The Prisoner

    Here the atmosphere is much the same as anywhere else, the day to day living of life in The Village, unless of course you fall under the gaze of Number 2, or worse one of the doctors from the hospital. They just love to experiment, to find a man’s breaking point, and they go to any lengths. Me? I told them everything I knew on the first day, well why delays matters, why put myself through the agony when everyone talks on the third day. I’m actually rather pathetic, it was so deplorable that I should have resisted for so short a time. What they will do with me now I know not. They did suggest that I might be released, to be sent back, but to work for them like some sleeper to be woken at their bidding. Actually I think I should rather remain here in The Village. Now that I have told them everything they won’t bother me much, if at all. I’m of no further importance to them, so I can live out the rest of my life in the peaceful atmosphere of The Village. They look after you, you see, for as long as you live, for however long that might be. I have my books, my music, I play chess, I shall be fully occupied.
    “All he does all day, all week, is play his records, read his books, plays chess, and visits the library twice a week.”
    “He’s a model citizen.”
    “Yes Number Two.”
    “And none of the Observers have noticed anything untoward?”
    “Nothing,”
    “He hasn’t done anything out of character?”
    “No Number Two.”
    “He has not had contact with jammers?”
    “No, he is behaving perfectly.”
    “Yes too perfectly, he’s feeling far too much at home, I don’t like it!”
    Then one morning.
    “Number two here what is it, what’s the matter?”
    “The Observers cannot find Number Ninety-nine!”
    “What do you mean they cannot find him?”
    “He isn’t anywhere, he’s gone!”
    “He can’t have just gone, order a yellow alert, all posts.”
    “I have already done that sir, there’s still no sign.”
    “Then perhaps we should look a little closer to home.”

    “He’s not at home Number Two, the Observers would have noticed.”
    “Tell me, isn’t it a fact that for several hours last night there was a power cut to the cottage of ‘Ninety-three Private?”
    “Yes sir, we never did trace the reason.”
    “Supervisor, I want you to put a search team together.”
    “Yes sir, and send them into the woods and countryside. Along the cliffs and beach.........”
    “No, arm them with pickaxes, crowbars, and sledgehammers.”
    “For what purpose?”
    “They are to go to Ninety-nine’s cottage and take it apart, brick by brick if necessary.”
    “To what purpose?”
    “You are looking for Number Ninety-nine if you haven’t forgotten.”

    “Did you really think you could outwit me Ninety-nine?”
    “I gave it a damned good try!”
    “You made my men take your cottage apart, and where did they find you hiding.............in the false roof!”
    “I had you fooled!”
    “Fooled! You didn’t fool me!”
    “Perhaps not, but it’s been fun.”
    “Whatever did you expect to achieve?”
    “I was jamming!”
    “Jamming I........oh I see, hilarious!”
    “I’m glad you find it funny!”
    “Funny, what’s funny about it!...............I tell you what is funny, your cottage is a mess, and you have nowhere to sleep tonight, isn’t that hilarious?”
    “I’ll die laughing!”
    “Yes, well here’s the payoff, tonight you’ll spend the night rebuilding your cottage as my men demolished it, brick by brick. How do you like that?”
    “You can’t make me.”
    “Make you.....I’ll make you........you’ll work on that cottage night and day until its right again, right and perfect as ever it was. You’ll not sleep, you’ll not eat, you’ll be crying for your mother by the time I’m finished with you, I’ll break you with work...I’ll give you jamming.....and there’ll be no bread and butter either! Hard labour won’t be in it!”
    “You can’t do this Number Two.”
    “Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do! Soft all of you, that’s what you are.....they should bring back the treadmill, if I had my way you’d all be on the crank now!”
    “Cranks about right!”
    “What did you say?”
    “Nothing Number Two.”
    “Just as well, what this place needs is discipline!”
    “Yes Number Two.”
    “I’m going...........”
    “Yes Number Two?”
    “I’m going to my room, I don’t feel well.”
    “Yes Number Two, Village life doesn’t suit everyone!”
   

Be seeing you