He slams the heavy iron maiden�s door. Later, he hears banging, the muffled cries. He opens it with fingers that shake like jelly. His sergeant stands ramrod-straight inside the torture device, eyes wide. �You closed the door.� The accusation is almost in jest. He holds out his hand, lifts Ben�s into it, helps him step out. �Any punctures?� It�s almost a joke. In another life Ben will shake his head, everything will be okay. In this life he nods, like he�s surprised. Then he falls forward. Tom catches him, hands bloody as his sergeant stumbles and dies in his arms. |