[Excerpt: As the women got near the gallows and got a good look, some of their bravery and confidence seemed to fade. But still they kept walking.]

THIS IS PART 2. A LINK TO PART 1 IS BELOW.

    Back in 1875 horse thieves must hang. Everybody knew that. So when two thieves were caught outside of town along with their girlfriends, it was only a matter or working out a few simple details.

    The new judge in town said there should be a trial. People grumbled that this wasn't necessary. But the judge promised he'd make it quick, and then the guilty would hang.

    True to his word, the trial went fast. The young men sat in court and looked nervous, but stoic. The girlfriends sat behind them, in the spectator’s gallery. They looked worried too. They whispered a lot to each other about what was going on.

    Katie was the smaller of the two but a bit older and a bit bolder. Ann was a bit taller, slim, and more often quiet.

    As the trial was winding down, the judge said he needed a few minutes in his chambers to put things in writing.

    While everyone was waiting, the sheriff came up to the young women and told them the judge wanted to see them in his chambers. They were nervous about this unexpected turn of events but didn't want to annoy the judge by asking questions. So they went with the sheriff.

    The judge was waiting for them. The sheriff joined them for the conversation. Another young woman was there too -- the judge's secretary, a beautiful young woman who sat still with no smile, reflecting the seriousness of the situation.

    The judge asked the women if they'd ever seen a hanging. Neither had. He said it's a gruesome process, watching the condemned struggle and kick their life away while swaying and strangling. Depending on how the knot is tied, and other variables, it could go on quite a long time.

    Both women quickly decided they were being asked for sex to prevent or at least delay the executions of their boyfriends. But if they were being asked for sex why did the judge allow his secretary to sit in? That was odd. Would she be in on whatever perverted desires the judge had in mind?

    The judge put that notion to rest. He told the women they’re there to make a decision. If they’d plead guilty to the thefts the judge said he'd find the men not guilty and let them go.

    The two of them asked for a while to talk and decide. The judge said, "I'll give you two minutes. Decide quickly. Also, if you hang you'll be naked -- something to think about."

    On top of everything else that was an extra shock.

    They talked quickly. In the end they agreed. Both felt scared, but felt good to save their boyfriends.

    The judge found them guilty right there in his chambers. He signed off on the verdicts, and signed their death warrants, and set their execution for one week. Then he told them to go with the sheriff to the local jail.

    The judge went back to the courtroom to deliver the news and tell the accused young men they were free to go.

    People in town weren't sure what to make of all this. They'd get their hangings. So while it was an odd outcome most folks accepted it. Many of them started to look forward to the spectacle of the hanged women.

    The women were scared. They were stunned and pale as could be. They didn't resist the sheriff and walked with him to the jail. The jail had two small cells. The sheriff asked if they wanted to be locked up separate or together. They said together. The cell was small -- just big enough to hold a cot, and a bucket for a latrine, and not much more. They both stepped inside. The sheriff closed the heavy door with a solid “clunk,” and applied a heavy padlock. He tugged hard on the padlock several times to show that it was secure.

    After their close brush with death the young men wanted to get out of town promptly. By that evening they had new girlfriends -- a beautiful pair of sisters who were highly adventurous and eager to leave small town life behind to be with these dashing outlaws. By later that night the four were all many miles away, moving onward. By leaving so fast the guys wanted to ensure the judge could not change his mind, and no lynching party would get them either.

    The women had nothing to do but sit and talk, sleep when possible, and try to comfort each other. The only nice feature they enjoyed, other than their mutual company, were the meals. The sheriff’s wife was a great cook. She took pity on the girls and brought them wonderful food. She also made sure they had enough water and soap to clean themselves and their clothes. And she made sure they had a broom and mop and water so they could keep the cell tidy each day.

    Outside, they could hear workmen erecting a scaffold.

    Within a day or so their worst fears started to fade. Both of the girls were high spirited and they helped each other get a good attitude. Soon they could smile and laugh a little, and flirt with the jail guards.

    As the end of the week approached, they could laugh and think about putting on a show that people in town would never forget.

    With about 24 hours left they told the sheriff they were ready to give up all their clothing and made him take all of it. They knew the word would get around town that the girls locked in the jail were naked. Sure enough, that gossip spread fast and it piqued the interest of people in town even more.

