Film of the Week: Pacific Rim – Uprising

Does it have gigantic robots fighting huge monsters? Yes, and it has a gigantic robot fighting and even bigger monster than what was in the first film.

Does it have epic angles making the action look awesome? Yes, but nothing came close to that moment when the Jaeger was dragging a container ship through the city and subsequently using it as club.

Does it have a compelling story? Yes, but of course all anyone wants to see are the epic battles between the robot and monster. Whilst the first film made sure the story shined through on occasions to put context to the battling of the robots and monster, this film’s story, at times, felt overshadowed. I understood what was going on and why it was happening, but there were times where I had to be reminded what the overall story was as it seemed to shut down whenever there was a battle, only to resume again. Whereas the first made sure the story was still there at all times.

Does it have a reference to a meme? Wait, what?

Conclusion: Just as good as the first. It retains all the elements that the first incorporated. It ramped up the battle by a small amount – it’s still silly and over the top, but not so much it becomes silly even for Pacific Rim. Pacific Rim continued the story and made a subtle hint to a third instalment.

Do I want there to be a third instalment? Yes, but only if they don’t go over the top; keep it the same as the first two.

Do I recommend Pacific Rim – Uprising? Did you like the first? If yes, then you will like this film.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

The Watch – Part 250:

(Tom’s perspective)

Dr Amanda steps away entering my peripheral vision, but then disappears completely. I don’t move my head to see what she is doing. I know what she is doing. She is preparing to break me further. I need to tell her that I am going to tell her everything. If I don’t, I will only be subjecting myself to unnecessary beatings. What does it matter if I am, though? She knows when to stop. I’ll tell her then. I just don’t care anymore.

She re-enters my peripheral vision, and then she resumes her place in front of me, holding something in her hands. It isn’t a hammer, but it’s something that I don’t want to find out, but I am going to anyway.

I attempt to get her attention, but I have no voice. I didn’t realise that I had given up that much. I try and say something, anything, but all that comes out is a raspy, light breath that amounted to inaudible sounds.

I’m so tired, weak, defeated. I’ve never felt this way before in my entire life. Why am I even caring about all of that? This is my life from now on, and if I don’t say anything, things will only get worse.

Dr Amanda says something. For the first time in what felt like a long time, I can hear her say every word. ‘Are you ready to talk?’ she asks, giving me one last chance to say something.

I do everything that I could to nod my head, to say yes, to do anything that indicated that I was ready to talk, but nothing.

‘Shame,’ she said blandly. ‘I’ll say it for the third time, just in case you didn’t understand it the first two times, everyone has a breaking point. All I have to do is fine yours.’ I have a breaking point. You’ve found mine. Please stop this. I beg of you please stop this. I’ll do anything, say whatever you want, just please don’t do this.

But those are only weak thoughts in my head. I didn’t say any of those words. And even if I did, then they would have been too quiet for her to hear or understand.

‘This,’ she said, holding up something. I didn’t get a chance to see what it was, but her description was all that I needed, ‘is a clamp. All I have to do is slip this over one of your fingers and slowly but surely wind it up, until it clamps over your fingers, and tighter it gets until it breaks.’ And then she attached it to my ring finger. I could feel the cold metal pressing against the bones, and then she started to turn the handle. Immediately, the clamp started shutting up, slowly crushing my fingers, sending immense pain shooting up my arm. And tighter still, until, even with my weak ears, I could hear a crushing sound. Please stop. I’m ready to tell you everything you want to know. Please stop. Please.

But she continued to tighten the clamp. The pain became unbearable. Tears started rolling down my cheeks, and yet she continued, turning and turning and turning and turning, until… that one, sickening snap. My entire hand went numb. She loosened the clamp. I could feel the blood rushing towards my finger, swelling it up, trying to repair the damage as soon as possible. Then, she placed it over my other ring finger, and started to copy her actions.

And then…

‘What the…?’

‘How did you…?’

‘Stand back, or I’ll shoot.’

Three of her people shouting at a complete stranger who had apparently appeared out of nowhere. Could that be? Has he finally arrived to come and rescue me? He’s finally here. Please be him. Please be him. Please be him.

‘I said stand back or I’ll shoot,’ one of the guards ordered again, and then there was the sound of three people yelling as they were tackled to the ground, beaten with ease. Then, silence.

Dr Amanda knew that something wasn’t quite right. She looked at the door, then at me, her expression deadly.

