This week was something a little different. I got to spend a little time with my cousin, Melanie, who came up to visit this past weekend to see a show I directed. She was the one who made the suggestion for this week's blog story:
Write your favorite family memory as an alien looking in
IMPRISONED
- Subject 1 covers skin in three layers of fabric with collar and thick, short leash.
- Guard A calls out orders.
- Subject 1 and cellmate (Subject 2 - also covered in numerous layers of fabric with similar collar) obey.
- Guard B leaves the prison and enters the transport pod.
- Guard A stands at cell door. Taps keys against doorframe. (Hypothesis: Tapping is a code.)
- Subjects 1 and 2 descend to first level of the prison.
- Guard A indicates for Subjects 1 and 2 to leave the prison and enter the transport pod. Subjects 1 and 2 obey.
- Small, naked prisoners approach the door, seeking escape. Guard A spots them. Guard A closes and locks the prison door before their plan is put into action.
- Guard A joins Guard B in the transport pod.
- Guard A feeds the pod using another key.
- Transport pod travels for 1.34 senpols Stops.
- Guards order Subjects 1 and 2 from the pod and all four move toward larger, white prison. (Hypothesis: prisoners have been moved for safety reasons.)
- Deputy meets them and takes control from Guards A and B.
- Guard B ascends to the second level of the prison.
- Deputy leads Subjects 1 and 2 and Guard A to outdoor training grounds. Hard floor made of flattened rocks. Walls made of heavy rocks. Large structure made of dead trees. Fabric hanging from structure. Many chairs face the structure. (Hypothesis: prisoners must pick up rocks to build wall. Prisoners who misbehave are hanged for the entertainment of the masses.)
- Deputy leaves Subjects 1 and 2 in care of Guard A.
- Guard A and Subjects 1 and 2 reenter the prison.
- More guards moving around, checking security and/or preparing food.
- Table in the center holds dead foliage and work assignments printed on tiny pieces of paper. (Hypothesis: there will be more prisoners arriving.)
- .78 senpols pass.
- Hypothesis proven correct. More prisoners arriving. Many wear constricting uniforms with collars and handcuffs.
- Subjects 1 and 2 greet other prisoners. Guards are moving among them, always watching.
- Deputy curtails Subject 1, leading the way to an upper level chamber.
- Subject 1’s former cellmate (formerly Subject 2 – note: revise to become Subject 3 for further notes) is in said chamber. (Hypothesis of Subject 3’s escape proven wrong.) Subject 3 wears pale uniform.
- New guard (to be called C) stands by Subject 3.
- Table with paper in front of them. Guard C signs paper. Subject 3 signs paper. Prisoners show disapproval by making harsh, slapping noise with their hands. Subject 3 bears teeth. (Hypothesis: paper is a sacrifice agreement.)
- Subject 1, et al., exit room and stand, one behind the other in a hallway by the training area.
- Subject 2 and other prisoners are forced to sit facing the wooden structure.
- Four Torture Masters slide animal hairs against strings, creating screeching death song.
- Deputy orders Subject 1 and others to move forward.
- Subject 1 is held tightly by new guard (to be called D).
- Guard D escorts Subject 1 down a path between the chairs of prisoners toward the wooden structure. Subject seems nervous and bears teeth at prisoners. Guard D sits in front and Subject 1 stands before all by the structure.
- More guards escort prisoners down the same path until there are eight prisoners standing by the structure; four on each side.
- Warden enters the structure and raises hands. All prisoners stand.
- Guards A and B escort Subject 3 down the path. All three enter the structure where Guard C is waiting. Two more guards (E and F) stand behind Guard C.
- Screeching sounds end.
- Warden orders all prisoners to sit.
- All prisoners except those standing at the structure obey.
- Warden speaks.
- Guard C forces Subject 3 to drink liquid, then drinks as well.
- Warden speaks.
- Subject 3 repeats the Warden’s words.
- Warden speaks.
- Guard C repeats the Warden’s words.