    The night was chilly, as it often is in the desert. They partly regretted their decision to give away all their clothing. But they took it as a fun challenge to stay as warm as possible. The cell had a single blanket. They wrapped it around both of them together as best they could and snuggled together for warmth.

    On the day of the hangings the girls did not disappoint. After a light breakfast —- just coffee and a biscuit -– they both let the sheriff tie their hands very tightly, and elbows too, forcing their shoulders back and chests outward. They both giggled and laughed at this, and waited in the cell together. As midday got closer it was time to make the short walk to the gallows. They stepped out boldly.

    As the women got near the gallows and got a good look, some of their bravery and confidence seemed to fade. But still they kept walking.

    In the end they put on a terrific show. Everyone in town agreed they'd never seen hangings like these. The girls willingly walked up the steps, willingly lifted their heads up when the nooses were put in place, and exchanged some sideways glances and grins. When the trap door opened they fell only a few inches -- the ropes were very short. Both put up terrific struggles.

    When the struggles were done, the bodies were left on display to twist and sway in the sun and the hot western breeze for a day. Spectators could watch and ogle the young women as much as they wanted. Finally, after sunset, they were cut down and fell on the ground with a big "thud!" They were taken away and buried at the boot hill, still naked with their hands and arms tied back.

    About six months later the judge's body was found on the outskirts of town, shot, stabbed and mutilated. No one knew how he came to be there. Maybe he had an affair with the wife of the wrong man. Maybe he was in a business deal that went bad. Maybe one of the young cowboys came back and lured him to his death to avenge the dead young women. No one knew. In any case he was not greatly mourned and he was not greatly missed.

                   *     *     *

    In the 1950s the town began having an annual "Old West" festival. It was fun and good for business -- people would visit from all around. They'd spend money in local hotels, stores, restaurants, and bars. There were rodeo events, shooting contests, demonstrations of frontier cooking, square dancing and more. Many folks wore 19th century clothing. Music, food and drink flowed freely.

    A reenactment of the famous 1875 naked hangings was part of the festival right from the start and was always popular. The replica hangings were held in a part of the old town where the ages of the spectators could be checked and young folks kept out.

    The town used to hire a magician. He would bring out two naked assistants, take plenty of time putting them on display and then getting them all set up. He’d “hang” them one at a time. Each would put on a vigorous “struggle” before she “died.” It was tough to get the illusion right because of the safety gear and precautions. But the crowd didn’t care – they watched closely and loved it anyway. When the execution illusion was done right it brought out lots of powerful emotions in those who wanted to watch – from shock, worry, sadness and empathy to lust, admiration, and fascination.

    In the late 1970s the festival organizers discovered to their shock and surprise it was possible to get a real-life volunteer who'd actually hang. The town judge handled all the paperwork to keep it legal. A new tradition was born.

    Of course, real volunteers were always very rare and scarce. But every year at least one or two willing women would always come forward. The annual hangings were popular and continued to draw good crowds.

    Young women in town would often joke about the hangings. Someone having a rough day could laugh with her friends and say, "Oh my God I am definitely volunteering for the festival this year!"

    Sometimes a young woman might say with more seriousness or sadness, "I think I'll volunteer this year."

    Nearly always, women who talked this way didn't mean it. It was just a casual fantasy of escape, or a way to vent some frustration about the normal ups and downs of daily life. But occasionally someone really meant it -- she could work through the local judge and sheriff to set up the process.

                   *     *     *

    Technically, once the paperwork is done the execution is legal and women aren't allowed to back out. They were expected to walk on their own from the jail to a holding area at the base of the gallows. They were expected to wait there until their name was called. This could be for an hour or much longer, so everyone in the crowd had time to see and ogle the naked, bound women as much as they wanted. When it was their turn they were expected to walk up the stairs on their own.

    Throughout the process, they were expected to keep a smile and good attitude as much as possible, to put on a good show for the crowd, and not speak unless spoken to. The hangman would take care of everything else. Typically they're scared as the day approaches. But usually they were stoic, if not always upbeat, and there were few problems getting them play their part in the process.

    Some spectators said the display and setup process before the hangings was the best part. They liked the feelings of anticipation. The women waiting at the base of the gallows often had a variety of reactions. It was fun to watch and study the different personalities.

