Squash

I have been here now for almost as long as I can remember; and that is too long. The only thing keeping me sane is the constant thought of escape… the belief that I’ll be able to leave this place and return to my family, return to my home, tell everyone about what I’ve seen here… what this place actually is. But as each moment passes, my dream of being reunited with my loved ones gets more and more desperate.1

I used to keep a note of how long I’d been here, logging in my mind every time a day passed. I’ve grown not to care any more. It’s hard to care about anything in my current situation, it’s difficult to even breath. I’m crammed in a concealed area with others, folk that look just like the ones back home. But they’re not the people that I know and love. They’re strangers. Strangers who are just as scared and as confused as myself. No one talks to each other; everyone is silent. The only sound that is heard inside this claustrophobic box is the unsettling sound of silent sobbing. But it is hard to care for these people’s problems. When they are complete strangers, you don’t even recognise them as having the exact same difficulties as yourself… instead you just prioritise yourself over them. I should feel bad for doing this, but I don’t. Not anymore. I just don’t care.2

I can remember vaguely what my life was like before being kidnapped. I lived with my family and friends in a wonderful land. The air was fresh and the villagers were as friendly as they come! I was very close to my family and neighbours, we’d always be with each other. Even when we weren’t talking or doing anything, we were just there, enjoying each other’s company. Never was there a moment where you were alone. I liked that though. I always enjoy having the company of others. Even now as I lie crushed up against complete strangers, I personally feel that the only way this could get any worse would be if I were alone.3

Back in my old home, everything was great. No sorry, that’s wrong, almost everything was great. The oldest resident of my old home, an elderly chap with a face full of wrinkles and what looked like rot, would always tell us stories about mysterious giants. Giants that would come and kidnap the folk here. When I was young, I always thought it was just a silly story to scare us little ones, I don’t know, that might’ve been how he got his kicks or something, but then I witnessed a kidnapping myself. It was horrible. The giants would come and grab random groups of us, feeling us, comparing us, before finally snatching away anywhere between one to a large band of us. This would happen frequently and each and every time it was terrifying. Whenever someone was kidnapped we’d never see them again. I always thought I was lucky though - me, nor the people closest to myself, would ever get chosen and taken away.4

But now here I am. In the home of one of the giants, waiting for my fate. Although I’m scared for my well being, there’s a part of me that’s strangely intrigued. I’d like to find out what actually happens here and report it back to my home and the rest of the world! Let everyone know what happens here, get people wary of the giants’ attacks and build defences, protection from them! It’d be wonderful but at this stage it seems to be just a dream. 5

Woah… wait… wait… there’s… sound. Sound of someone coming… coming closer. Oh god, this is it. This is the end. It’s opened the lid of the box and is staring in on us, as if to be contemplating something. These filthy giants… always comparing us, only choosing the ones that they think are the best. It almost makes you feel humiliated when you aren’t chosen. Well, it would if you weren’t overcome by a powerful feeling of relief.6

It’s reaching into the box… it’s… oh god, it’s picked a stranger only inches way from me. I don’t know if that means I’m safe for another day or… no! God damn it, no! It’s reached in again, and has grabbed a hand tightly round me. No no no, this isn’t fair! It’s… no, damn it, no! It holds one of us in each hand and walks away and, for the first time ever, I get a look at it’s home. For being a monster it’s surprisingly comfy looking. But as I inspect my surroundings I also notice that the giant is not alone - with it, it has a friend. So that’s what’s happening… two of us for two of them, one each. I try to cry out in protest, but I can’t… I can’t find any voice inside of me loud enough to communicate with these beasts. Every passing second feels like a millennium, and as each of these, pardon me, millenniums pass, the hope for escape becomes more and more unlikely.7

The cretin carrying us sits down, it’s compaion sitting opposite to it. It throws the other hostage across to it’s friend, and they begin to yell at each other. I have no idea what their incoherent roaring means, but I get more tense with every word muttered. I suddenly look at the stranger in the other giant’s hands. He’s getting… oh god… he’s… they’re… it’s… it’s peeling off his skin! The beast is shredding apart this… innocent’s skin with it’s claws. Aww god, what’s it… what’s it doing…? It’s… it’s… it’s tearing apart his innards, picking away it’s organs and consuming them!? It’s consuming, it’s eating him!? What in the name of, eating it’s organs, it’s guts, it’s inside, consuming every last bit. Oh god… I feel myself wanting to be physically sick but am too petrified with fear to do so. 8

Oh god… it’s… it’s chilling, simply sickening… but now… oh no. Am I to share his same fate. Is this going to be what happens to me too!? I feel the tight hold around me change as I’m carried higher into the air, The giant stabs two claws clean into the top of me, it hurts. Oh god, it hurts. I can feel my skin slowly being pulled off, pulled away from my insides. It makes a grotesque sound that takes my mind off the searing pain of being bleedin’ skinned. It’s almost unreal… like a dream. It just… no… this… this can’t be it. This can’t be the end. I can’t go out like this, no, I can’t! I need to tell people, tell everyone! This can’t be the end, it can’t, no it just can‘t!9

I need to let everyone know!10

I need to let them all know my story!!11

I need to let them all know my fate, the fate of… an orange…