Materialistic Idealist's blog: "My writing"

SALVAGE

As the morning sunlight streamed in through the barred window, the prisoner got up from his sleeping place on the floor. He wondered what misfortune today would bring. He was an ugly young man, but his time in incarceration had aged him quickly. Despite that he carried himself with a poise and dignity few could muster. He couldn't even remember his life outside and when exactly he found himself inside.

A large cockroach scuttled across the floor and stopped immediately in front of him, hissing. One of the many other denizens of this dank and horrid place. The prisoner backed away against the wall, more out of dismay and disgust than fear.

The guard walked past. He was a large muscular man with a shaven head and covered in tattoos. As part of his equipment he carried a heavy truncheon. He was obviously amused at the situation he saw.

"Scared of a fucking cockroach, huh?" He took his keys off his belt, opened the cell door and marched inside, crushing the cockroach under his thick soled boots as he approached the prisoner.

"There. You see how weak and redundant you are, you useless bastard! Can't even take care of a fucking cockroach."

The guard reached out with his left hand, grabbing the prisoner by his throat and thrust a brutal right handed body blow into his abdomen. The prisoner slumped to the floor, barely able to breathe. "Just hurry up and die like the rest you useless piece of shit. You're the last one here. Once you're dead, I'm free to leave."

The agony permeating his body was terrible, but nothing compared to the pain in his mind. Somehow, without thinking his chest took over the work of his stunned diaphragm and his laboured breathing eased. But how.....vague memories flooded into his mind....."Good, now take short, sharp breaths from your chest........" Was it a memory or a figment of his imagination. A hallucination his agony fractured mind had created as it neared the end. A shameful fantasy of rescue.

"So you're a fucking wiseguy are you?" the guard spat out when he saw how quickly the effect of his punch had worn off. He aimed a football kick straight at the prisoner's head.....and missed by just inches. Again.....memories....voices......"Thats it, watch where its going then get out of the way. Now, what targets can you see?".....Had his mind finally broken and given way to the sweet insanity he craved?

"Aaaaarrrrggggghhhhhhh" the guard roared in frustration. "I'll kill you!"

His mind had given up the will to live but his body hadn't. Numerous times, he had wished, commanded, his brainstem to gradually shut down his systems and release him from this so called life. But each time it had disobeyed and kept his vital functions stable. Throughout his incarceration, his heart had kept beating and his lungs pumping. Each cell had continued to burn its share of glucose to generate the energy to keep it ticking over. And now, the ultimate act of rebellion.....despite his mind's passivity his body was somehow protecting itself from the sadistic brutality of the guard.

The guard raised his truncheon high overhead and brought it down hard with enough force to shatter a human skull. But it hit only the floor. The guard stared at the spot the prisoner had been at, stunned. Somehow, he had disappeared into thin air. "........if you don't evade, its just a game. Breathe, move, evade......" The memories were clearer now.....a large man with short cropped brown hair and a friendly smile.....foreign script on his t shirt.....maybe Russian.....

The guard spun around and started swinging his truncheon at the prisoner wildly. Even with awkward movements the prisoner avoided taking any full blows. Every shot seemed to roll off his body, until he found the truncheon momentarily lodged under his armpit. Using a wave like twist of his body he wrenched it out of the guards hand.

The two men locked gazes....the guards eyes full of disbelief, the prisoner expressionless.

"Not this time."

The guard threw a venomous shovel hook into to prisoners abdomen. Then something amazing happened. Muscles, tendons, bones, sinew....all working in unison under the leadership of the mind absored the devastating power in the punch and chanelled it into the prisoners hand. In less time than it takes for an eye to percieve what is happening, the prisoners right hand shot out, connecting with the guards chest and returning all this impact back to him. The guard was physically lifted off the floor and slammed into the wall behind him.

"Release me from this place. I want to leave now."

The guard rushed forward, again attempting to use brute force to subdue the prisoner......but then suddenly.......his groin.....on fire....... As he rushed forward, the prisoner had circled out of the way, leaving one hand where the guards groin would end up. Effortlessly, the prisoner bent his striking arm, leaving his elbow out for the guards chin to drop onto.

More memories....".......fighting skill should develop into an unconquerable weapon that cannot be seen and that cannot be taken away while its user walks the earth......."

As the guard slumped to the floor, the prisoner stuck out his knee, hitting the guards head and knocking him unconscious. Kneeling down, he took the keys from the guards belt and made his way towards the door.

It was clearer now. 30 years. He had lived his entire life in this penal institution. His crime had simply been being himself. Those who claimed to love him had sentenced him to rot in this hell. But now that he was out how would he survive? Despite his brutality and his ultimate desire to see the prisoner dead, the gaurd had provided him with his single daily meal every day. The dismal prison had provided him with shelter from the elements and the prison uniform had kept his degenerating body decently covered.

The sun was shining much more brightly now. People of all sorts went about their business. Surviving, even thriving. 30 years had been wasted but perhaps, there was still hope of salvage. The prisoner looked out of the window....and saw a brave new world....full of hope and opportunity.....a free spirit drifted into the daylight.