‘Is this the person who you were talking about? Your friend,’ she said that as if it was the most offensive word on the planet, ‘Sebastian has come to rescue you. You really think he can defeat me. He doesn’t know who he is messing with.’

No, you don’t know who you are messing with. There’s no part of me who’s questioning whether this is a dream or not. I know this isn’t. Sebastian is the type of person who doesn’t appear in dreams. He is as real as it gets. And he is someone who Dr Amanda should step aside for. She will regret it if she gets in his way.

‘You tell me everything that I want to know and you won’t see your friend die a painful, slowly death, with you watching every second of it until the light in his eyes slowly fade away…’

‘Oh, do shut up,’ a familiar voice ordered from the other side of the room. His voice gave me the motivation to lift up my head, and his appearance made me smile. There he was, in all his glory, wearing an incredible suit, and standing with more confidence than I’ve ever seen him have. He was angry. I could feel the power radiating from him. Dr Amanda noticed him standing there.

‘You stay away from him or I will kill him.’ I never thought she could say anything with emotion, but it appears Sebastian’s appearance can make her have some. He stepped forward, not a care in the world, directly towards me, hell-bent on getting me out of here.

‘Stand back. You dare mess with me.’ The closer he came, the more I could see it in his eyes that he has seen more than he’s fair share of stuff.

Dr Amanda picked up a gun and fired it without hesitating. I don’t know where the bullet went, but Sebastian stopped in his tracks. He looked at her and advanced towards her. He didn’t say anything, he just walked up to her, and flicked her on the end, knocking her out. She slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Sebastian then turned back towards me and stood before me.

‘Come on,’ he said softly, sympathetically, as if all this was his fault, ‘let’s get you home.’

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

The Watch – Part 249:

(Tom’s perspective)

I tried. I swear I tried. I did everything that I could. But it just wasn’t enough. I’ve failed. And now I’m back in the room, tied up. Dr Amanda’s standing before me, with her arms crossed, talking. But I’m not paying attention. I can see her mouth moving, but all I can hear is my own thoughts, screaming at me, describing what I could have done better. There are so many scenarios flickering before my eyes, showing me so many ways that I could have escape them, yet I failed to follow them all. I should have pre-planned it. I should have thought more about what to do next, but I didn’t, and now I am going to pay for it.

I thought that I would be here because I gave a run for their money, but I didn’t get very far at all. I was too weak, tired, my head was too full that I struggled to process the next second before it had already passed and they were on me, capturing me, dragging me back here. It was as if I made no effort at all.

I swear I did. I tried my hardest. I pushed myself further than I ever pushed myself before, but it just wasn’t enough. I failed. And now I am going to go to hell and back once more. Dr Amanda is going to push me until breaking point, expect me to scream the information she wants. I can’t do that. I refuse to do that. I will not let her win. I’ve already failed, I don’t want to fail again.

But is it all worth it. I don’t care anymore. I can’t be bothered to care anymore. I didn’t do what I knew I could do and I failed. I let myself down. I should have done it when I had the chance and now that opportunity is gone. I will never get that back. What is done is done. I have failed.

I thought I was going to win. I thought I was going to get out of here. I thought I was going to triumph over those that beaten me, pushed me, tortured me, but I went the wrong way. I knew I shouldn’t have gone down there. I knew I should have followed my instincts and turned back, and turned left instead of right, but instead I carried on down the wrong route, and I ended up exactly where I didn’t want to be. Failure.

I was as optimistic as any one person could have been in that situation. That excitement of knowing that the exit is only moments away, metres away, but to then fall back down to the bottom, being dragged all the way back down to where I started, possibly further, hurts more than anything Dr Amanda can throw at me.

I might as well give up here and now. Who am I kidding, I have given up. I can feel my body going numb with uncaringness, my brain is slowly going quiet with vacancy. There’s nothing left for me except to stay here and let Dr Amanda do what needs to be done, except I will only be making things worse for me because I won’t talk. I don’t know what else she can do to me without killing me, but I know that whatever it is, it will be worse than death. I don’t want that. Why would anyone want that?

I tried. I swear I tried. I did everything that I could. But it just wasn’t enough. I’ve failed. I wish I could go back and chance what I did back there. I would do anything to not be here after making the stupidest decision of my life. I should have gone left, not right, but I did anyway. Why? Because I’m an idiot. I deserve to be here. I’ve failed.

