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him grunted, his breath grew fast with tension and
excitement. Mario felt his mind slipping away. If
only he were unconscious. But the pain awakened
him. It was only seconds, but it seemed like hours.
The body above him quivered, shook violently. He
could hear the moan stifling groans of pleasure.
Finally it was over. The man fell limply across his
body.

“Hurry up,” Mario heard Mike saying. “It’s my
turn now.” _

Mario prayed for help, for sleep, for anything.
But once more the same horror was perpetrated.
Tensions were high. It had to be done quickly. The
guard might return at any moment.

Finally it was over. There was no talk this time as
positions changed again. There was no wastemotion
as the third man began the awful movements of tor-
ture. Sweat poured down Mario’s face. Tears joined
them to form a pool of water under his head. His
mind was dizzy. He barely knew what was happen-
ing to him. There was pain, he knew. But he was
too gone to feel it.

Like the others the atrocity was mercifully brief.
He dimly remembered being lifted from the floor
and placed gently on his bed. And a voice saying,
“Nice little piece that. He’ll do all right up here.”