Posted by PK on November 02, 2001 at 18:33:14:
Belinda came obediently forward and let the dying woman see her. She stood unmoving as
Amanda lowered the spit and basted the glistening female body as it turned. She was sure
that Carol was still alive and felt an overwhelming urge to help her somehow. Too late, she
knew, even if there was anything she could do to stop this it was just too late. Guilt and moral
terror flooded her, she couldn't breathe. At that moment, if the Huntress had come to slit her
throat she wouldn't even have tried to resist.
"All done," Amanda said. "For now, anyway. Beer? It'll be a while before she's done to a turn,
so to speak."
"How could you do that to her?" Belinda blurted despite herself.
Amanda gave her a humorous, quizzical frown. "Haven't we covered this? Do I have to ask
why you let me? Yes, I know, you didn't kill her yourself. You just get paid by the people who
set her up. Q.E.D., deja vu. Yes, I'm sure we've been here before. Still, if you want an ethical
debate, I'm up for it. It'll pass the time if nothing else. Now, serious question, drink or not?"
"Dry red wine," Belinda said. "In a pint glass."
"Toughie," Amanda said with approval. "I bet you eat marmite with a spoon." She headed for
the cabin.
The angle of the light was changing already, it was late afternoon in late summer. Belinda sat
down. She couldn't take her eyes off Carol's body, rotating slowly, dripping slightly. It was
hard to tell whether she was still twitching or whether it was just the heat haze. She
concentrated, tried to understand. She felt twitchy so she stood up again. It was odd sitting
down with no underwear on, anyway. The ground pricked her buttocks and inner thighs and
played havok with her sensitive private parts. That sensitivity lingered as she moved around
the roasting carcasse of what had once been a woman like her. It was impossible not to
imagine how it would feel. Aesthetic considerations had a part to play in this, she realised.
She wondered how she would look in Amanda's video. Had she taped her with the 'doe'
costume on? Did her butt look big in it? If it did, there was nowhere to hide. The costume
only covered her above the sternum. Carol's rump was perfect. Delicious. The spit suited her.
Should be on the next 'Vogue' cover. Bitch. Oh, envy...
"Wine, one Imperial pint," Amanda announced. "A cheeky little Beaujolais from down under.
Chateau Wombat or something. Sorry, I'm a beer purist. I'll stick with the Timothy Tailor's."
Belinda took the glass (it was, in fact, a classic Imperial measure pint beer glass with an
etched line for checking the level) and drained a quarter of it in one gulp. She gasped and
spluttered a bit.
"I know," Amanda said sympathetically. "It's crap, isn't it? My fault, I got it cheap from
Sainsburys. No oenologist, I." She reached behind her and pulled the knife out of its sheath.
Belinda's adrenal glands kicked in. "You're going to kill me?" Well, of course. She knew that.
The quizzical look again. "Right now? If you insist. You'll have to sign something. Don't you
just hate red tape?" Amanda took a pull at her pint. "Nectar. I'd really rather hunt you first.
Work up an appetite. Another day?" She inspected the blade of her knife.
Probably looking for rust, Belinda decided. Maybe she wants to oil it. "I'm leaving," she said
suddenly.
Amanda nodded absently. "Up to you. You know the way out. Or, if not, you can stumble
around in the woods for a bit. Shortest way to the edge is that way." She pointed. "Nearest
road's not far. Of course, you'd look a treat hitchhiking in that kit." She pantomimed a leer. "If
I were you, which I'm obviously not, I'd head back to the lodge, get some clothes."
Somehow, this seemed unsatisfactory. "Why didn't you use that before?" Belinda asked.
Stupid question.
"The knife?"
The Huntress hadn't even drawn it when she took out the film crew. That easy.
Amanda made an impatient motion with her head. "Stop making excuses. I'm going to eat
Carol, you can stay and join in or go away. I'm not going to kill you today. Stop faffing about
and make your mind up."