Dr Amanda’s still standing in front of me, talking to me, but I’m not hearing a single work she’s saying. I don’t care for her words. Whatever she’s saying is irrelevant because it’s not as if she’s telling me a set of instructions. There’s nothing for me to do. That’s it. The end. I’ve failed.

I did so much, though. I really did try so hard to make it all work. The moment that I arrived in this world, I did everything that I could to try and get by, only if it lasted for a couple of days, and I did exactly that. I met Tim, who did nothing but help me, and I cannot be more grateful for that, but I don’t know if he’s a dream or not. I tried so hard, and go so far, but in the end, it’s completely and utterly pointless.

Every decision that I’ve ever made has led me to this point. If I knew that I was going to end up here, I would have chucked in the towel there and then. What would be the point in trying if I was only to end up here anyway? A failure. A complete and utter failure, devoid of any senses, and of any rational thought.

I can feel my mind shattering. I can feel the doors closing, the windows being boarded up, and the curtains closing. My body’s going numb. I’m starting to shake due to lack of blood circulating through my body. It’s all just sitting there, not bothering to move, because I’m not bothering to care anymore. It’s the end. I’ve failed.

I tried. I swear I tried. I did everything that I could. But it just wasn’t enough. I’ve failed.

I tried. I swear I tried. I did everything that I could. But it just wasn’t enough. I’ve failed.

I tired. I swear I tried. I did everything that I could. But it just wasn’t enough. I’ve failed.

I tried. I swear I tried. I did everything that I could. But it just wasn’t enough. I’ve failed.

And now I’m back in this room. Dr Amanda is talking to me, but all I’m hearing are my own thoughts.

I guess there really is only one thing left to do.

As much as I will hate myself for it, but who cares anyway because I already hate myself. I have reached my breaking point.

I will tell her what she needs to know.

She has won.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

Mum's Monday: War of the Worlds (2005)

Warning spoilers

The film starts with a typical, divorced father, Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise), with his ex-wife Mary Ann (Miranda Otto), who is now with Tim (David Alan Basche) and pregnant, dropping off, their 2 children Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and Rachel (Dakota Fanning), for their visitation at the weekend.

Robbie is against staying with Ray, but with Rachel, he has a connection, despite her ordering Hummus, instead of your usual takeaway.

Whilst all this is going on, news reports, on TV, in the background, starts to set up the impending doom. Ray only notices something, could be wrong, for real when he goes outside to see if Robbie has really taken the car and has gone, but first he refers to the darkening clouds as ‘Cool’.

The beginning is solid and sets up the rest of the film. It has depth and is not your usual 2.4 nuclear family, it so easily could’ve been.

It is nice to see one good thing to come out of the lightning attack, Ray and Robbie, start to communicate and connect.

The special effects of aliens and the damage they inflict on the vicinity, are extremely well done and realistic. With the excellent acting, even from the younger actress playing Rachel, this makes for a well-made film.

What I cannot explain and it is not made clear in the film, is the car, Ray is driving is the only one, that will start and is drivable. It is not affected by the lightning flares, like the others.

A part that is a little harsh, is when Robbie says that, Ray only wants to take them to their mother so he can relinquish his responsibility of them. We however, can see that he just wants to keep them safe. Ray, I believe, realises the type of father he has come across as and that, and he needs to change. We see him growing in character as the film progresses.

A shocking part, is when, they are all waiting at a level crossing for a train, the train comes along and the whole way along it, it is on fire. Ray manages to board a ferry with Robbie and Rachel, however, this film shows nowhere is safe.

We see a clever use of a mirror and a hand grenade to keep all as safe as possible. We don’t really know what stops the attacking aliens and we don’t know how Robbie ended up where he did, but this film has a heart-warming ending, and even with some questions unanswered, it is still worth watching.

Jerry's Journal: "This Has Confused Me"

My dad ordered a new exhaust for his bike, which Jerry had to inspect first. I don't think I've ever seen him more confused.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

Film of the Week: Primer

To say anything about this film would be a massive spoiler. It has to be watched without knowing anything about it, but even then, upon first or second viewing, you still may not know what's going on. It's a film that is designed to get your head spinning.

It's a film that you have to pay attention to, not have on in the background. Primer is certainly complex. If you're not into time travel films, then the complexity of this film will put you off, but if you're a fan of these types of films, then you will still find it complex, but you may understand it better than if you didn't.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

The Watch – Part 248:

(Tom’s perspective)

How do I get out of here? That’s the question that I need to answer as soon as before someone comes to collect me to take me back to that room where Dr Amanda will do what is necessary to try and make me talk. From the looks of this cell, there is no way I can break out of here, so I should swipe that idea from my mind right now. The only option I can think of is to make a move when someone comes to collect me.

