SOLITARY (standard:drama, 1667 words)
Author: Hulsey	Added: Jan 15 2003	Views/Reads: 4148/2430	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A young boy gets his first look at the outside world after being imprisoned for twelve years.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

dragging him towards the soiled floorboards. She forced his head 
downwards and his struggle was in vain. “Lick it! Lick up your filth, 
you bastard!” 

Jamie wretched and threw up, an action that fuelled the anger in his
mother even more. The redheaded woman clambered over to where a cane 
was standing, as the boy began whimpering, knowing only too well his 
fate. 

“Drop your trousers this instant!” 

The boy did as he was told and turned to face the wall. The raging woman
was stooped over, and brought her cane powerfully against his already 
ravaged buttocks. Again and again, she swished the cane, until her body 
was covered with perspiration. 

“Behave like a pig and I'll treat you like one. Now squeal! Do you hear
me, squeal?” 

Jamie did as he was ordered, squatting on all fours and imitating the
call of the pig. 

“Not my books, Mama, please, not my books!” 

The cruel woman scooped up all of the books. “Read your bible and ask
God for forgiveness. The books will be returned when I think fit.” With 
the closure of the trapdoor, the loft was once more covered in 
darkness. Jamie knelt and sobbed loudly, feeling the warm blood 
trickling down his legs. He was unable to sit down after the vicious 
assault. He reached for his Teddy Bear, his only friend in this cruel 
world. A crack of light held his attention. He scampered over to the 
source of light, to see that the trapdoor had not been closed 
correctly. The light disturbed him when he lifted the trapdoor, and he 
withdrew back into his corner. 

He waited for two hours, hoping to hear his mother retire to bed, but no
move was forthcoming. Jamie made up his mind, and crawled quietly 
towards the trapdoor. He opened it fully and sat grimacing, with his 
spindly bare legs dangling. He turned and lowered himself, dropping to 
the landing with a bump. 

He waited a couple of minutes, and satisfied that he had not been heard,
he proceeded to descend the creaky staircase. The sound of voices 
halted him in his progress, and he remained rooted to the spot. Never 
before had he left his prison, due to his mother's insistence. The red 
glow of the lamp fascinated him, along with the ticking wooden fixture 
that was hanging on the wall. He watched the pendulum swinging to and 
fro before three loud cracks disturbed him. 

Jamie crouched down to see his mother asleep on an armchair. The light
from a large box flickered, and the boy watched in amazement, as tiny 
people moved around inside. People were shooting at one another; people 
who were wearing uniforms. 

Disturbing scenes reached him; scenes of devastation. The man inside the
box talked of an aircraft crash, and pictures of debris that were 
spread across a mountain were shown. 

Next, the man spoke of murder; something Jamie's mother had talked of
before. The photograph of a young girl covered the screen, and her 
weeping parents pleaded for her safe return. Jamie sat on the 
staircase, mesmerised by the box and the man who was reporting the 
news. 

The picture changed to a street in Israel, a place familiar to Jamie.
Palestine and Jerusalem were mentioned, thrilling the boy, who hoped to 
catch a glimpse of Jesus. The picture of Jesus was not forthcoming; 
instead, the camera zoomed into the carnage of a bus that had been the 
victim of a bomber. Tears streamed down the cheeks of the naive 
spectator, when the man told of seventeen victims, including six 
children. 

Again, the scene changed, to a large ship off the coast of Iraq, and the
narrator told of the impending invasion of the Middle Eastern country. 

Jamie looked towards his sleeping mother and approached cautiously. Her
face was as white as snow, and after careful examination, the alarmed 
young boy saw a trail of blood escaping from his mother's mouth. Jamie 
reached down and shook her vigorously in an attempt to waken her. 

“Mama, Mama, wake up! Mama!” 

Jamie bowed his head in confusion, unsure what to do. He approached the
front door warily and opened it slowly. He felt the cool breeze against 
his face, and the tears turned to laughter, his mother for the moment 
just a memory. The numerous coloured lights mingled with the stars and 
the moon, and Jamie was overcome with emotion. Only in picture books 
had he ever seen such things. 

Attired only in a shirt, tank top, and short trousers, Jamie left the
house. His bare feet moved rapidly over the concrete, before he ran, 
his body stooped over, and his head looking towards the heavens. He 
ignored the pointing children and ran towards the sound of the sea. 

He giggled wildly when his feet made contact with the gritty sand,
vaulting over the dunes that stood in his way. He stopped suddenly, and 
wept with delight, watching the lights out at sea. Slowly, he 
approached, the breaking surf crashing against the rocks and dampening 
his feet. Onward he went, until the water was up to his knees, the 
sharp pebbles beneath the surface of the waves ignored. 

The sound of a squawking seagull overhead held his attention, and he
giggled hysterically. He took a few deep breaths, inhaling the fresh 
air, the saltwater dowsing his face. 

A sharp pain in his back disturbed his merriment, and he turned to face
a barrage of pebbles that were being directed towards him. 

“Let's do the scruffy bastard!” Was the cry. 

Three youths approached, their onslaught unrelenting. Pebble after
pebble found its target and Jamie covered his face. 

“Who are you, tramp?” 

“I'm Jamie.” 

“I'm Jamie,” mimicked the tallest of the boys, who was waving a penknife
menacingly. 

“Cut him, Davy! Cut the bloody hunchback.” 

Jamie turned and ran along the beach, looking back over his shoulder to
see that he was being chased. He turned towards the sand dunes and 
headed back towards his home. His pursuers had finally given up the 
chase, but Jamie's pace was constant. He slammed the front door behind 
him and sobbed, as he focused his eyes once more on his dead mother. He 
ascended the staircase slowly and placed the ladder in position. After 
entering the loft, he pulled up the ladder and closed the trapdoor 
behind him. 

Jamie reached for his Teddy Bear and bible before cuddling up in his
corner. He closed his eyes and slept. 


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