By mid-morning, a fairly substantial crowd grew and, bolstered by numbers, a few began throwing clods of dirt. The dirt had stones mixed in with it, and they hurt. One hit Odo square on the forehead and he saw a bright flash of light. Blood trickled down his face from cuts, one eye was partly swollen shut, but so far he was coping. He had no choice. People were frequently killed in the pillory, a fact Odo was very aware of.
Someone brought him water, he couldn't remember who, and it was most welcome. After that, the a***e and the variety of things hurled at him increased. Although he never saw what it was, he assumed someone threw rotten eggs because a vile, pungent smell permeated the air almost at once. Whoever tossed them did him a favour, as the fetid stench kept people from getting c