- Warden speaks.
- Guard C slides a tiny cuff onto Subject 3’s finger. Subject 3 places a similar cuff on Guard C’s finger. (Hypothesis: Subject 3 is going to high-security, isolated cell and Guard C is now bound to keep watch for the rest of Subject 3’s life.)
- Warden speaks.
- Guard C takes breath from Subject 3, showing commitment to the cause.
- Prisoners show disapproval by making harsh, slapping noise again. Subject 3 and Guard C bear teeth.
- Torture Masters begin death song again.
- Guards lead prisoners back down the path toward the prison.
- All prisoners follow. Using papers from previous table, all prisoners find their assigned groups. A large, wooden floor sits in the center. Subject 3 and Guard C are seated where all can see.
- Executioner, dressed in black, stands at a torture table. Large, black rectangles assault the masses with sound that vibrates the entire cell. Harsh lights of varying colors that change periodically. (Hypothesis: the sound and lights keep the prisoners from being able to talk and plan an escape.)
- Executioner invites Guard A to speak.
- Guard A speaks.
- Prisoners make harsh, slapping noise. Guard A sits down.
- Executioner forces two prisoners to speak. They read a paper. It is obvious that the guards have prepared what they must say. The prisoners seem to know it. They slap their hands together even harder to show their anger. Some bang on the tables in front of them.
- Another prisoner reads a paper. The masses are incensed and bang louder.
- Executioner raises hands. The masses quiet. Executioner calls Subject 1 to speak.
- Subject 1 speaks. No paper. The guards seem surprised.
- Subject 1 moves to the wooden floor and begins to sing. The song inspires the prisoners. Many leave their groups and, in a flash, become one mob on the wooden floor, stomping and turning and gyrating in unison. It is a full rebellion!
- Subject 3 stands and enters the floor. Subject 3 embraces Subject 1 and, with one gesture, the rebellion is over.
- Prisoners slap their hands together, but it does not have the same anger it had before. The mob dissolves and all prisoners return to their assigned groups.
- Executioner begins the sound torture once more and guards bring out food and drink to keep the prisoners complacent. (Hypothesis: food and drink are drugged.)
- Subjects 1 and 2 attempt to speak to others, but no conversation lasts more than five minutes before a guard or another prisoner interrupts.
- Sound torture stops and Executioner forces Subject 1 to stand. Subject 1 is brought to a corner of the wooden floor and forced to sing while Guard A escorts Subject 3 around the floor for all to see.
- Prisoners make slapping sound again.
- Subject 1 sits.
- Guard C and Guard E move around the floor, checking to make sure all prisoners are in place.
- Prisoners show defiance by slapping hands together. Guard E leaves the floor.
- A large, dead animal is brought to the center of the floor and two pieces are sliced from it.
- Subject 3 offers Guard C a piece of the meat. Guard C consumes it.
- Guard C smears the blood of the animal on Subject 3’s mouth. (Hypothesis: Guard C is marking territory. Subject 3 belongs to Guard C entirely now.)
- Sound torture begins again and all prisoners are forced to exercise in no apparent pattern on the wooden floor.
- Exercise continues for 3.429 senpols. Some prisoners cannot handle such torture and are removed from the floor to be transported to their cells. (Hypothesis of drugged food and drink is proven correct.)
- Subject 1 survives until the end, which seems to upset Guards A and B. They appear sad.
- Subjects 1, 2, and 3 are allowed to speak briefly, while guards move about the room, collecting torture devices and placing them in transport pods.
- Guards A and B recapture Subjects 1 and 2 as Guard C takes charge of Subject 3. Guards E and F look on.
- All guards seem to express gratitude toward Deputy, Warden and Executioner.
- Subject 3 is taken from Subjects 1 and 2 and forced into a transport pod with Guard C.
- Subject 1’s eyes are leaking as the transport pod exits, taking Subject 3 away to a new prison. A sign on the back has symbols that name the prison: JUST MARRIED.