That means I need prepare for any opportunity. How strong is the person? What equipment does he have? Where are any of the exits when I eventually get away from him? Will he call for backup? Those are all but some of the questions that I need to answer before I do anything, and answering even one of them is going to be tricky.

I really don’t think this is the best time to say that I’ll just make it up as I go along and hope for the best, because that can lead me to the worst possible outcome. Then again, so can a well-thought out plan if it doesn’t go as planned. If a well-thought out plan hits a pump along the way, it is high time to start making it up as you go along to try and get the plan back on track or to complete it altogether. If I go in without a plan, maybe not having that pressure of worrying whether it is going to go right or not would actually help me think clearer, or maybe not having a plan at all would result in me making a horrific mistake. The last thing I want to happen is for me to end up in a worse position than I already am, if there is ever such a position.

I don’t know a single thing about this place to know where any of the exits are. At this rate I’ll be running around like a headless chicken, darting here and there in the hope that I don’t meet anyone coming the opposite way, which is bound to happen because they know this place like the back of their hand – I can only presume because they work here – and then Dr Amanda can make a statement about how I tried to escape, failed and may even try harder to make me talk. OK, the last part I can’t be sure on, but that is a possible outcome, the more I think about it.

I have no idea how strong the person who is coming to collect me is. What are the chances of Dr Amanda coming to collect me herself? I doubt it considering she had one of her people take me back to my cell after she had finished with me, and I can only make an educated guess that they would have to be somewhat strong enough to handle certain situations, especially when prisoners try and make their grand escape. And as weak as I am, all they would have to do is perform one good tackle and I’ll be done for the pin, then I’ll be back in that room, tied up and…

And as for what equipment they will have, does it really matter? Whether it is a gun, or a baton, or a set of handcuffs, I can be sure that they will be used against me and I do not want to be on the receiving end of them, especially a gun.

I don’t want to go back there, but I’m afraid that I might end up there anyway, attempt or no attempt at breaking out of here. I might just have to accept what’s going to happen and let it happen. I might suffer from it, but, looking at it darkly, the longer I don’t talk for the longer she’ll keep me alive for. The only problem with that is she will push me further and further towards my breaking point each and every time she tries to get the information out of me. I don’t know when my breaking point is, and at this point, I’m too afraid to ask.

I don’t want to give up, yet I’m afraid that may be the only thing I have left to do. No matter what happens from here on, there is one thing that I will never allow to happen: Telling Dr Amanda what I know. I will not let her win. She does not deserve to win. She deserves to have what happened to me happen to her. That may be a bit strong… actually, is it? I think it would make me just as bad as her if I want the same thing to happen to her, but I refuse to let her win. I don’t care what I have to do to make that happen, but she will not win. How many times do I have to tell myself that before I can convince myself not to give up? I never said that I would give up, I was only contemplating giving up trying to escape, not giving up altogether. This is getting a bit confusing now.

I’ve lived my entire life just making it up as I go along, why should this be any different. I was then going to say that it was because I was making it up as I go along that I ended up here, but that cannot be further from the truth.

I think I should just go ahead and do it. Make it up as I go along. I don’t need to know what the worst that can happen is. How many times have I failed at doing something by planning it? I actually can’t answer that because I haven’t been keeping track, but I can say that it has been a lot, but how many times have I succeeded in doing something by making it up as I go along? I can’t answer that either, but again, I know that it has been a lot. That’s all I need to motivate me to just get on and do it.

‘Alright, you,’ a voice came from the other side of the door, ‘Dr Amanda wants to see you again.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

The Watch – Part 247:

(Tom’s perspective)

I’m just sitting here. At least I’ve gotten this far. All I need to do now is one final push and then I’ll be golden, then I can relax for as long as I can before things start up again. My hands are shaking uncontrollably, but that does mean they are not broken, which is a good thing if I do say so myself, and my legs and feet are pulsating rapidly now, but that just means the blood is flowing, I think. I don’t know, I just want to get moving again so I’m not sitting here… I was going to say all day, but for all I know it could very well be all night. I haven’t seen or felt any sunlight in a long time.

