## A Cross to Bear!

Post by scotgoth » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:21 am

This is a true story, based on the Biblical story of Jesus on the cross at Calvary.
On a very warm and sunny Saturday afternoon in August, Lisa and Paul were sat in the conservatory finishing their lunch.
Lisa was a muscular and powerfully built yet strikingly beautiful young lady of nineteen, standing about 1.75 metres tall and weighing about 78 kilograms, with long straight jet black hair tied back in a pony tail. She wore a loose-fitting white-striped navy blue â€˜Adidasâ€™ tee-shirt, which was not tucked into blue-striped white â€˜Adidasâ€™ shorts, and blue-striped white leather â€˜Adidasâ€™ trainers. A black plastic digital stopwatch/clock hung on a thick black cord round her neck.
Paul was a round-faced and wide-mouthed, slightly snub-nosed boy of twelve, standing about 1.52 metres tall and weighing about 45 kilograms, with short wavy jet black hair. He wore a loose-fitting red â€˜Englandâ€™ shirt, which was not tucked into shabby Jungle Camouflage three-quarter combat trousers, and light grey socks with black leather trainers.
â€œReady?â€ Lisa asked, putting her cup down on the coffee table in front.
â€œIâ€™m ready!â€ Paul replied.
Paul stood up and followed his sister outside into the spacious and immaculate, yet very secluded back garden.
A wooden pole about two metres in length and about a third of a metre in diameter hung by a rope from the tree in the centre of the garden, with a second rope hung loosely over one end.
â€œMake yourself...comfortable!â€ Lisa teased, gesturing the pole.
Paul stood with his back against the pole, and placing his arms straight out at either side, took a firm hold of the pole with his hands.
Lisa picked up the rope, and standing in behind of Paulâ€™s right hand, tied his wrists securely to the beam with one end of the rope.
â€œTight enough?â€ Lisa laughed, in response to her brotherâ€™s grunt as she pulled the rope tight.
Lisa wound the rope round Paulâ€™s arm and the pole, tightly fastening his arm to the pole. As she reached Paulâ€™s shoulder, she simply passed the rope behind his back and started winging it round Paulâ€™s left arm and the beam as she worked towards his left hand. Lisa completed her work by tightly fastening her brotherâ€™s left wrist to the other end of the pole.
â€œHowâ€™s that?â€ Lisa asked, walking round in front of her brother to admire her captive.
Paul tugged at the rope, but the rope was too tight, and he could not move either arms or wrists.
â€œIâ€™ll get on with my uni work!â€ Lisa announced, lifting the stopwatch off and hanging it round her brotherâ€™s neck and setting the stopwatch going. â€œIâ€™ll release you...sometime...!â€
Lisa spared her brother a mischievous smile and went back to the conservatory. Sitting in the chair, she turned her attention to her laptop and uni books.
Lisa became so engrossed in her work, she lost track of time and forgot all about her poor brother. Only when she eventually looked up from her laptop did she remember her brother was tied to the tree.
Lisa carefully put the laptop on the coffee table, and jumping out of the seat, hurried towards her brother. It was clear from the body language, and the squirming, he had been tied in this position for some time and his arms were hurting.
â€œIâ€™m SO sorry, Paul!â€ Lisa exclaimed apologetically as she united Paulâ€™s right wrists and started unwinding the rope. â€œI didnâ€™t realise youâ€™d been tied for so long. You should have called!â€
â€œIâ€™m ok!â€ The boy replied, rubbing his aching arms. â€œMuch longer and I would have.â€
â€œHow long?â€ Lisa asked, gesturing the stopwatch as she dropped the rope on the grass.
â€œTwo hours and twenty-six minutes.â€ Paul replied, looking at the stopwatch.
Paul followed his sister back into the conservatory, and she made him a cold drink.
The following Saturday was another very warm and sunny day as Lisa and Paul sat in the conservatory finishing their breakfast.
