PRISON

A piece of nonesense...

     The jangle of the keys gives him away. He moves silently, but their ringing tells me he’s coming. As always, he brings me lunch. Or breakfast or supper. It doesn’t matter. I only get one meal a day, two slices of stale bread and a cup of water. Barely looking at me, he slides them through the bars far enough that my chained hands can reach them. As always, I ask “When are you going to let me out of here?” As always, he doesn’t answer, but leaves without a backward glance.

 

     I’m never hungry now, but I eat, because it’s something to do. Uselessly, I speculate: Why was I captured and brought here? Will I ever be free? Why am I imprisoned by a jailor who doesn’t even know me? Eventually, because it’s something to do, I fall asleep.

 

     I wake to fog, and then the fog parts, and it’s as if I’m waking again. This time I know the truth. I built this prison myself, forged the bars, snapped the manacles on my wrists and ankles. The first moment I looked at you, I was captured, bound. Seeing your uncaring face daily is my only food. “I love you,” I say, stretching my hands out as far as they will go. “Oh, how I love you…”

Reviews

[Rana]

Totally grabbed my attention from the very first word, it's very well-written, though I could sense a metaphor of some sort coming my way after reaching the questions in the narrative, I couldn't exactly figure it until you revealed it. Neat.

[Marie]

Thank you very much.