pleasure of watching them strangle in the noose until they died.

The twenty four nooses, made of thin, but strong hemped climbing cords were tied at regular intervals along the beam about one meter apart from one another. Amir was no stranger to hanging. He saw people hang when Shah of Iran was still in power, although victims were mostly males, there were exceptions. Amir's two younger sisters Arina and Nadia obeyed Amir in every way, for any transgression on their part demanded swift justice, and in case of serious breach of ethics certain death. To make them even more susceptible to the new rules of the Islamic society, he showed his sisters the photographs of the hanged high school girls, saying that they will end up just like them if they dared to break the rules of the new order.

The truck with condemned women and girls pulled into the hangar about an hour later. Guards told the women to disembark and stand up in a line against the wall. A black robed priest and two officials climbed from the car that followed the truck followed by three bodyguards.

A chief guard approached, followed by a thin man wearing glasses. Salutes and pleasantries were exchanged, and then the priest begun his inspection of the condemned women and girls, occasionally stopping to ask them a question or two.

Amir, who stood beside the Chief guard watched his progress with great interest.

The priest stopped in front of a scared fifteen year old young girl, reaching out with his hand and brushing the tear from her cheek. Then he took her chin and pulled her head backward, exposing the soft curve of her throat. He ran his hand along her smooth skin and Amir heard him murmur under his breath: "What a waste."

The inspection took about half an hour, after which young teens were separated from the older women, who were marched

to the nooses, some of them resisting and protesting loudly.

Amir Thought that it would be a simple mass hanging, with all women mounting a tall bench and then the bench removed, leaving them kicking in the air.

One of the guards brought a tall stool and a chair. He motioned for the first woman in her early thirties, who begun to cry as the guards grabbed her hands and dragged her to the waiting stool.

They took off her shoes and lifted her to place her on the stool. With her hands tied securely behind her back, the young woman couldn't offer much resistance. Her shapely breasts bounced several times as she balanced her body on the stool, tears streaming down her cheeks. The masked executioner finally made his entrance into the hangar and climbed the chair to place the noose around her neck. The woman resisted. She lowered her chin to her chest, shaking her head. The executioner grabbed her hair and pulled her head backward, expertly slipping the noose around her throat, giving it a tight jerk. He adjusted the rope around her smooth neck, made sure it was all properly done then stepped down.

Amir's heart begun to beat faster as he realized that the long awaited moment has finally come. There was a collective gasp of shock and fear from the women, as the stool was kicked away, followed by a short scream from the woman, which was cut off by the pressure of the rope, transforming into a long, loud gurgle.

The woman begun to jerk violently her body going into pumping motion, while her feet moved rapidly from side to side, then begun to tremble. Her neck muscles were stretched as the rope disappeared under her jaw, forcing her tongue to roll out. Her eyes fluttered, then slowly closed. A thin stream of urine flowed down her leg and collected in a small puddle on the hangar floor.

The priest nodded in satisfaction. Another dark haired woman was dragged under the noose. And then another. Amir watched the hangings with childish fascination. Before his very eyes young women were strangling to death, kicking on the end of the rope. Their convulsions reminded him of lovemaking. And they were so strong, dying only after several minutes of futile, but impressive fight for life, which they lost in the end. Many of the hanged women soiled themselves as they died. There was strong smell of urine and feces in the air, but Amir and the guards did not mind that.

Finally all adult women were strung up, the bodies of those hanged last still convulsing and jerking their feet in death reflex.

"Well done," said the priest to the Chief guard. "Photograph the bodies and distribute them in schools to all female students. Let them know the way of the law." The doctor began to inspect the hanged bodies, while Amir went into the adjoining room of the hangar to see the young ones being prepared for hanging. Eight nooses still awaited their victims, who had to be deflowered before their execution.

Amir saw a naked body of fifteen year old girl strapped to the table. To his left several more tables were holding the other girls. Amir watched as guard pulled out of one girl and

spilled his seed on her face.

Groans and moans of deflowered virgins filled the room. A very young 14 year old girl to his left, was forced to suck the member of a young guard, who seemed to be enjoying the experience.

Amir approached a girl who was already used by guards, as she pulled on her black dress, her face serious and calm in spite of what was done to her. She was very pretty, skinny and soft, but already a woman ready to accept her fate.

"Are you ready to be hanged?" Amir asked slowly.

"Yes," the girl replied with a short bo of her head. I am ready to hang."

"It will take you five minutes to die," Amir warned her. "You saw how women died."

"I wish to die like this," she replied softly. "After all woman's life must please men just like her death is it not so?"

"It is so," Amir agreed with a nod. "Did you suffer pain during sex?"

"No," she smiled sadly.

"Good," Amir smiled back. "Your neck was made to be squeezed by rope. I hope you'll redeem yourself in the next life."

I wonder if I am in heaven or hell, Amir thought when it was all over.

When girls were all dressed again and their hands tied behind their backs, Amir noticed the tall bench under the eight nooses. So, he thought with a smile. Old ways never die after all. The girls became hysterical, when they saw the hanging bodies, they resisted so hard, that it took two guards to noose one girl. Finally all was ready for the final act. Amir watched the faces and bodies of the victims, realizing from a few expressions that some of the girls were not actually afraid. More like curious what its like to be hanged.

When bench was removed, Amir stood and watched. It was so very beautiful and sad at the same time. He waited until they all hung still and shook his head in silent admiration.

The bodies were left hanging until the next day. Then, the ropes were cut and girls and women taken down, stripped, examined and shipped of to secret burial site.

One week later, another group of young women arrived to be executed. Amir brought a camcorder with him to record this historic moment for posterity.