ARCHIE'S JOURNAL
by Michele

Released From the Hole

Special thanks to Deirdre for her wonderful ideas for this :)

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I did not think it possible...

I can almost breathe.... almost.... were it not for the tears that
choke me....

Oh....... I do not know where I am.... Where...? Walls...
Cots.. There is a ceiling above my head.... I can hear the rain,
but I cannot feel it.... And yet, my clothes are wet....

Where....?

Yes... my cell... my home..... My... home.....

I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite
space.... *

What is that...? What... Oh... Hamlet... I think it is Hamlet....

Hamlet... Horatio..... O Horatio........

I feel so very warm... sweating... and yet -- no. No... it is so
very cold in here.... Blankets... pulled one from the cot...
Please, please.. I must have another blanket.... shivering.....
cold.... deathly cold..... I am in my tomb......

No... no... Panic.... I cannot feel my legs..... I cannot
straighten them..... I see them but I cannot feel them.... I hurt
inside but I cannot stand, so that I may..... so that I.........

It does not matter... everything is wet.... and there is no one here
to care...

My back... pain.... pain.... my side.... They threw me onto the
floor... I could not walk... they dragged me in here and threw me
onto the floor... and one of them.. kicked me.... it hurts... it
hurts so much.....

I did not feel it.... not then.... But now.... pain.........

And they laughed at me....

Please... someone help me onto my bed.... I do not think I can do it
myself...

I'm so cold.......

Oh please, please... someone MUST give me another blanket.....

Please..... I'm so cold.......

O.. I am dead, Horatio.... ** I cannot feel..... I cannot........

*Hamlet; Act II, scene ii
**Hamlet; Act V, scene ii