It took me a long time to get back to the jeep and drive it
reasonably close to the new camp. I put the gear in the jeep then
came back and managed to observe Patricia secretly for a while
before I appeared, enough time to know that despite the
studiously calm demeanor she adopted for my benefit, she’d been
terrified. I gave her food ( at this point I wasn’t so intrigued
by having her lick the stew off the plate, so I spoon fed her )
and water, then started carrying her out. I left the cage and
platform there; some people out on survival training found it a
couple years later, and the Park Service dug up most of the
desert looking for the victims of satanic sacrifice. It was
pretty rough carrying Patricia, though as she repeatedly told me,
it would have been a lot harder in high heels; I gagged her after
the third or fourth time repetition. I got her in the jeep
and drove to an isolated spot about one hundred yards from where
I’d paid my local confederates to leave her car, clothes, and
handbag, along with some food and water and a first aid kit. I
sat her on the ground near a large rock into which two “O” rings
had been driven and chains hung from the rings. I poured some
antiseptic over her chest just above her breasts, then extracted
my piercing tools. Her eyes widened at that and she started
shaking her head furiously, but she was bound and gagged quite
securely and I inserted the rings in spots between her collar
bones and her breasts without too much difficulty, then poured
the antiseptic over the piercings; it hurt a lot more now. I
removed all her restraints except a pair of handcuffs, leaving
the gag in place. I took the keys to the handcuff and tossed them
on the ground a few yards away from her. “Well, PV”, I said,
“it’s been great meeting you, not exactly what I’d planned but
better than I’d dared hope. Now I have to free you while making
my own escape. All you have to do is rip those rings out, take
the keys and free your wrists, then walk a hundred yards to your
car. That won’t be easy, and I’m counting on the fact it will
take you awhile to work up the courage to do it to give me time
to get away. I’d been planning to relocate for some time, so
you’ll have a devil of a time finding me for prosecution or
revenge”. I turned to leave, “Oh, PV, you should know that in
your current condition it’s very unlikely anyone will find you
here before you die of thirst, so if you can’t pull free you’re
doomed”. She stared at me for a moment, then made a game effort,
collapsing white-faced and crying. “Yes, the rings are under
some muscles in your chest, very hard to tear. The Sioux used to
shove sticks under them and hang until their body weight tore
them loose as part of their religious ceremonies. I thought
about suspending you by the rings, but I liked this idea better
because it requires you to take an action that’s going to be
unbelievably painful, but you must do it if you want to live. I’m
sure you’re brave enough to do it; I’m also sure you won’t be
able to do it any time soon. Goodbye, and good luck”, I said and
walked away. I could hear her angrily grunting after me, but I
had decided it would more effective if I didn’t look back. She
probably didn’t believe that I wasn’t coming back; that would
keep her from trying anytime soon. It’d be some time tomorrow at
the earliest before she could reach a phone, and I’d be long
gone.
I never heard what happened. I suppose she freed herself; by now
someone would have passed the spot, and the discovery of her
handcuffed skeleton chained to a rock would have made the news
even in the places I’ve resided since then. I’m sure it would
have; all the other ones did.
END