I wouldn’t mind stepping outside for a few moments, just to get some fresh air in my system and some sunlight beaming on to my skin, allowing my cells to absorb as much vitamin D as possible. I shouldn’t think about the outside world whilst I’m stuck in here because I’m only going to make myself worse, and I don’t think I want that to happen.

I haven’t thought about Sebastian ever since I got here, nor have I about Amy, but I still believe that Sebastian is coming to get me and that Amy is OK. I do wonder where Amy went when we split. What Universe she went to? I may have already asked this question before, I simply cannot remember nor do I care frankly, because these thoughts are my painkillers, but what are the chances of Amy ending up in the same world as I am in now. If she is, where is she? What is she doing? But if she isn’t in the same world, and she is in a far off universe, and in which case I hope that she is OK. She is a survivor. I can imagine that she would have felt more or less the same feelings and realisations as I did about discovering she is in another universe. Or maybe Amy is having fun. Maybe her universe is the best place to be right now. All I can do is guess. It’s impossible to decide upon a definitive answer.

I wonder what Sebastian is doing right now. What is he doing to help himself find us, how many universes he’s been to in search for us, how many people he’s met, how many different worlds he’s been to? I know that he’s only doing that because of the wrong reasons, but if any other contexts, that would be an immense adventure. The greatest adventure even. Maybe I could persuade him to take me to some of those places he visited. Or maybe I would like to do nothing except crash on the sofa for months on end, sleeping. Travelling across the many universes, meeting new people, discovering new worlds, learning new rules and cultures is extremely tempting and fun to think about because there are so many possibilities, when I get back home, all I wouldn’t mind doing is staying in one place for a while. I would like to stay in my home universe for a period of time, and spent time with Alex.

I wonder what Alex is doing right now. Is she wondering where I am? Is she missing me, or does she not care less where I’ve gone to? I can’t say, but all I know is the moment that I set foot back home, I will be going straight up to Alex and giving her the biggest hug ever. All I want to do is say that I am sorry for abandoning her and then, if she wants, I will explain everything there and then about what happened, about Sebastian and the watch, about the life she’s unintentionally gotten herself into, and then I will wait for her response, and I will respect whatever she deems is necessary. If she wishes to leave me to never darken my door again, then I will go with her.

I know what I will be leaving behind, but I cannot bare to see the back of Alex. Am I getting desperate? I hope I’m not, but I can’t be too sure. When I get a chance, I need to sit down and really think about what I want to do next.

Maybe Sebastian would be able to help me with deciding, as well as Amy. I know they’ll say something that will help me. They always do. But then again, all they’ll be able to say is advice, not definitive answers. Those will have to be made by me and me alone, which is OK, but may take a few days for me to build them.

But I can’t do any of that if I’m stuck in here. I’ve had enough. I need to get out of here and now, but I’m still in so much pain. What is it with all my buts? I shouldn’t be constantly generating so many counterarguments, I should just do it and get on with it. But what if it backfires? I won’t know if it will if I don’t do anything. That’s a good answer, I might use that if someone use asks that question. I would like to see them get out of that one.

Come on, then, let’s get us off the ground and sitting on that bed. Once there, I can form some sort of a plan to get out of here. How am I going…. That question doesn’t matter until I’ve gotten myself off this ground.

Come on, then, up we get. This is going to hurt, but hey, no pain no gain right. I think that phrase comes with many inaccuracies, but it’s the best phrase I have at this point in time, so I shall honour its code and get myself off this ground.

I should do it quickly and in one movement, that way I won’t stop midway and cause any unnecessary pain.

On a count of three.

One. Two. Three.

Ow.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

Mum's Monday: The Sailor’s Ransom by Brian Thompson

When I read the back of this book, the description of the story, I read it twice to get the proper gist of it. The description is very detailed, making it a long and intense paragraph.

When I started reading the book, I did wander where the story was going, but once I got to chapter 7 out of 17, the story became clearer.

Bella Wallis, being a writer, but under the name Henry Ellis Margam, is a good basis to the story, and she gets inspiration from the different experiences throughout.

I would also like to know, where going to find Molly Clunn, a ‘Down on her luck’ performer in music halls, fits into the story of true love, but a father, Sir William Skillane, wanting a different husband, for his daughter, Mary.

We do find out why Molly Clunn is in the story, it turns out, Sir William Skillane is a ‘Slum Landlord’ and Molly was living and died in one of his slums.

