Hibernation monologue

Question 1

Start.

Answer 1

I wasn’t up in the crane - the day of the fire.

Question 2

I wasn’t up in the crane - the day of the fire.

Answer 2

I’d only been using my car to get around.

Question 3

I’d only been using my car to get around.

Answer 3

Not like you, not swapping them, crashing them into walls - I’m very boring.

Question 4

Not like you, not swapping them, crashing them into walls - I’m very boring.

Answer 4

I just like driving mine.

Question 5

I just like driving mine.

Answer 5

A small way of feeling like things are normal, normal days when I just drive round in my shitty old car.

Question 6

A small way of feeling like things are normal, normal days when I just drive round in my shitty old car.

Answer 6

But… the petrol stations are all empty, cause the government ordered that, for Hibernation.

Question 7

But… the petrol stations are all empty, cause the government ordered that, for Hibernation.

Answer 7

So one thing I do is, whenever I find petrol in a car (just a random one on the street) I siphon it.

Question 8

So the one thing I do is, whenever I find petrol in a car (just a random one on the street) I siphon it.

Answer 8

I fill jerrycans with petrol and… I store it all.

Question 9

I fill jerrycans with petrol and… I store it all.

Answer 9

Store it in one spot, so there’s lots waiting for me whenever I need, like my own petrol station.

Question 10

Store it in one spot, so there’s lots waiting for me whenever I need, like my own petrol station.

Answer 10

And there’s this b… There was this big empty carpark, in front of a block of units, on South Terrace.

Question 11

And there’s this b… There was this big empty carpark, in front of a block of units, on South Terrace.

Answer 11

It had a roof and… It was just in a good place, a handy place, for me to park the car. Fill up.

Question 12

It had a roof and… It was just in a good place, a handy place, for me to park the car. Fill up.

Answer 12

So I just kept stocking petrol there.

Question 13

So I just kept stocking petrol there.

Answer 13

More and more of it, more and more of these cans.

Question 14

More and more of it, more and more of these cans.

Answer 14

I didn’t think about it. I just… did it. And then…

Question 15

I didn’t think about it. I just… did it. And then…

Answer 15

I don’t know what happened? I don’t know if it was lightning or… or some friction with the metal, the cans.

Question 16

I don’t know what happened? I don’t know if it was lightning or… or some friction with the metal, the cans.

Answer 16

If a can tipped over and spilt. I don’t know.

Question 17

If a can tipped over and spilt. I don’t know.

Answer 17

But I heard the explosion and… Well you know how big the explosion was.

Question 18

But I heard the explosion and… Well you know how big the explosion was.

Answer 18

I knew straight away what had happened and I drove there, in my shitty old car.

Question 19

I knew straight away what had happened and I drove there, in my shitty old car.

Answer 19

The whole side of the units… was alight.

Question 20

The whole side of the units… was alight.

Answer 20

These loud flames, these explosions, and then… All these windows.

Question 21

These loud flames, these explosions, and then… All these windows.

Answer 21

Row after row of windows and… They were all silent.

Question 22

Row after row of windows and… They were all silent.

Answer 22

Every flat, silent. Every sleeping person, inside every flat. Silent.

Question 23

Every flat, silent. Every sleeping person, inside every flat. Silent.

Answer 23

The fire hadn’t got to the front yet.

Question 24

*The fire hadn’t got to the front yet.

Answer 24

And I broke a window - I climbed in, and went… just to the first bedroom I could see.

Question 25

*And I broke a window - I climbed in, and went... just to the first bedroom I could see.

Answer 25

And there was a man and a woman. He was too heavy so I picked her up.

Question 26

*There was a man and a woman. He was too heavy so I picked her up. And I tipped her out the window.

Answer 26

And then I found a teenager, in the next room, and I tipped him out too.

Question 27

*And then I found a teenager, in the next room, and I tipped him out too.

Answer 27

Then I pulled them both to the footpath, this sleeping mum and son.

Question 28

*Then I pulled them both to the footpath, this sleeping mum and son.

Answer 28

I pull them to safety - and then I turn round.

Question 29

*I pull them to safety - and then I turn round.

Answer 29

I go back in, further down the corridor and... I break into another place, another flat.

Question 30

*I go back in, further down the corridor and... I break into another place, another flat.

Answer 30

And I drag three people out of there.

Question 31

*And I drag three people out of there.

Answer 31

Drag them to the footpath, leave them lying with their neighbours.

Question 32

*Drag them to the footpath, leave them lying with their neighbours.

Answer 32

And then I did it two more times - six more people in those next two flats. And that's eleven people.

Question 33

*And then I did it two more times - six more people in those next two flats. And that's eleven people.

Answer 33

And then the smoke... There was a lot of smoke but...

Question 34

*And then the smoke... There was a lot of smoke but...

Answer 34

I thought I heard a baby? Even though I didn't, you know.

Question 35

*I thought I heard a baby? Even though I didn't, you know.

Answer 35

Even though I know there wasn't one - or if there was it wouldn't have been crying but...

Question 36

*Even though I know there wasn't one - or if there was it wouldn't have been crying but...

Answer 36

I heard one. It doesn't matter that there wasn't one - I heard one.

Question 37

*I heard one. It doesn't matter that there wasn't one - I heard one.

Answer 37

So I went back in.

Question 38

*So I went back in.

Answer 38

But the smoke was... It was all just smoke.

Question 39

*But the smoke was... It was all just smoke.

Answer 39

And there was no baby. Not even the noise of a baby.

Question 40

*And there was no baby. Not even the noise of a baby.

Answer 40

Just smoke. And I was vomiting.

Question 41

*Just smoke. And I was vomiting.

Answer 41

Even my new wonderful synthetic lungs couldn't handle that much smoke.

Question 42

*Even my new wonderful synthetic lungs couldn't handle that much smoke.

Answer 42

So I went back outside, just made it outside, to my eleven people on the footpath.

Question 43

*So I went back outside, just made it outside, to my eleven people on the footpath.

Answer 43

And... The animals had some to see the fire.

Question 44

*And... The animals had some to see the fire.

Answer 44

I thought it might've scared them off. Thought that's how nature works but...

Question 45

*I thought it might've scared them off. Thought that's how nature works but...

Answer 45

Turns out it works different. Maybe they smelled the...

Question 46

*Turns out it works different. Maybe they smelled the...

Answer 46

I don't know why they were there. But they were.

Question 47

*Turns out it works different. Maybe they smelled the...

Answer 47

I don't know why they were there. But they were.

Question 48

*I don't know why they were there. But they were.

Answer 48

And the dogs. And the hyenas. And the lions. And the crows.

Question 49

*I don't know why they were there. But they were.

Answer 49

And the dogs. And the hyenas. And the lions. And the crows.

Question 50

*And the dogs. And the hyenas. And the lions. And the crows.

Answer 50

They had found my eleven people. They found them all.