Akin to a Halloween executioner, I stand to determine the prisoner’s fate with skeletal slaps. The verdict, sparing or capital punishment, hinges on his reaction to my blows. I shall decide through slapping, as he kneels before me, I commence striking him harder and harder with both hands. His face reddens, and I inquire how he pleads, but the prisoner takes the Fifth, deferring to my judgement. I persist without gloves, relishing the sound of my hands on his cheeks, striking with both the palm and the back until the prisoner begs for mercy. In the end, I need one more day to decide, so I return him to the cage, pending the verdict.