Part 7
As he slept, haunting visions circled through is unstable mind. A fire burning brightly in the center of a circle comprised of strange symbols. Rada drums sounded in the background. A steady, repetitive beat echoed through the air. The stench of burning feathers and animal fat filled his nostrils and made him feel sick to the stomach.
Dancing� They danced circles around him. Cabri San Caur they called him. What this meant, he had no idea but he knew it couldn't be good. His eyes were directed to the flame. A woman wearing a mask of a leopard� it was a leopard. Slowly she removed the mask to reveal stunning beauty. A vision of perfection unlike he had ever set eyes upon. He tried with all his strength to break eye contact but failed. Her eyes were magnificent. Deep, mysterious� a colour like he had never seen. Slowly she raised he arm and he soft skin burnt and felt wondrous at the same time.
"Don't worry� everything will be fine" She whispered and began warning backwards in the direction of the flame. He expected her to stop as the heat hit her back but the his surprise� she continued to move until her body was engulfed in the flames. Her face contorted and she let out a shrill screech as her body began to change shape. Her head tossed frantically back and forth as the leopard spots began to show and her body took the shape of the large cat in which she had been wearing.
She stalked the circle and the chants became louder. Cabri San Caur they chanted over and over again. Cabri San Caur� Cabri San Caur� Cabri San Caur! All eyes were in his direction until the leopard moved over to a darkened area. One of the other animal dressed men followed her with a torch to reveal the 3 bodies on those he had stripped of life, hanging limp from 3 wooden vertical poles.
The leopard spoke.
"Cabri San Caur�" She began in a roar like voice and everyone looked to her.
"You wonder why we call you this. Goat without horns is the meaning of what we have labeled you. A human sacrifice."
Everyone cheered and it seemed that all colour had drained from Paul's face. Some of the group lifted him towards a large stone plate to the side of the flame. She chanted something and the bodies of Tim, Richard and Rove twitched. Their eyes opened. Their mouths opened and an abundance of snakes were spewed forth and onto the ground. The snakes moved towards him and bound him to the dish by his waist, arms, legs and throat.
The chants became louder and louder. A large figure with the head of a bear moved to him and stretched his hand towards the sky. His fingers representing a claw. With a great deal of speed the hand moved towards his bare chest. Pain ripped through his body as the hand pierced his skin, broke through his rib cage and clutched around his heart. He screamed the scream of torture. The sound of ligaments, muscles, skin ripping apart as his heart was brutally detached from his body�
Paul fell out of bed� he found himself laying on the floor dripping in sweat. He heard the sound of someone standing up and walking towards him.
"Paul are you ok?" The voice said� Another close friend of his moved towards him.
"Paul� Paul oh my god Paul� I'm so sorry"
part 8