It is good, that it is portrayed, that people are looking out for the ones living in slums, even if they were too late for Molly.

In chapter 9, the story comes to life, but Bella has also realised a slip of the tongue, to the wrong person, however, innocent, can cause a problem, a lesson to be learnt there. This chapter left me thinking 2 wrongs don’t make a right.

In chapter 10, it comes to light, that everything in this book, happens for a reason, you just have to persevere, with reading it to find out, what they are, behind what happens. This is a fantastic way to keep you reading this book.

The story becomes clearer still near the end of it and it is good to see everything works out in the end. However, at the very end it is strange to see, even back when this book is set, although it is not all that clear throughout when, progress is frowned upon. This in a form of a new type of pen, with the ink inside it.

It is a good job Bella doesn’t live in the here and now, but pen or no pen I hope the book she was inspired to write does really well. 

Jerry's Journal: Worn out

Jerry is worn out from a long day. He went on a road trip to Halstead, Colchester, and then back home. He enjoyed looking out of the window watching the road go by. I was trapped in my room until he woke up.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

Film of the Week: Game Night

Game Night doesn’t go over the top. It gives you exactly what you’d expect from a dark comedy about a group of friends who frequently meet each weekend for game night and accidentally get roped up in an actual criminal events – but not before mistaking what happened as part of the game.

Its enjoyment came from the predictability being thrown back at me. When the game night first started, after he had explained what was going to happen, only for it to escalate suddenly – of course there was the avenue that it could all be part of the brother’s plan to prove he really is awesome and better than Max (Jason Bateman). As the story moves on, you discover along with the characters that it’s real, only for it to switch again and say it’s all fake, only to switch once more and the final revelation is that it was really all real. The way it interweaved the fake game with the real activities abolished all predictions, and therefore kept it entertaining.

The simplicity allowed the film to remain grounded, which allowed the comedic aspect of the dark comedy equally remain funny and also pinpoint the seriousness of the situation the characters are in – and with the two elements artistically weaved in such a way, the atmosphere could and does stay positively flatline.

It isn’t a massive, two and a half-hour to three-hour blockbuster that had hundreds of millions thrown at it, it’s an hour and a half, which keeps the premise tight to keep the exposition minimal, and whilst there isn’t much character development either except for the two main protagonists, I was delighted to have followed them from beginning to end. Keeping it quick witted, with the many avenues it could have gone down at any moment, I was happy to have played along and equally have been duped.

I don’t really have anything negative to say. As mentioned, it doesn’t have much character development, but there really needn’t have been, as all they want to do is get the game over and done with so they can go home.

If you’re into dark comedy, then I do recommend Game Night. Dark Comedy as a genre is niche, and not many films are made tackling certain topics such as the one in the film – you do have to be careful not to go over the top, and so does have to be perfected to make sure the film grabs as many people as possible. Game Night has certainly been perfected, but it can only be enjoyed by those who knows what to expect from a film which genre is dark comedy.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

The Watch – Part 246:

(Tom’s perspective)

I don’t know how long I’ve been laying here, but I do know it has been long enough for some feeling to come back in my hands and feet, and they sting with pain. They started pulsating as the nerves slowly recovered, and the pain only but increased. At least I can treat this as a good sign, because it means my body is slowly getting better, all I have to do is lie here until the pain goes away, but I doubt I will get that chance. All I can do is help my body recover as best as it can. How I am going to do that, I think I have an idea.

The longer I lay here completely still, the longer it will take for my feet and hands to get better, so that means that the more I move, the more my blood is able to circulate through my body, carrying the nutrients my body needs to get better. That’s the theory anyway. However, the moment I move, the more the pain increases. That’s a bad theory.

I don’t know what I am going to do, if anything, from this point onwards. If I look at the reality and weight my odds, then there is more of a chance that things will go badly for me instead of going right.

I may not be capable of standing up for myself, and the fall back down will be even harder. If I start to fight back, my body may give way immediately, but I do not want to hand myself over again. I do not want to be strung up again and beaten until I break, and I most certainly will not allow myself to give her what she wants. I’ve said so before and I will say it again if it helps: I will not give her the victory; she will not win.

Does she believe she already has? Even though I do have to admit that I know hardly anything about her, I can have some confidence in saying that she does not come across as the type of person who jumps to conclusions.

