The colonel walked over to her body, retrieving his combat knife as he approached her. Placing a boot on her chest, he leaned over her, gripping the top of her head by the hair and pulling it backward. Her throat was stretched taut before him, and he reached down with his other hand, dragging his blade across her slender neck and flaying it open to the bone. Her arteries squirted weakly, getting blood on his hand and knife. Her cut throat spasmed slightly, and he didn’t stop there. He worked the blade between the bones of her neck, expertly slicing through the connective tissue, and then he was cutting the skin at the back, and her head came free in his hand. He stood up straight, boot still pressing an imprint into her chest, and held her head up to the gathered troops. Her expression was almost hilarious.

“Take a good look, men,” he called out to them. “This is the fate of cowards, of traitors. This is what we do to those who turn on their own and slay them in cold blood. This cowardly whore tried to save herself by seducing her guard.” He turned her to face him briefly, and spoke directly to her. “How did that work out for you?”

A few laughs rang out from the crowd. He turned her to look sightlessly out at them again. “Still, no reason we can’t honor her wishes in death. Catch!” With that, he tossed her into the gathered soldiers. One of them caught her, and looked uncomfortable.

“She’s yours, boys,” Colonel Miller said. “Have your way with her while she’s still warm and wet. She’s ready for the taking over here, too,” he continued, moving her limp corpse under his heel. “’Course, I don’t know how many of you are into dirty sluts with fuckin’ forests on their crotch, but hey, if she looks good to you, take her! That’s all she was ever good for!”