She reminded him of mommy. When they brought her out, Abul had even called to her, 'Mother! Mother!'� He realized his mistake as he screamed for her. Mother was at home, this young woman was here to be punished. She was beautiful like his mother. Her long dark hair flowed around her shoulders and danced in the wind. Her big brown eyes darted back and forth, taking in the spectacle.

'That man there,'� said his brother Kadu, pointing to the older man who held her, 'that is her uncle. He is a great man to uphold the law of our people.'�

Abul watched the man march the young woman into the square. He held her by the head and yanked on her hair to direct her. She screamed in protest. When he reached a location he deemed fit, he addressed the crowd.

'This girl has shamed her family! She has shamed her people! She will now face punishment.'�

To his left, Kadu cheered. Abul smiled widely. His brother was happy with the decision, so he would be happy as well. He looked up to his brother and valued his advice. If Kadu agreed that the girl must be punished, so she must.

'Whore!'� yelled a man running through the crowd. He wore a bright yellow shirt with blue stripes. He burst through the front line of people, standing before the girl and her uncle. The uncle nodded to the man in yellow. His fist slammed into her beautiful face, gaining applause from the audience. Again, he threw a powerful punch, the kind of punch intended for man. The girl's lip split as it connected, sending blood pouring down her chin.

Kadu pulled out his phone and began to videotape the beating. Others were doing the same. Abul followed in suit. He couldn't help but smile now. So many people surrounded him and shouted. The noise was terrific and huge. Obscenities and curses flew around as freely as joy and praise. A man in front of Kadu was spitting towards the girl. With each fresh blow to her face, he cheered and jumped.

Her uncle, the great man that he was for following the law, threw her to the ground. She lay coughing, holding her stomach. Abul watched her intently. She finally looked up; their gazes met. She reached out to him with desperation stitched across her face. He stood motionless, not knowing how to react. Before she could speak, her uncle's foot slammed down on her wrist, causing a horrifying scream to erupt from the depth of her stomach.

Her uncle's face radiated hate. His teeth were clenched together in an angry grimace as he grinded her arm into the ground with his foot. He spoke to her as he did this, but Abul was unable to make out the words. Tears ran freely from her eyes, mimicking the gash on her lip. Her uncle looked to where her eyes had been and spotted Abul. His grimace turned into a smile and he winked. Abul stood perfectly still, fear entering his body as the gravity of the situation dawned on him.

They aren't going to just punish her. They are going to kill her.

'Kadu! Kadu, please make them stop!'� Abul yelled.

'What? What are you talking about?'� Kadu responded, a confused look spreading across his dark features.

'Kadu they are going to kill her! Please make them stop!'� He begged.

'Of course they are. It is what she deserves for seeing an outsider. This is our way. It is what must be done. Don't say another word. If I see you turn away I will tell father and you will be punished.'�

Abul was left with little choice. His focus returned to the girl on the ground.

She moaned painfully as an unknown assailant from within the mob threw a stone at her. It slammed into the top of her head. The 'crack'� sound reminded Abul of tossing similar rocks against the brick walls back at home. What horrified him the most was that she didn't scream. She barely made a noise at all. She held her head with both hands where the stone had connected. It took a second or two for the bright red liquid to pour between her fingers and slowly make its way down to her chin. Abul watched the blood cover every centimeter of her beautiful face. It flowed over it perfectly, like a veil.

More men began running up to her and kicking her while she was down. The man in the yellow shirt kicked her hard between her legs, forcing Abul to unconsciously squeeze his hands into fists. Something was missing. He had dropped his phone. He didn't care how mad father would be when he told him. He couldn't look away.

The man in yellow spit on her back before disappearing into the crowd. Abul was beginning to panic. He turned his head desperately searching for help, for a release. He spotted a police officer; relief washed over him. The officer looked at him for only a moment, then looked at the girl being repeatedly kicked all over her body, then turned and walked away.

Mouth open in shock, Abul almost screamed when he felt two hands on his shoulders turning him around.

'I told you not to turn away!'� Kadu screamed in his face. Even then, it was becoming hard to hear anything over the increasing roar of the mob.

He started again, 'Abul, you must watch this. She deserves all of this! Do you trust me Abul?'�

'Yes, Kadu, but-' he was cut off.

'Then you must believe me when I say that this must be done. Say it.'�

Silence.

'Say it!'� Kadu demanded.

'It must be done.'� Abul conceded.

Kadu said no more. He stood Abul in front of him and held him by the shoulders.

The men had pulled the girls skirt up onto her back, revealing her undergarments, stripping her of her last vestiges of dignity. Hate reigned supreme. The fury overcame them all, taking them by the souls and leading them down the path of destruction. Abul watched her clutch at the ground, trying in vain to crawl to safety. There was no where to go. Her fate was sealed.

A pain shot through Abul's arm. He looked to see what had hit him. The man to his left held the object that collided with his arm. It was large and from the man's facial expression, heavy. A cinderblock had made its way to the front.

The young woman had given up crawling. She lay in the fetal position, trying her best to protect herself. The man with the cinderblock made his move. He dropped it hard on her lower back. Moaning, she pulled her hands away from her face to address the latest bit of agony her fellow villagers had inflicted upon her. This was what the man wanted. He picked the cinderblock up to face level and threw it down on the back of her head. The roar of a crowd witnessing the climax of the days events assaulted Abul's ears.

Abul dropped to his knees. She lay motionless. Her beautiful dark hair flowed around her shoulders and danced in the wind. Her face and the dirt surrounding it were red. The men around Abul were ravenous. They were still screaming. He watched the mob surge forward to admire their handiwork, some still kicking the body.

Kadu whispered into Abul's ear, 'her family's honor has been restored.'�

Abul stared at the body. He spoke low, unable to hear himself.

'It must be done,'� he repeated over and over, 'it must be done.'�




- I want to let everyone know that this particular piece has been submitted to an upcoming anthology focused on the prevention of crimes against women. If they pick it it will be published. All of the money will go to charity. You can learn more about the anthology here:

http://nothingbutred.wordpress.com/

I also would like to thank everyone who gave me notes on the original version. Talking to you Teri. Thanks to everyone else as well. Wish me luck and spread the word. End hate. Peace and Love.

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