17. CRACKING SKULLS IN PORTISHEAD
Pt Four
By Tony M Richards
Portishead: Saturday November 20th 1982
Antonio awoke some hours later.......
This time, he noted the room seemed slightly brighter, but only by a fraction.....
Antonio ran his lacerrated tongue over his jellied gums, licking the dried blood from his lips....... Antonio sat up.....
...... There were now many inside The Head of Zues...... It was hard to tell who these people were.....
..... Or exactly how many there were inside The Head of Zues.....
These inhabitants were in disguise; it was the masks that now had Antonios attention: Black, skull-shaped cilinders with large, hollow eyeball sockets..... These large, skull-shaped cilinders hung heavily over long black robes, emblazoned with some sort of ancient text......
Antonio gazed upwards, seeing somebody hanging from a crucifix....
Naked- That somebody was naked..... ........ A female.
The nightmare had now become real..... Very real indeed..... ......... Abagail. It was Abigail.
...... Hanging from the dark wooden crucifix above........ Abigail......
..... Abigail.....
Pain shot through Antonio's body once more...... His cracked ribs.....
....... Powerless legs. Shock set in....
....... Once again....
It was all coming back to him now.......
Antonio couldn't bare to look up but knew he must- He couldn't ignore Abigail.... Not at a time like this.....
Antonio cranked his neck backwards, gazing up through squinted eyes, seeing her sobbing; her red, puffy face was a grim indicator that she had been crying for a long time, and now she had no tears left to shed.....
Sobbing was now all she could do; her body dry from dehydration; her frame shaking from fear and blood loss....
....... Antonio was powerless to act...... Abigail was powerless to act.
Nothing could be done...... Nothing at all...... They locked eyes.....
She mouthed his name:
"Tony! Tony! Tony! Tony! Tony! Tony! Tony......"
Over and over..... Over and over again; her face contorted in sadness and pain......
Antonio could do nothing but shake his head, tears pouring down his face as the full realisation of their fate was becoming very clear to him at that moment in time.
...... Clear as a bell......
.... As clear as an unmuddied lake.... An azurre sky....... Chanting.....
.....The Fourth Order was now chanting....
...... The chanting was an ancient dialect, a dialect that only The Fourth Order understood and the gods they praised.......
.... Zues certainly.......
The chanting Antonio hadn't yet registered continued on, getting louder and louder..... ..... Deafening.
As Abigail and Antonio stared at each other from a distance, Antonio registered the connection they'd always had:
A boy and a girl. Black and white.... Outsiders in the West Country.
Two bastard children born to a world that despised them for being mixed race; coloured to some..... Never quite fitting in.....
And what of them now?
They were trapped in a huge statue underneath a crumbling lighthouse; doomed to die a sad, painful death; their souls forgotten and lost in time.
Growing up in Portishead was a million miles away from their respective fathers native homeland.
They were outsiders who were slowly and grudgingly accepted into the West Country populus.....
Outsiders.
Black bastards.
England were slow to accept people of colour. It was the white, English inhabitants of the British Isles who were primitive, not the outsiders...
..... The people of 'colour'.......
Antonio tried to reassure her by raising his hand in the air and then pushing both hands into his chest, signalling his unity:
I'M-WITH-YOU
If only......
..... Both knew it.
The chanting suddenly stopped.
One of the masked order walked over towards Antonio:
"WELL, WELL BROTHERS! WE HAVE A LOCAL NURSE IN OUR MIDST!"
Antonio observed the mans shoes and had a strange moment..... A moment of clarity: He recognised the shoes....
He recognised the trousers poking out from beneath the long black robe.....
"Let us not stand on ceremony," said the masked man.
TOM LISTER.
..... It was Tom Lister; one of the head surgeons from the hospital......
Antonio knew who Dr Tom Lister was- Antonio despised the arrogant bastard. He despised him for his inflated ego and complete lack of respect for the nurses and other hospital staff.
"Cunt!" Antonio hissed through his missing teeth. "Cunt!"
"Now Tony! There is really no need for that..... I know that we are acquainted. I was hoping you'd be intelligent enough not to take this too personally.... Evidently I was wrong," commented Tom Lister..... Cruely....
A few others chuckled away in the background......
Antonio was defeated.....
Being killed by Dr Unsworth was one thing..... Being murdered by a bastard like Dr Tom Lister was another.....
The chuckling and murmuring stopped.
Dr Tom Lister continued, addressing Antonio directly, but in a loud stage whisper the whole Head Of Zues could hear:
"We followed you. It's a shame the American didn't make it..... He was in rather bad shape old boy.... Besides... He has a wealthy family that could be rather problematic should their son not be found.... And lets be honest here: Nobody gives a fuck about you..... Do they Tony?"
Antonio was startled, then angered by the comment; Tom Lister's arrogance was stomach churningly nasty. He was, however, far too sick to do anything about it.
Dr Lister stood over Antonio removing his mask and smirking:
"You've been acquainted with Dr Unsworth and now you will be acquainted with our ritual which is an integral part of The Fourth Order Brotherhood. I think you'll enjoy this....."