    Some looked unhappy or at least very uncomfortable being naked and bound for the crowd while they waited to take their turn with a noose. They had to work to keep a good attitude. Others seemed to have mixed feelings. Some women took on an air of calm before they would hang -- it was their way of dealing with complex emotions, or trying to make a dignified last impression before the indignities ahead of them. They worked hard to keep a good body posture by standing straight, with chin up and shoulders back, breathing deep and steady for all to see. Other women seemed to enjoy being bare and bound and put on display. They could soak up the attention, have fun and smile easily. It's cute. Sometimes one of the confident ones would turn a bit side to side to make sure everyone was getting a great view or give a fun, playful little shake of her bare boobs once in awhile to draw the gaze of spectators. Flirting with the audience was a way for a young woman to have a little fun while she waited to hang.

    When there were a few women waiting to hang it was fun to watch their interactions. One bolder woman in a group usually seemed to help the more timid ones smile and feel a little better while each one waited for her turn to dangle.

    When a woman heard her name called there were a variety of reactions to see. Some seemed mainly nervous. Others gave a sigh. Some looked grim, others feisty. Regardless of whatever emotions she may feel, all were expected to walk to the bottom of the stairs and make their one-way climb up to the gallows platform.

    Once a few years ago, one young woman, Cindy, seemed truly terrified. She totally lost her composure as her time approached. When her name was called she shrieked and cried and threw herself on the ground, crying "No! No! No!"

    The sheriff and his deputies didn't know what to do. They considered dragging her up the stairs to the gallows and making her hang. But after a quick discussion with the judge they decided against this. They untied the ropes holding her arms behind her back and told her she wouldn't have to hang. This calmed her a lot, although she was still distraught. Someone put a blanket around her naked body. A young female deputy walked her back to the town jail to regain her composure, collect her clothing and be released back to her home.

    There were two other gorgeous women waiting to be hanged that year. So there was plenty of spectacle for the crowd to see and enjoy. The audience didn't feel too cheated.

    Cindy made an appointment to meet with the judge and the sheriff two weeks later.

    When she arrived for her appointment she made quite a different impression – she was calm and poised. She spoke clearly. She was dressed in a beautiful short dark dress, black hose, and lovely black patent leather pumps.

    She explained why she was so upset. She said she expected her boyfriend to attend but he wasn’t there. This was really disturbing and upsetting for her since he was the one who first brought up the idea for her and it was partly with the idea of pleasing him that she had volunteered.

    She apologized profusely for letting her emotions get the better of her. She said she was willing to hang at the festival next year. She promised to do it with great enthusiasm and a big smile, and give the audience a really good show.

    The judge was angry at her for making such a scene at the festival. But outwardly he kept his cool. He felt it was important for Cindy to hang, to keep up the precedent that volunteers aren't allowed to back out.

    The paperwork as all in order. The judge told Cindy he could arrange to have her hanged that afternoon if she was agreeable with that.

     Cindy was stunned at the idea. Her eyes grew wide. She gulped and thought for a moment. She took a breath and opened her mouth as if she was going to speak. Then she thought better of it. She closed her mouth. She let out a big sigh, she nodded, and she said, “Okay.”

    The judge called his clerk Katy into the room. He told her there’d be a hanging that afternoon. Judge Peterson planned to use a large old oak tree a few miles outside of town. Rumor had it this tree was used for some hasty hangings in the old west days, and the judge liked tradition.

    The sheriff left to get a wagon and a few deputies to help with the process.

    Katy nodded. She looked at Cindy kindly, put her hand on Cindy’s shoulder and said, “Whatever things you leave here I’ll make sure get back to your kin, sweetheart.” She stepped out of the room.

    Cindy said softly to Judge Peterson, “I need to get undressed, don’t I?”

     "Yes, that's customary," he said gruffly.

    Cindy sighed again and slipped out of her clothing piece by piece. She folded her clothes neatly and put them on a chair. When she was down to her bra, panties and shoes she stood up, hesitated a bit, and took a few deep breaths for courage. She knew it was okay to keep her shoes on. She removed the other two items.

    Instinctively she wanted to cover the front of her body with her arms. But she decided this was not a good idea. With great willpower she forced herself to keep her arms at her sides.

    Katy came in the office carrying three pieces of rope. She looked at Cindy and got a big, bright smile. “Wow – you look really fantastic and gorgeous, dear!” she said cheerfully.

