Over 20 lashes had already left numerous bruises on his back.
Nathaniel held his breath, biting down on his lower lip to keep himself from crying out in humiliation, even though his lip was already bleeding.
Cold sweat covered his forehead, and blue veins bulged in his arms.
At 40 lashes, his arms against the wall began to tremble uncontrollably.
By the time they had struck him 70 times, his back was numb from the pain.
His skin, seemingly thinner than before, had broken in several places, staining his white shirt with blood.
Dizziness overcame him, and his long straight legs trembled uncontroLlably.
Abel sighed as he watched Cyrusâ cruelty was on full display.
While beating Nathaniel with the rattan whip caused immense pain, it was unlikely to kill him.
Abel couldnât help but note the secrecy of their actions, ensuring that Lucinda would remain unaware of Nathanielâs injuries, all of which were on his back and would not hinder his mobility.
Lost in thought, Abel was startled by the sound of a heavy thud.
The pain had become too much for Nathaniel, and he had collapsed on the ground.
The two men with Abel exchanged a worried glance, unsure of what to do next.
Turning to Abel for guidance, they asked, âWhat should we do now?â
Surveying Nathanielâs pale face, Abel inquired, âHow many times did you strike him?â
âNinety times,â came the grim reply.
Despite Nathanielâs current state, Abel couldnât help but admire the strength and resilience he had shown in enduring such torture.
âWhat a tough man!â he exclaimed.
âHe actually endured the pain for ninety lashes before fainting!â After pondering for a moment, he asked, âDid you not beat him hard enough?â
The two men shook their heads vigorously.
âYou know how strong we are, and this was Mr.
Simmonsâ orders.
We didnât dare hold back.
â
After a brief pause, one of them asked again, âWhat do we do now?â
âShould we administer the final ten lashes?â âIf we do, weâll need to splash water on him to revive him first.
â
Abel remained silent, gazing down at Nathaniel lying on the ground.
Nathanielâs complexion was ghastly pale, but his lips were marked with bright red bloodstains.
Despite his battered appearance, his angular features somehow managed to retain their appeal.