Dr Lister bent down, glaring into Antonio's eyes:
"Nurse Antonio Richards.... Come Monday I'll be waiting for news on your disappearance...... As the hospital is putting in a request for a new nurse......"
Antonio, now past rage and despair, felt a numb sensation overcome him.
He knew..... He knew he was not escaping from The Head Of Zues......
Tom lifted his hand, a signal to the others that it was time for the ritual to finally begin:
"Well Antonio, you are about to witness something the primitive outside world has absolutely no knowledge of. Are you ready?...... I certainly hope so....."
Antonio pushed his face into the wet ground beneath his battered head.
Dr Lister was suddenly dismayed at Antonio's cowadice:
"OHHH NO NO NO NO NO NO!! NO NO NO! THIS WILL NOT DO! PETER PLEEEASE!! HELP THIS YOUNG MAN WITH HIS SEAT!!"
One of the other masked members walked over, grabbing Antonio violently, pushing him into a full nelson restraint grip: Head pushed forward, arms pulled behind his head.
No escape...... None whatsoever......
Antonio was painfully aware......
...... The chanting had began... Once again...... Antonio had no idea what the chanting was....
The chanting became strangely hypnotic, as Abigail, nailed to her crucifix, was lifted down from above.....
The cross was laid on the ground....
Abigail naked without glory or beauty- A mere lamb to the slaughter.....
Antonio could feel his bleeding tongue slide over the jellied texture of his gums. His tongue had been badly lacerated when his teeth had been violently smashed out.
At that moment his lack of teeth were a diversion to the horrific act that Antonio knew was about transpire.....
Right in front of him....
.......In front of his very eyes. Antonio was painfully aware... Painfully.........
"TONY! HELP ME TONY!" Abigail called out.
There was no response from anybody inside The Head Of Zeus.... Nobody flinched...... Not one single soul......
...... Pain shot through Antonios body once again- Sharp spasms of intense pain returning; reminding him he was very much alive and in great pain.....
"Open your fucking eyes! Or I will break your fucking neck!" Antonios capter snarled into his ear, pushing his head forward another notch.
His eyes were open.
Antonio tried to envision somewhere else, another moment in time; something to take away the horror unfolding.....
But the memories somehow didn't come..... When he didn't need memories they were always there inside his head, haunting him..... When he wanted them?
.... Nothing.....
He saw the reality in front of him- Abigail, at the mercy of others. These demons who masquerade as human beings. Brothers of the Fourth Order; Satans very own.....
Abagail screamed out as the long nails were wrenched from her hands and feet; she was freed from the cross, only to be thrown onto large wooden block, her head banging violently against the dark wooden slab.
..... Within seconds, many of The Fourth Order had gathered around the block, obstructing Antonios view- Not that Antonio was complaining......
A temporary break that was much needed.....
..... Not for long.......
....... Within the space of a minute she had been secured to the block by a series of thin, rusted chains, connected to thick, metal clamps.....
A strange, wire mesh mask has been placed over her head- The mask clamping her jaw; her jaw securing her mouth; her mouth blocked with a thick, metal tongue clamp stuck firmly between her teeth........
...... Two long, leather straps ran from two large wheels at the top of the table down to the bottom; the straps were attached to Abigail's ankles. As the wheels were rotated, her legs shot up into the air, making her buttocks push outwards- Slightly jutting off the block.....
Antonio couldn't even shake his head in disbelief.
Was this really happening?
Was he stuck in some sort of horrible nightmare? Was he dead? Trapped in hell maybe?
..... Alas no..... Not quite.......
......Underneath a lighthouse with The Fourth Order........
Ten of The Fourth Order formed a que at the bottom of the block, slowly removing their robes, exposing their pale, naked bodies- The ugly masks remained firmly planted on their heads.
In any other situation, Antonio would have been shocked to see ten naked men and a naked woman..... In this case, he had other things occupying his fragile mind......
The first man in the line mounted Abigail, pushing his erect penis inside her, jolting violently....
..... Time seemed to stand still for Antonio.....
..... Another of The Fourth Order stepped forward, repeating the process...... ...Over and over...... ........Over and over. Over and over..... Over.... Again.....
.... Over......
By the time the tenth man had finished, Antonio felt nothing...... ..... Nothing whatsoever.......
His deep well of emotions had been spent- Or so he felt at that moment. He had become desensitised to the wicked rape he was witnessing. Had he become desensitised because he was helpless to stop it happening?
Was he accepting his fate?
The men now stood in a straight line at the top of the slab......
Another of the order approached the table, turning the wheels; Abigails legs dropped like a stone, thudding against the block.....
The restraints holding the wire mesh mask in place were next to released...... Abigail struggled violently as her tongue clamp was removed....
For a second, Antonio foolishly thought the ordeal had ended.... He couldn't have been more wrong..... Dead wrong in fact.....
Antonio took in Abigails face- Eyes open wide, about pop out from her skull...... Her legs shaking.....
..... Antonio saw the trail of seamen dripping from her vagina onto the ground beneath the block.....
Antonio suddenly realised the ordeal wasn't over by any stretch of the imagination....
There was more to come- Much more.....