Lisa was wearing a white-striped navy blue â€˜Adidasâ€™ tee-shirt, which was not tucked into blue-striped white â€˜Adidasâ€™ shorts, with matching leather trainers.
Paul was wearing a loose-fitting black tee-shirt with a multi-tone grey picture and lettering on the front, which was not tucked into faded blue denim jeans-style three-quarter length shorts, and white socks with black leather trainers.
â€œReady?â€ Lisa asked, putting her empty cup back on the tray on the coffee table.
â€œBe back in a mo!â€ Paul replied, getting up and heading inside the house.
Lisa cleared the pots away and then returned to the conservatory. Paul returned a few moments later.
â€œHelp yourself!â€ Lisa exclaimed, gesturing the large pole they had used the previous week, stood upright against the open conservatory doors.
With help from his sister, Paul picked the pole up and rested it across his shoulders behind his neck. Holding his arms straight up, he grasped hold of the pole with both hands.
Lisa picked up a long piece of thick rope, and tied her brotherâ€™s right wrist tightly to the pole. Lisa wound the rope tightly round Paulâ€™s arms and the pole, passing behind his neck and continuing along his left arm. She finished the job by tying his left wrist tightly to the other end of the pole.
â€œHowâ€™s that?â€ Lisa asked, picking up the stopwatch and hanging it round her neck and setting it going.
â€œGreat!â€ Paul replied gratefully, tugging experimentally at the ropes and noticing they were considerably tighter than last week.
â€œI need to get on with uni work.â€ Lisa announced, heading inside the house. â€œIâ€™ll check on you in a bit.â€
With some difficulty, Paul negotiated his way through the door into the kitchen, and the door into the lounge. Lisa had put the television on for Paul. Making himself as comfortable as he could, the boy sat down and started watching the programmes.
Lisa came down the stairs from her bedroom and entered the living room. She spare her brother a mischievous smile as she went into the kitchen, and returned a few moments later carrying a glass of Coke.
â€œHow are you doing, bro?â€ Lisa asked, sitting in the armchair to her brotherâ€™s left. â€œReady to give yet?â€
â€œHow long?â€ Paul asked.
â€œNinety-two minutes and twenty-six seconds.â€ Lisa replied, looking at the readout on the stopwatch.
Although Paul was obviously in some discomfort from having his arms stretched out and tied so tightly to the pole, he wasnâ€™t about to admit defeat.
â€œI can take it!â€ Paul retorted defiantly.
â€œOK!â€ Lisa replied airily, getting up and heading for the stairs.
Lisa went back upstairs to her bedroom and her uni work.
Lisa was so engrossed in her uni work she lost track of time, and it was lunchtime when she came down the stairs again and entered the living room.
It was quite clear from his body language and squirming within the tight ropes that Paul was now in considerable pain from having his arms stretched out and tied so tightly for so long.
â€œLunchtime!â€ Lisa exclaimed cheerfully, and noticing her brotherâ€™s discomfort. â€œIâ€™d better release you!â€
â€œNo!â€ Paul replied firmly, despite his pain and discomfort.
â€œYour arms must be really hurting!â€ Lisa said, concerned. â€œI tied the ropes tighter this time.â€
â€œI know you did.â€ Paul replied. â€œI can take it!â€
â€œI donâ€™t knowâ€¦!â€ Lisa exclaimed doubtfully.
â€œI can take it!â€ Paul retorted. â€œIf you untie me, you loose!â€
â€œYou can have another hour.â€ Lisa replied slowly, as she entered the kitchen.
Lisa made herself a light lunch and sat in the armchair, talking to her brother as she ate.
â€œTimeâ€™s up!â€ Lisa replied later, looking at the stopwatch.
Paul didnâ€™t argue this time. Heâ€™d been tied very tightly to a heavy pole for four hours, and his arms were really hurting. Lisa removed the ropes to reveal deep red marks on Paulâ€™s wrists, arms and neck from the ropes and the rough pole.
Paul breathed a sigh of relief as Lisa helped him put the pole on the floor, taking the weight off his shoulders.