He said I took advantage of him?

Witness, I must ask the questions. Did he try to help you?

Help me? He brought soldiers to rape me. Over and over he raped me and then he rejected me and took someone else.

What do you mean, he rejected you?

He did not want to rape me anymore. He gave me to someone else. They all took one girl after another.

Will you agree with me that when a person is jealous, she is ready to do certain things?

What are you talking about?

I’m referring to the fact that you said Dragić rejected you. In my understanding, when a man rejects a woman, it is someone he has loved. Perhaps you wanted to seduce him back?

Edina said nothing.

Mataruga said, Witness?

What?

Answer the question.

That is not a question. That is an evil lie.

Judge Banda interrupted. Counsel, after listening to the evidence and the witness’s explanation and what she meant by the term reject, I don’t think we should waste time. Please proceed with other questions.

Any of the judges could have reminded him that consent was not allowed as a defence because there can be no consent under conditions of slavery. This was clear in the rules. The defence lawyer ignored it. And in a momentary lapse, the others did not mention it.

—

I was alone that day in the gallery of Edina’s cross and the questions were sickening. She was being assaulted again. She was lying under a giant ice pick and Mataruga was swinging and chopping down on her. Stop. Please. Stop battering her. Stop the lies. Once again she was alone and being assaulted.

She had to protect herself.

I heard her scrambled voice say under the neutral voice of the interpretation, Not even dead could I ever be Dragić’s, or any one of theirs. Never. Not in all eternity.

She said deliberately, Put this on the record. Record this. Never, even dead, would I ever be one of theirs.

Judge Banda said, Don’t bother, Witness. Don’t waste your energy.

But Mataruga was permitted to finish his cross-examination.

Was Dragić at the school on January twenty-third?

I don’t know.

At the Lepa Brena apartments on February third?

I don’t know.

At the Partizan Sports Hall on March twelfth?

I don’t know.

At Lepa Brena apartments April seventh to May twenty-first when forces were fighting in the western region?

She said, I don’t remember.

I don’t know.

I don’t remember.

I cannot be sure who was there.

Edina blocked him. Both acted within the law. Like a king sliding in and out of check with no clear resolution.

I don’t know.

I don’t remember.

She could make Mataruga disappear the way she had made the rest of them disappear when they were hurting her.

The blows were still raining down on her. Where? When? Who? She resisted each blow. No answer. No answer. No answer.

He sat and watched. She told me that when she became disassociated in court and kept repeating the same answer she could see Dragić staring at her with a disgusting look of false tenderness as if he owned her and was sorry it had to be this way.