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Monday 3 September 2018

Escape!

    Is this going to work do you think?
    It’s never been tried before.
    Perhaps not, but there might be a reason for that.
    Well if no-one tries it we’ll never know, will we?
    No, I suppose not. But what have you there?
    Two long poles which I fashioned out of two small trees, I make my own axe. They will be fitted securely into the ground.
    Okay. And what’s on the bag?
    Elastic bands!
    Elastic bands?
    Yes, I’ve been collecting elastic bands for months. I bought up the entire stock of elastic bands from the General Store, but that wasn’t enough. I’ve been collecting hundreds of others from where I could.
   What are you going to do with them?
   I’m going to entwine them all together to make one huge industrial strength elastic band.
    Then what?
    Well ain’t it obvious?
   Sorry I’m not getting any of this.
    I’m making a giant catapult.
  
    A giant catapult?
    I’m going to shoot myself out across to the far side of the estuary.
    You’ll never make it, you’ll kill yourself!
    Who dares wins!
    What if you do make it, what then?
    I was the best cross country runner in my school.
    You’ll find it difficult to run with two broken legs, if you get that far!
    {The day came when Number 23 had finally twisted all the eleven million elastic bands together. The two poles were fixed firmly in the sand on the edge of the beach. Number 2 sat in his chair drinking tea watching as Number 23 prepared to launch himself across the estuary.}
    You’re sure about this? Number 82 asked.
    Its now or never, the winds right, the tides out..........
    Pity.
    Why?
    The water would have broken your fall.
    Number 23 bid his friend a fond farewell, and prepared himself. He donned his goggles and padded trousers and jacket. He took hold of the industrial strength elastic band and took several steps back until the elastic band became taught. He pressed his feet into the sand to prevent an early release. He waited, struggled against the tightness of the elastic band, and then woooosh.........Number 23 was catapulted high into the air. For a few seconds he was shooting through the air............there is no escape from The Village. And yet death is an escape, we buried Number 23 today, the funeral was carried out with great reverence, even Number 2 himself attended.


Be seeing you

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