Paphos People

IGOR THE TORTUROR

Igor enjoyed his job, it was a very important post in the judicial system of the town in the sixteenth century. He saw himself as the bringer out of the truth, righter of wrongs, the one who uncovered perpetrators of crimes. He was paid well by the Magistrates officers, and was highly regarded in local community. He was the official torturer at the prison!

He got the job on the recommendation of his old school teacher, who had noticed the sadistic side of the boy and the enjoyment that he got out of terrorising the youngsters by inflicting pain. Indeed there was no other job for a man with those qualities. He served his apprenticeship graduating with honours and then applying for and getting the post he now held. Being organised he had specific days for each type of torture. Making people wait for two or three days for something diabolical to happen was part of the fun - for him anyway!

There was no shortage of prisoners as anybody who was accused of anything had to face the magistrates. No police force in those days and if they did not admit their guilt, they were sentenced to a jail term until such time as they saw the error of their doings. Igor helped them to face up to the truth and repent their ways.

Mondays was the rack night, he was running late and quickly looked through the list and picked one name out.
“Felix of the Fields”
One of the men in the dungeon raised his hand. Igor and a couple of warders grabbed him. He protested loudly so they gagged the man and pulled it tight until all the man could make were muffled protests.
“Come on you, let’s get your confession or admission or whatever they want out of the way”
He strapped Felix’s feet to the solid end of the device then roughly pulled his arms into the two wrist bands at the moveable end. Winding the wheel he started the process. Stretching the victim until he let out a groan of agony then giving the wheel one more turn for luck!
“Are you in for a long stretch?” he said with a laugh “I’m going to the alehouse for some beer, see you later”
He went to the door, stopped, came back and gave the wheel one more turn then set the lock on the machine. A muffled shout of pain came from Felix.
“Just to keep the pressure up while I’m gone.”
Returning from the alehouse at about eleven o clock well the worse for wear he came into the torture chamber.
“Well Felix, are you ready to confess?”
Felix said nothing but a pathetic whimper came from the figure on the rack.
“Lost your tongue eh, oh well we’ll try again tomorrow. G’night”

The following morning Igor turned up for work with a thick head, seeing Felix still at full stretch he took the gag off, picked up the list of names and studied it.
“What you in for Felix? I can’t find any charges against you” he said as he slackened off the rack until the man could roll off onto the floor.
Felix drank from the water bucket, coughed then slowly getting up he now stood nearly seven foot tall “I’m part of the maintenance crew and was only here to service and oil the locks and devices.”
Igor was contrite “I’m sorry mate you should have said something. It could have been worse, if it had been the manicure night you would never be able to pick your nose again. But on the plus side you won’t need a stepladder any more will you! You can go now, least said soonest mended”
Felix ran out of the open door cracking his head on the lintel as he went.
Igor tut-tutted turned and started to dismantle the rack. “What a waste of time, still he won’t do anything wrong in the future will he”
In the afternoon he began to light the fire in the fireplace then he gathered a number of tools and implements together arranging them neatly in order on the bench.

“That’s good mate, its bloody freezing in here” said one of the inmates.
“It’s not for your comfort my friend, in fact just the opposite” said Igor with an evil chuckle as he inspected the implements that were heating up in the fire.
“You see tonight is my most favourite night of the week, Its BURNS NIGHT!!”