Camille's third torture -or should I say Red Feline's
third torture- is the Strappado, also known as The Pendulum
or Squassation. A nasty and common form of torture in
medieval times and, in some variations, applied in our
times.
In the best known variation of the Strappado a
victim is suspended in the air by means of a rope attached
to her hands which are tied behind her back. Weights
are sometimes added to the body to increase the torture's
capacity of persuassion.
In this most uncomfortable position, the victim
will suffer additional tortures. It was customary to
apply thumbscrews to the victim while she was on the
strappado.
Was JJ going to do something like that to Camille?
I had to wait and see. This was one of the easiest tortures
to set up, all we needed was a sturdy post to hold the
pulley and a good rope.
This was Camille's second time on the strappado.
She looked very, very uncomfortable, and JJ showed no
mercy at all. I thought that this torture was perhaps
the one that would make Camille change her mind and
stop the production all together.
It was more than what I could stomach and for the
first time too I felt what I could describe as offended.
There was something humiliating about what was happening
to Camille and I could hardly stand it. I was wondering
if I was reconsidering this situation. Maybe it was
not 'cool', as they say. Maybe it was too nasty.
But the show must go on and it did. I kept my mouth
shut. It was up to Camille to stop it.
Margot
