Hibernation monologue Flashcards
Start.
I wasn’t up in the crane - the day of the fire.
I wasn’t up in the crane - the day of the fire.
I’d only been using my car to get around.
I’d only been using my car to get around.
Not like you, not swapping them, crashing them into walls - I’m very boring.
Not like you, not swapping them, crashing them into walls - I’m very boring.
I just like driving mine.
I just like driving mine.
A small way of feeling like things are normal, normal days when I just drive round in my shitty old car.
A small way of feeling like things are normal, normal days when I just drive round in my shitty old car.
But… the petrol stations are all empty, cause the government ordered that, for Hibernation.
But… the petrol stations are all empty, cause the government ordered that, for Hibernation.
So one thing I do is, whenever I find petrol in a car (just a random one on the street) I siphon it.
So the one thing I do is, whenever I find petrol in a car (just a random one on the street) I siphon it.
I fill jerrycans with petrol and… I store it all.
I fill jerrycans with petrol and… I store it all.
Store it in one spot, so there’s lots waiting for me whenever I need, like my own petrol station.
Store it in one spot, so there’s lots waiting for me whenever I need, like my own petrol station.
And there’s this b… There was this big empty carpark, in front of a block of units, on South Terrace.
And there’s this b… There was this big empty carpark, in front of a block of units, on South Terrace.
It had a roof and… It was just in a good place, a handy place, for me to park the car. Fill up.
It had a roof and… It was just in a good place, a handy place, for me to park the car. Fill up.
So I just kept stocking petrol there.
So I just kept stocking petrol there.
More and more of it, more and more of these cans.
More and more of it, more and more of these cans.
I didn’t think about it. I just… did it. And then…
I didn’t think about it. I just… did it. And then…
I don’t know what happened? I don’t know if it was lightning or… or some friction with the metal, the cans.
I don’t know what happened? I don’t know if it was lightning or… or some friction with the metal, the cans.
If a can tipped over and spilt. I don’t know.
If a can tipped over and spilt. I don’t know.
But I heard the explosion and… Well you know how big the explosion was.
But I heard the explosion and… Well you know how big the explosion was.
I knew straight away what had happened and I drove there, in my shitty old car.
I knew straight away what had happened and I drove there, in my shitty old car.
The whole side of the units… was alight.
The whole side of the units… was alight.
These loud flames, these explosions, and then… All these windows.
These loud flames, these explosions, and then… All these windows.
Row after row of windows and… They were all silent.
Row after row of windows and… They were all silent.
Every flat, silent. Every sleeping person, inside every flat. Silent.
Every flat, silent. Every sleeping person, inside every flat. Silent.
The fire hadn’t got to the front yet.
*The fire hadn’t got to the front yet.
And I broke a window - I climbed in, and went… just to the first bedroom I could see.
*And I broke a window - I climbed in, and went… just to the first bedroom I could see.
And there was a man and a woman. He was too heavy so I picked her up.
*There was a man and a woman. He was too heavy so I picked her up. And I tipped her out the window.
And then I found a teenager, in the next room, and I tipped him out too.
*And then I found a teenager, in the next room, and I tipped him out too.
Then I pulled them both to the footpath, this sleeping mum and son.
*Then I pulled them both to the footpath, this sleeping mum and son.
I pull them to safety - and then I turn round.
*I pull them to safety - and then I turn round.
I go back in, further down the corridor and… I break into another place, another flat.
*I go back in, further down the corridor and… I break into another place, another flat.
And I drag three people out of there.
*And I drag three people out of there.
Drag them to the footpath, leave them lying with their neighbours.
*Drag them to the footpath, leave them lying with their neighbours.
And then I did it two more times - six more people in those next two flats. And that’s eleven people.
*And then I did it two more times - six more people in those next two flats. And that’s eleven people.
And then the smoke… There was a lot of smoke but…
*And then the smoke… There was a lot of smoke but…
I thought I heard a baby? Even though I didn’t, you know.
*I thought I heard a baby? Even though I didn’t, you know.
Even though I know there wasn’t one - or if there was it wouldn’t have been crying but…
*Even though I know there wasn’t one - or if there was it wouldn’t have been crying but…
I heard one. It doesn’t matter that there wasn’t one - I heard one.
*I heard one. It doesn’t matter that there wasn’t one - I heard one.
So I went back in.
*So I went back in.
But the smoke was… It was all just smoke.
*But the smoke was… It was all just smoke.
And there was no baby. Not even the noise of a baby.
*And there was no baby. Not even the noise of a baby.
Just smoke. And I was vomiting.
*Just smoke. And I was vomiting.
Even my new wonderful synthetic lungs couldn’t handle that much smoke.
*Even my new wonderful synthetic lungs couldn’t handle that much smoke.
So I went back outside, just made it outside, to my eleven people on the footpath.
*So I went back outside, just made it outside, to my eleven people on the footpath.
And…
The animals had some to see the fire.
*And…
The animals had some to see the fire.
I thought it might’ve scared them off. Thought that’s how nature works but…
*I thought it might’ve scared them off. Thought that’s how nature works but…
Turns out it works different. Maybe they smelled the…
*Turns out it works different. Maybe they smelled the…
I don’t know why they were there. But they were.
*Turns out it works different. Maybe they smelled the…
I don’t know why they were there. But they were.
*I don’t know why they were there. But they were.
And the dogs. And the hyenas. And the lions. And the crows.
*I don’t know why they were there. But they were.
And the dogs. And the hyenas. And the lions. And the crows.
*And the dogs. And the hyenas. And the lions. And the crows.
They had found my eleven people. They found them all.