Abigail began calling Antonios name again:
"Tony..... Tony.... Tony..... Tony...."
She repeated his name repeatedly, chanting..... Staring up at the ceiling, a bead of sweat dripping from her temple onto the block beneath.....
Two more of the Fourth Order approached the table, carrying a large vat.....
..... Antonio jolted as Abigail screamed out in agony:
"AAAAAAAAAAARRRGHHHHH!"
The vat.... Slowly poured over her lower body....
..... Boiling, hot oil.... Causing her to scream like a banshee from the deepest depths of hell.....
"Open-Your-Fucking-Eyes!" Repeated Antonios captor, increasing yet more pressure on his already fragile neck.
Antonio did as he is told- He felt his neck may break in mere seconds....
Abigails screams bounced of the wooden walls.....
One of The Fourth Order stepped forward to the block, pushing his fingers deep inside her mouth- Her tongue pulled out violently, causing her to gag......
...... The next few seconds moved in slow motion for Antonio- He knew what was about to happen, a split second before it unfolded before his very eyes!
Another of the order bent over her and gave her what looked like the kiss of life- Abigails tongue was bitten off, spat out onto the floor..... Gone.
The fountain.....
.... The choking sound....
Antonio could do nothing but vomit violently- Alcohol and stomach acid burning his gums as the liquids passed quickly through his mouth.....
Antonios captor released his grip, dropping him violently onto the ground beneath.....
Antonio felt his throat burn, but was strangely reassured by it- He was still alive, but only just..... Hanging by a thread......
Dr Unsworth handed Antonio a chalice, urging him to drink:
"Please my boy, you will need this for the next part.... Trust me! This will dull your pain....." Antonio shook his head. He wanted nothing now...... No part of anything.
"Antonio, this isn't a choice... Please my boy, drink.... You must watch."
Although Antonio could not see Dr unsworths face, he knew that he was ultimately being given good advice; advice that may even save his life....
What was left of his life....
..... A large case was slammed onto the block, next to the corpse.
Antonio watched the sharp tools being laid out on the slab- They looked like the ones he had seen in the cellar.
Dr Unsworth called over to Antonio:
"REMEMBER ANTONIO! THE HEAD! THE HEAD DEAR BOY!" ...... Antonio could only watch.
The head was removed using a sharp, thin saw..... The corpse was no longer Abigail....
It was no longer a human... No longer human at all......
Abigail was now just meat and bones- Matter that would soon decay and disappear from time..... ...... The remains of what once was.
.... A beautiful memory..... Lost underneath an evil lighthouse....
The teeth were removed quickly; the skull opened, the brain removed and tossed away.....
The remainder of her tongue was torn out at the root- That too discarded into a pile of teeth and brain matter.... Onto the block where she had been sacrificed.....
Dr Unsworth stopped at her eyes:
"Should we remove them or keep them?"
"Remove them brother. 'Tis the fifteenth revolution of Saturn," replied one of the order sternly- Evidently not amused by Dr Unsworth's question.
"Of course! I was joking man! My god! Humour is lost on some!" Dr Unsworth replied, pushing one of the eyeballs out of it's socket with a familiar ease. "I have a poor memory.... As you are all well aware....."
The inhabitants inside the of The Head of Zeus erupted into laughter....
All except Antonio; this was not a laughing matter- There was nothing to laugh about.... Nothing whatsoever....
Dr Unsworth moved quickly, hollowing the inside of the head and trimming away the remaining neck skin- Disposing of the excess flesh and skin as if it where nothing.....
For a moment, Antonio thought about his Uncle Frank at work in the butchers shop.....
...... Abigails hollow skull was now placed into a jar.....
Lifted and dropped like it was nothing- A piece of rotten meat to be quarantined and forgotten about......
From what Antonio could see, there was nothing left; her head looked like a hollowed out pumpkin in the aftermath of Halloween....
...... With the top of her cranium missing, he could see through her eyeball sockets, back to the inner lining of her skull where her brain once sat......
Abigail.....
..... What was left of Abigail...
She was unrecodnisable- Now just another head like all the rest. .... Stuffed in jar. Lonely......
.... Trapped underneath a lighthouse for all eternity.....
The remains of the corpse were reattached to the crucifix with long nails; the cross was lifted slowly back onto the inner skull of Zues....
Antonio finished the chalice in his hands and dropped to the floor:
"HEEEEEEELP!"
"HEEEEEEEELLLLLLPPPP!"
Every inch of him burned.....
The stark realisation he was next to be sacrificed was all too much... .....The nightmare was indeed very real to him now.....
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGHHHHHH!!"
His screaming was primitive, uncontrollable; something Antonio had never thought he was capable of........
Had it been inside him all along?
Deep down?
Had he always been screaming?
Inside?
One member of the Fourth Order took matters into his own hands, dashing over towards him.
BANG!
Antonio took a sharp blow to the jaw.
........ Antonio cries for help became a slow, slurred and murmured:
"No... No... No... No... No... No...No..." There was more to come.
..... A blunt object was smashed violently into the back of his skull. ......... Antonio returned to a temporary peace.