    This got a small smile from Cindy and a bit of extra blush. "Thanks," she said.

    "Now put your arms behind your back for me, sweetheart," Katy said pleasantly.

    With only a little delay Cindy put her arms behind her back and waited patiently.

    "That's a good girl," said Katy. "Now let's get you tied nice and tight!" she said with a very chipper tone, as if it was all a lot of fun.

    Cindy nodded just a little.

    Katy got one of the pieces of rope. Then she tied Cindy's arms, taking her time to make several loops for extra security, and making the rope very snug.

    “Let’s get a good look at you, sweetheart – turn around and face me,” Katy said.

    Cindy turned around.

    “Lookin’ good,” Katy said cheerfully. “I know the ropes can be frustrating, but they’re there for good reasons.”

    Cindy just nodded somberly.

    “Now do you want me to fluff you up a little in the nipple areas, dear?” Katy asked, smiling. Her hands moving up toward Cindy’s breasts.

    “No no no no!” Cindy said in a rapid-fire burst. “Please don’t!”

    Katy smiled some more. “Well okay then, maybe just a little,” she said sweetly.

    Cindy took a step back, she smiled but looked worried.

    “Step up close, sweetheart,” Katy said. “Step toward me.”

    Cindy felt like she had no choice. She took a step forward.

    “That’s a good girl,” Katy said sweetly. “Now let’s get you a little plumped up.”

    She reached up to Cindy’s nipples. She started to rub, pinch and and twist them.

    Cindy gasped. Being nervous and afraid just made her whole body more sensitive. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, trying to handle the pain and the pleasure.

    “All eyes will be on you,” Katy said, obviously enjoying herself. She continued to stimulate Cindy and not be gentle about it. “Any girl wants to look her best.”

    After a little while longer Katy said, “Well I think that’s enough.” She finished what she was doing with an extra-hard pinch and twist.

    Cindy gasped and whimpered, then opened her eyes when it was over.

    “What you’re doing is very difficult,” said Katy seriously, putting her hands on Cindy’s bare shoulders. “I know you’ll be very brave.”

    She moved in close and gave Cindy a kiss on her lips. Cindy closed her eyes for the kiss. She seemed to appreciate the kind, warm gesture.

    “Now go ahead and lay down on the carpeting for me, dear,” she told Cindy.

    Cindy did so and Katy tied her ankles tightly together.

    Finally she used the third rope to connect her ankles to her wrists, forcing Cindy into a tight hogtie position with her ankles by her wrists.

    Katy stood back to admire her work. She knew what she was doing, and she knew the judge would be pleased.

    The position was very uncomfortable for Cindy. But she didn't complain.

    The sheriff and a few deputies came by the courthouse with a horse-drawn cart.

    Being on the floor Cindy could see much -- mostly just their boots. She tried to twist and strain her head to get a little better look at who was in the room.

    The deputies, two young men and one young woman, lifted Cindy. They weren't particular about where their hands wandered on Cindy. They carried her outside.

    Being carried this way was a strange sensation for Cindy -- she didn't want to squirm or move too much, worried that they would drop her.

    When they got to the cart they tossed her in roughly with a thud. She cried out in pain, then bit her lip and said nothing more about the harsh handling.

    The trip to the hanging tree was long and rough, along a well-worn dirt road. Each rock, rut and pothole in the dirt road made the cart jostle and bounce and delivered quite a beating to the helpless, hogtied young woman. There was nothing she could do to protect her body from the blows. She was close to crying or whimpering, but made a huge effort to stay quiet.

    When they arrived at the tree they were in no hurry to get Cindy set up. They left her hogtied in the cart awhile while they positioned it just right. They tied the rope properly and got the noose set up.

    Finally, to Cindy’s great relief, they cut the rope that kept her legs connected to her wrists, so she could at least stretch out her knees. Her wrists and ankles were still tied together. They made her stand, and positioned her under the rope. They put the noose on her, pulled it snug around her neck, and made some final adjustments to the rope so she’d only fall a short distance when the time came.

    Lastly they untied the ropes around her ankles so she could move her legs freely, and made sure her shoes were buckled on snugly. Naturally they left her arms tied tightly behind her back.

    Once everything was set there was little need for any ceremony. Cindy was breathing hard. The judge approached her and gave vent to some of his anger. "Young lady, you embarrassed yourself the other day. You embarrassed your town. You disrupted our festival. You ought to feel ashamed of yourself" He berated her for a few more minutes.

