Unmarked

5. Trouble

Clenching my teeth, I force myself to appear calm as I cross the main square. My unease is not due to the large numbers of Officials patrolling the perimeter who I usually go out of my way to avoid, instead, the cause is a large metal platform erected in the middle of the square.

The large solid metal square frame towers above the crowd. It glistens in the sunlight attracting your attention; dragging your eyes towards it no matter how hard you resist. Like now, my gaze can't help be drawn to the thick beams from which numerous bodies sway, women and men, all in different stages of decomposition.

The first dangling carcass is a man wearing a contraption which looks like a pair of bulky metal knickers. I've named it 'The groin tenderiser' because what isn't visible to the onlooker are the large spikes which pierce the victim's skin as it is secured and bolted on. Beneath the man's hanging body is a large dark red stain on the platform floor marking his slow exit from life. His face is swollen and mutilated by death, his markings merge with the mottled purple and black skin indicating he's been hanging there for a while. The eyes bulge out their sockets and his tongue protrudes like a thick black slug desperately trying to escape the rotten corpse it has been trapped in. Punishment: A convicted adulterer.

A woman swings next to him, her hand gently brushing his. Her uterus hangs between her legs, dangling like a puckered purse, moist pink with tinges of yellow. Waxy, pale green-hued skin encases her stiffened body. She still looks quite fresh, a passerby could almost confuse her death for sleep if they didn't look below the waist. The markings on her skin are visible, showing she was young, 17 years old- an engagement seal is present. Punishment: An abortion.

Possibly pregnant by her lover, her fiancé or raped, we will never know and the Officials do not care. The reason behind her action is not considered. They cannot be victims, only criminals. Punished and made an example of. It's a warning to us all.

The first capital punishment I'd witnessed was in another town, one I can't remember the name of. At nine years old it had been my first week collecting and delivering to our customers alone. My mum decided I was old enough to venture out alone so she promptly thrust the role of delivery girl onto me.

Riding my bicycle, I'd noticed the gathering of people in the main square as I rode through the small town. Intrigued I'd ventured towards the front, only to be confronted with a woman bound to a platform by a strange contraption which secured her neck and ankles together, causing her to be bent in an awkward position. Focusing on her, I then noticed she had no hands. They'd been cut off, blood flowed as a quiet continuous cry escaped her mouth.

The silent still crowd watched her die. I didn't cry or whimper. I simply stood and stared, not understanding what was happening but thinking there must be a reason, she must deserve this. Why else would the Officials justify such an act while the crowd stood by in support if she was not guilty? If she had not brought this upon herself? I'd asked the person next to me what had she done. He responded 'She is being punished for making a mistake in a cruel unfair system and her punishment is a warning for us all.' His words made no sense and the low mutterings of agreement from the surrounding people confused me. It is only now I comprehend his words: Do not expect to be allowed to learn from your mistakes, your faults will be punished, second chances are not given.

I snap myself to the present and my eyes quickly scan the rest of the bodies. Partly to see the harsh punishments given before being hung up to die and partly to see if there's anyone like me. The answer is always no. There are no Unmarkeds. There never are.

The hot weather encourages swarms of flies to hover around the bodies which ripple and squirm with maggots devouring the contents. The hanging corpses are kept on display for as long as possible, until the revolting stench becomes too unbearable.