Freedom

It took a few seconds to realise I was utterly and completely lost. Do I just give up now or keep running? I knew option one was no option at all. Stop now and it would mean certain death. While I attempted to control my breathing, I scanned the area, looking for a chink of light or the sound of running water. Nothing, just thick dense forest, every which way I turned looked identical. The sound of dogs and men behind, forced my hand, their searchlights aiding my decision.

I filled my lungs with the fresh air and ran to the left, a choice I began to regret immediately. The forest became even thicker and harder to navigate. The undergrowth and trees conspired to prevent my escape. Pushing my way through the branches, one flicked back in revenge, lashing across my face narrowly missing extracting my eye. Its mark stung and blood began to ooze from the open wound. The only positive I could think was that if they followed in the same direction, they too would be just as impeded. That is unless they knew a different way, which was viable, there was every possibility they would know the area, this was their territory after all. I on the other hand had been a guest. Well, that’s what they laughingly called us.

They had picked a group of us up together. Our meeting point was raided. Blindfolded they put us into what smelt like an old cattle truck. The residual smell of whatever animal had been transported before us, mixed with the sweat and fear of several men packed tightly into an airless truck, was overpowering.

They say if you take one sense away, it sharpens the others. Well, I really didn’t need the benefit of the extra sense of smell, that was for sure. I could see nothing and the only sound, was that of the engine and the rattling of the truck as it made its way over what felt like an unmade road. Our destination was unknown, and we had no more of an idea when we eventually arrived and our blindfolds were removed. The rickety truck had been replaced with a windowless room no more than 5ft square. The paint-flecked walls were a dull depressing grey. A bare single bulb dangled from the ceiling, though the years of grime prohibited much light from emanating out, rendering it all but useless.

I was alone, although I assumed we had each been provided with the same level of accommodation. I did think the standard was lacking for a government facility, I had expected better. That was where I assumed we must be. Who else would kidnap us off the street? They must have known we were on to them.

Just as I was making myself comfortable the thick cell door creaked open. I stood to attention, Atkins, 65891253 19/09/2002, I recited to every question they asked. I knew my rights under the Geneva Convention.

‘You are not a soldier,’ the man snarled, in disdain. As he emphasised each word, spittle sprayed my face.

‘And you,’ he continued, ‘have not been caught up in any armed conflict, so, the Geneva Convention does not apply and is therefore irrelevant to your circumstance,’ he finished and grinned. Then snapped back in anger, ‘You don’t get to insult real soldiers who bravely fight for our country and especially those who have given their lives. You are not worthy enough to even kiss their boots in gratitude. So don’t come with your fake service serial number, you pathetic piece of piss.’

I smiled inwardly; we obviously had them rattled. A sudden hard thumb to my stomach with his pace stick sent me doubled over to the ground in pain.

‘Get up,’ he shouted, his boot menacingly close to my face.

‘We are soldiers,’ I said with more confidence than I felt. ‘We are the Freedom army, and we will not be silenced.’

‘Really,’ he said, as his boot struck my face.

Tasting the blood in my mouth, I squared up to him. ‘You are just a government-paid thug nothing more. We know what you are doing. You are complicit in their lies. We know this government’s dirty secret. When we have all the evidence, we will expose it.’

‘You’re babbling son, you don’t know what you are talking about and even less what and who you are dealing with.’

‘I know our government listens to everything and wants to control us. What we do, what we think and say.’

‘Conspiracy loons the lot of you,’ he laughed.

I just smiled back, ‘We wouldn’t be here if that were true.’

The interrogation was over for now, as the man turned on his heels and marched out of the cell. Two of the soldiers who had been keeping guard throughout helped me onto the bed. I found this confusing. Firstly, why were they helping me when they had done nothing to stop the beating and secondly, where had the bed appeared from? I looked around and noticed my dull grey cell was now a clinical and pristine white, well except that is, for my blood on the floor. I drifted off into an unsettled sleep. The soldier in me, knowing I had to sleep to keep my strength up for the next round of interrogation.

When I woke, I felt the cold smooth metal of a knife in my pocket. How it got there I had no idea. One of the soldiers must have placed it there when they helped me up. It was the only thing I could think of. I had no idea why they would, or for what purpose. Then it dawned on me. Idiot. I Scolded myself for falling for their trap, it was obviously all part of their mind games.

Lights flashed behind me, they were getting closer, so close, I could hear the snarling and panting of the dogs. An image flashed through my mind of their teeth ripping into my flesh. Glancing back, I could see they were almost on me.

Then, just as I thought there was no hope, light filtered through the trees. I ran as fast as my weary body could carry me. Pushing and pushing towards the light and freedom.

I stood embracing the open sky. Shutting my eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sun on my face. The knife fell from my hand clattering onto the stone floor. I hadn’t even noticed how easily it had sliced through my skin. I watched as the blood seeped from my veins, draining my life into a sticky pool on the floor. It was then, in those last few seconds I realised, I was utterly and completely lost.