    It was clear from the Judge’s demeanor that he didn’t want to hear anything from Cindy. And she didn’t try to speak in her own defense.

    When the judge was done he waved his hand at the young deputy who was holding the horse steady. Cindy’s eyes grew wide with fright, realizing this was the signal to take the cart away. She looked quickly at the horse and the young man holding the bridle. She gulped and looked down quickly at the cart she was standing on. She looked up quickly at the rope above her and the stout tree limb overhead. Her chest was heaving as she breathed deeply and her fear and panic ramped up to a whole new level. And in other ways too, her body looked perky and alert. The young deputy led the horse forward slowly. Cindy was standing in the middle of the cart. As it moved forward she walked to the back edge, trying to stay upright until the very last second. When she reached the back edge of the cart she could go no further. The cart kept moving. She screamed as the rope around her neck drew tight and it tugged her slightly off balance. She lost her footing, stumbled off the back of the cart, and stepped off into the air.

    Her scream stopped instantly and became a weak gurgle. She hung still for a second or two, swaying from the tree limb like a pendulum. Then her struggles started.

    The others stood by to watch. Cindy started bucking her body and kicking her legs. She twisted and thrashed with all her might. She tried desperately to get her arms free but she was tightly tied. Her legs flailed wildly in all directions, stretching out with her toes, frantically trying to reach for some footing that just wasn’t there.

    The onlookers couldn’t help seeing how hard her belly muscles worked. Her hips and shoulders sometimes moved sharply in opposite ways. Her breasts swayed and bobbled. Her nipples were engorged and protruding. She kept opening and closing her mouth as if to speak, but no sounds came out beyond a few weak gasping sounds.

    Her struggles got more intense as the first few minutes went by. But no matter how violently she jerked, twisted and thrashed she couldn't get any relief from the noose.

    After quite a while everyone could see her movements were finally getting slower. Even then, she kept kicking and fighting the rope quite a while, losing the fight slowly.

    After quite a long time her body finally showed no more signs of life, and she was left to hang the legally required time. The magnificent, still body swayed and twisted slightly in the hot afternoon breeze. Once in a while there were a few small, post-mortem muscle jerks. But with time those too died away. Finally the cart was brought back under the body and she was cut down, landing in the back of the cart with a big "thud." They left her naked with her arms tied back. They brought her body back to town and brought it over to Nick's place.

              *     *     *

    When Lucy learned her mom and some friends had volunteered for the annual hangings it brought a surge of mixed feelings. Lucy felt baffled about why anyone would make that choice. But she knew her mom felt differently. Jo seemed to enjoy the annual hangings -- she would attend every year. She often joked about volunteering, and basically seemed to find the whole process funny and appealing and kinky in a good way. Lucy could imagine her mom out partying and drinking with friends when someone suggested they volunteer -- Jo would approve and whip up support for the idea.

    Lucy didn't understand the appeal of the annual hangings -- she thought it was an odd tradition. True, Lucy sometimes wondered what it would feel like, being naked and the center of attention to all the spectators, like every young woman in town did. That brought a wave of good and bad feelings. And it was also true that now she was old enough, she was curious to attend the festival and watch a hanging – she had talked about it with a few friends and they had plans to go see the hangings together this year.

    Lucy was sad and scared for her mom, but also felt a bit of relief. Honestly since her teen years started she had never felt extremely close to Jo. They often clashed on many topics, from clothes to boys to her hairstyles to the amount of time she spent studying. Jo had never liked school and dropped out early. Lucy was a straight-A student who was constantly pushing herself to do better. Lucy never cared much about clothes, while Jo loved skimpy, lacy, frilly clothing and was constantly pushing Lucy to show off her fantastic body with tighter and more revealing outfits. By the time Lucy was mostly through high school she learned to avoid home as much as she could, dressing in the comfortable jeans and sweatshirt or t-shirt she liked, and spending her time studying in the school library or at one of the good coffee shops in town.

    Lucy's sister Annie was just one year younger and much like her mother. Annie and Jo loved the skimpiest and sexiest clothing, flirting, and partying. Annie couldn't care less about her school work or grades. At home the two of them would sometimes wear nothing more than a little frilly lingerie, or less, and encouraged Lucy to do the same. Lucy felt silly wearing just skimpy lingerie or less, but the other two seemed to love the feelings and Lucy learned it was easier to go along than argue.

