Sacrifice

         A curator's life was assuredly a quiet life. Yes, some would say boring, but that assessment is really a subjective view. Thomas always found his work at the Museum to be engaging and at times exciting but, it was usually quiet none the less.

         His latest project was the Aztec display. The artifacts for the display were on loan from the Mexican government's Antiquities department. As with all his display projects, Thomas immersed himself in the subject matter; he felt that the displays should make the viewer feel something. The patrons that wandered his displays would hear, smell and see life as it had been lived.

         He often worked late into the night perfecting his displays. It meant he had to do a lot of the grunt work himself using pallet jacks, man lifts and forklift trucks to move the art and objects around which would normally be done by the union workers on day shift. Fortunately, Thomas was on good terms with the union guys, otherwise they could make his life far more difficult. They normally would turn a blind eye to his infringement on their duties as they also knew how particular he was to placement of objects within his displays.

         Thomas's excitement was growing as he finally had the sacrificial altar placed just right. The Aztec's was similar to other Mesoamerican tribes in that, their religion included human sacrifice as a key proponent of appeasing the gods that they worshipped.
He still had a lot to do. He reviewed the packing manifests searching for the particular artifacts he wanted next. Crate number 45 contained the items he was looking for. Just as he was attempting to open the crate with a crowbar his phone rang.
A quick glance at the phone confirmed, the incoming call was from Jewell, his girlfriend.

         "Hi hun, sorry I lost track of time," he said as he accepted the call.

         "Not to worry Boo. Just thought I'd check in with you before I headed over?"

         Thomas commonly had his girlfriend come and check out his displays before he released them for view by the general public. He always liked to get her feedback to see if he had gotten things correct. She always seemed sensitive to the moods and feelings that he sought to inspire through his work.

         "Uh, yeah. It takes you what, 30 minutes?" he asked.

         "About that, yes."

         Checking the time on his phone and doing some quick calculations he replied, "Give me an extra 15 and I'll be ready for you. Call me when you get to the employee entrance, okay? Oh, did you do your hair up like I wanted?"

         In a sultry voice, she responded, "Just for you lover. Are we playing dress up tonight?"

         "Maybe, but I want it to be a surprise so I'll say no more. See ya soon," he said as he clicked off.

         Forty five minutes later he had everything in place when his phone rang again. He clicked on and announced, "I'll be right there." He grabbed a bundle as he raced out of the display area.

         When he got to the employee entrance he checked through the window door and saw his Jewell looking lovely. When he opened the door he got the reaction out of Jewell he was hoping for. When she saw him her jaw just dropped, speechless for the moment. He had dressed in full Aztec regalia of an Aztec shaman. A full religious headdress and robes with real gold ornamentation sown into the fabric. He looked the part of the Tribal High priest.

         As he urged his stunned girlfriend through the door he asked, "You like?"

         She nodded her head and sputtered, "You, you look mag...magnificent."

         "Good, that's what I was going for. Here." he said, as he handed her the bundle he had brought from the display area. "I've got some stuff I want you to put on. You can change in the locker room right over here."

                   A few minutes later Thomas led Jewell into the Aztec display by a tether attached to a collar around her neck. Jewell had to take quick shuffling steps to keep up with him as she had her hands tied in front of her that had a cord that led down and was tied off to the bondage around her ankles; short choppy steps is the best she could manage being bound as she was.

         Just inside the display he stopped. Jewell not realizing he had stopped, bumped into him as her eyes were scanning the room around her. As he pulled the gag from her mouth she blurted, "Thomas, I think I've gone back in time. This is amazing."

         "Yes my supplicant, be in awe as you will give all to glorify our gods."

         Thinking play time had begun, she looked at him demurely and replied, "Take of me what you will my Master."

         Not saying a word Thomas led her over to the sacrificial altar and lifted her up and laid her on it. Still mute he gave her a passionate kiss before he replaced the gag back in her mouth. He then produced a wicked dagger from his robes and slit the rough spun cotton shift he had made her wear from the bottom hem all the way up to the neckline. The material fell away exposing her naked body beneath.

         He then reached down with his left hand and grabbed her collar, holding her securely to the altar. With the other hand in one quick motion he sliced her abdomen from one side to the other in a inverted U shape following the curve of her rib cage.

         As he watched the life fading from her eyes he reached into her eviscerated chest and yanked her still beating heart into open air and then quickly severed the arteries as she gave a little spasm and died.

         Later, as Thomas took one last look at the display, he took pleasure in knowing that there would not be one viewer that would not deeply affected by his presentation. He had left Jewell spread upon the altar with her entrails leaking out over the edge; the rivulets of blood now congealing upon the sides of the stone plinth. Behind the altar he had placed a mannequin in the same costume that he had worn with one hand raised offering the heart of the sacrifice to the gods.