Unspeakable, Part 10

Banging and scratching resumed, but ten times more ferociously, as if hounds of hell were trying to get in. At the moment Miles wasn’t convinced that wasn’t exactly what was happening.

Unspeakable, Part 9

The next day they seemed to have slept in. When Miles woke he could hear the others’ voices in the main room. Shylock was still clinging around him.

Unspeakable, Part 8

The new system satisfied everyone. For a long time they just sat and talked. Talked about anything, everything. It felt so good to be out of silence, out of solitude.

Unspeakable, Part 7

Next, Miles said, pointing to another doorway. That one’s empty, Ivan said. Is it? Miles said. Well, only one left then. Shylock steered them over to the corner.

Unspeakable, Part 6

His mood began to lift when they began the card games again. Connie had a competitive nature and a flair to rival Miles himself. She slapped down her cards and said read ‘em, bitches!

Unspeakable, Part 5

Hey, the figure said back. Miles watched it for a moment, then said, You wanna play gin rummy with us? There was a pause, then the figure said, Okay.

Unspeakable, Part 4

Just then Ivan’s hulking silhouette appeared in one doorway. Thought we’d have a change of scene, Miles said to it. Care to join us? There was a pause as Ivan stood in silence.

Unspeakable, Part 3

Time passed in this way; Miles guessed a few days’ worth. Shylock stared into space, or trembled, but ate and drank, and slept curled next to Miles.

Unspeakable, Part 2

Time dragged on worse than ever, and though the pain began to ease, Miles continued to feel nothing below his chest. He had never felt more trapped.

His fear became mixed with all the old anger that had driven him into the arena. But there was no arena, now. Life truly was a pointless farce. He stopped responding to the stranger.

Unspeakable, Part 1

When Miles broke his back, everyone thought he’d been killed. Later, it seemed to him that he had been. The person he was had vanished forever, one second to the next.

Genesis

The first time
Earth came into sight
They were so far from home
So full of hope
For the life yet to come.