    When Annie heard her mom had volunteered for the hanging, she instantly said, "Oh my God we've got to join her!"

    "What are you talking about?" Lucy asked.

    "We have to join her! We can't let her do it by herself! What if she feels scared or lonely or wants someone to talk with -- we need to be there with her for moral support!"

    "That's crazy," Lucy said. "She decided to do this. She's a grown woman. She doesn't need our moral support. Anyway she's there with friends -- they can talk a get moral support with each other."

    Annie wasn't ready to give up the idea. She insisted it was the right thing to do. Lucy thought that attitude was dumb and figured Annie would change her mind soon.

    But Annie didn't change her mind and said proudly she was going down to the courthouse to volunteer herself.

    Lucy was shocked. This was a surprise turn of events. In spite of their personality differences she'd always felt very close and protective of her little sister. The idea of Annie volunteering to hang was far too much to deal with.

    Seeing there was no easy way to talk her out of the idea Lucy very reluctantly tried a different tack. "What if I do it?" she asked softly.

    "Seriously?" Annie asked.

    Lucy sighed. "Yeah, what if I do it? I'll volunteer and be there for Mom if she wants moral support. If I do, will you stay out of it?" she asked seriously, hardly believing what she was saying.

    "God that's brave," Annie said, taken aback. "Okay. Yeah if you feel that strongly I'll agree. I'll stay out of it."

    "Promise me you'll stay safe, take good care of yourself, and have a good life," Lucy said somberly, feeling stunned by the reality of what she was doing.

    "I will," Annie said. "Well I'll try," she said with a smile.

    Lucy sighed. She tried to decide what she needed to bring with her to volunteer. A change of clothes, maybe? Her phone? Nah, she thought -- that probably won't be needed. In the end she grabbed just her wallet with ID for the walk across town to the courthouse.

    "Do you want me to come with you?" Annie asked cheerfully.

    "No, please -- I'd rather do this by myself," Lucy said. "Take good care of yourself."

    “Okay,” said Annie. “Tell Mom I said Hi. Give her my love.”

    “I will,” said Lucy.

    Lucy wasn’t sure what to expect at the courthouse. What if the process didn’t go smoothly -– what if they turned her away for some reason? She had a hunch they probably wouldn’t. (Modesty aside she knew her great looks had an effect on people. Even if there were already enough volunteers to hang this year, she suspected the authorities at the courthouse would not turn her away.)

    On the other hand, if the process went smoothly they might lock her in a holding room right away. Or they might take her straight to the town jail, to be locked up for the rest of the week before the hangings.

    “And God,” she thought, “what if they treat me like a criminal, and maybe make me wear handcuffs? Or what if they make me get undressed right away? What if there are other people around? How will they react?”

    Lucy was a bright girl with a very active, vivid imagination. All the unknowns and uncertainty brought our strong good and bad feelings in her and set her heart beating.

    There was a coffee shop on her way. Lucy thought about stopping there. She could sit outside, sip a hot drink, take some deep breaths to stay calm, and enjoy the mid-morning air. It was a lovely day. She thought she might be locked up all week. This might be her last chance to enjoy sunshine and outdoor fresh air before the hanging day. It might be her last chance to see wispy clouds overhead and hear birds chirping. It might be her last chance to see normal people on the sidewalks going about their daily lives, her last chance to wear clothes, and her last chance to be a free person. It was very tempting to take a few minutes to savor all of these sights and sounds and feelings.

    But Lucy was worried she’d be pale or tremble when she placed her order and paid the bill. Her voice might shake. The staff knew her well -– someone might ask her, “What’s wrong?”

    She didn’t want to tell anyone what she was doing. She didn’t want anyone try to talk her out of it. And she didn’t want anyone to express sadness or pity for her.

    In the end she decided it was best to walk straight over to the courthouse.

    She thought about the week ahead. “I might be locked in a cell naked all week, waiting to hang naked, struggle, and die in agony just to entertain an audience for a few minutes,” she thought. “I wonder if they’ll have coffee in jail. I suppose that’ll make the whole situation a little more bearable,” she thought with a rueful smile, only half joking.

(edited April 23, '18)