Number 6

    When Big Ben struck eight, and Number 6 sees that his wristwatch {given to him by a man in Poland} says eight when there should be one hours difference, he knows that he’s been tricked. Especially when he discovers the tape recorder playing the sound effects of London street traffic hidden in the cupboard, which indicates to him that he isn’t in the Colonel’s office in London at all. It’s a long walk down that corridor knowing what he’s to be faced with, a view of The Village when he opens the double doors at the end of that corridor.

   But Number 6 takes it all in his stride. He walks over to the steps of the Recreation Hall, and looking up to Number 2, Fotheringay, and Nadia, all he can do is salute them “Be seeing you.” What else could he have done? A show of anger would have availed him nothing, after all that planning, all that effort to escape had availed him nothing. In fact he was back in The Village long before he realised it, approximately twelve hours in fact! And as though to rub salt into the wound, “Good evening citizens, your local Council wishes to announce another exciting competition, the subject this time….seascapes!” The announcement, coming at the moment it does, has always appeared to be to be quite deliberate, as though the announcer is rubbing salt into Number 6’s wounds!

Be seeing you