I reckon she is merely waiting for me to recover until I am ready for another round, and she will continue to do so until I break. If I do attempt to fight back, I will need to know a bit more about her for the last thing I want to do is jump to any conclusions myself and ruin this whole operation, if you can call this an operation. I think it’s more closely representing a ‘thing’ at the moment with no valid title. When I eventually form a plan, I can then give it a valid title, if I ever get around to it, which may be never because I’ll be too busy thinking about what needs to be done and what needs doing, but I think I’m getting a bit too ahead of myself. I need to calm down and focus on recovering, and I won’t do that any time soon if all I’m doing is thinking about this, that and the other and not the more important things, which is getting better.

At least I can say with certainty that my thoughts haven’t been beaten to their absolute limit. They are dulling the pain slightly, but only by a minute amount. I doubt proper painkillers would be able to make this pain go away. Well, actually, painkillers don’t actually kill the pain, they only release a specific paracetamol which locates and blocks the signal from the nerves to the pain, preventing you from feeling it, but the nerves are still tender and pulsating, which means all those people you see in adverts who are playing tennis or running or even picking up their children with ease, could very much be causing themselves even more pain because they are pushing their already injured nerves even more than they can handle, so when the painkillers wear off, their pain will be even more unbearable, leading them to take more pills, and that is the first step towards addiction.

I’m not saying that everyone will fall foul of the pills, but Dr. House can be used as an example for why I don’t like taking painkillers. A decent amount of rest here and there with an appropriate amount of exercise to keep the muscles and nerves from stiffening as they recover is the best medicine. I read that on a science website a couple of years ago, and I’ve stuck to it ever since, and I am not going to give up on it now. I have no choice but to do so, so I had better make the most of the best way and get better as soon as I can.

I do need to move at some point. I will make myself feel so much worse if I stay here. I need to sit up and once I’m up, I will then think of what needs to be done then.

I am proud of myself for not giving in. It does prove that there is so much more about me. I don’t know if that determination was already there, but whatever the reason as to how I found it, I’m glad I did. As strange as it sounds – and I’m probably only saying this to keep my thoughts active –  if there’s one thing I can take away from this, that would be determination, strength and will power. If I look on the bright side, the only way is up from here on. If I put what I’ve learnt to good use, I may be able to stand some chance against Dr. Amanda.

OK, I need to move now. This is probably going to hurt like crazy, but the more I move, the better the pain will ease. Here I go, on a count of three. One. Two. Three.

I slid my legs across the ground, stretching them out, and boy did it hurt. I winched with every inch they moved, but as soon as they came to a stop, the pain did die down a satisfying amount. I will need to roll over if I am to move the other leg. I braced myself for another dose of pain as I breathed in, counted to three and rolled over, and in one slow movement, I stretched out my other leg as well.

I’m now laying on my back. All I need to do now is sit up. This is the part where I may grunt loudly as I force my muscles to move when they don’t want to. I took a couple deep breaths, bracing myself once more. I counted to three like the other two times, and heaved upwards.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)

The Watch – Part 245:

(Tom’s perspective)

I collapsed to the floor, broken and exhausted, and numb. The ground was so soft, my eyelids were so heavy, and my limbs were flaccid, disturbed, and helpless. My head was pounding, and my heart was beating so fast it was hurting my chest even more, and my breathing was thin. I just wanted to lay here forever.

But, the reason why I was in this state, was because I never gave up what I knew. I was not going to let Dr. Amanda win. She knew that I wasn’t going to give up easily, and I knew she could have kept going, but I have to be alive to tell her what she wants, so she finally released my bonds and let me go back to my cell.

‘I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t have a limit,’ she threatened. ‘I’m impressed you lasted this long,’ and that was all she said before she left the room, letting one of her people drag me back here.

I can’t take any more of this, but I know I will have to soon. Throughout the entire time I was there, after each and every attack she made against my body, I contemplated telling her everything, just giving up and revealing what I knew, but that voice in the back of my head stayed strong. I didn’t know how long I could last, but paradoxically, I knew that there was always one more in me. I knew I could take one more, and then another, and then another. I was never going to let her win.

I think my fingers and wrists are broken, maybe even shattered, and I can feel my legs swelling up. I’m sweating, covered in water, and blood. But laying here, not moving, couldn’t be better. Laying here means that I can recover, which means I will be able to take so much more that she has plans for. I will never give up. But maybe I will, just to make her stop. If I tell her everything, it will all stop, I will be able to recover without worrying when she’s going to come back for another round. I can just lay here forever…

They say that every decision that you ever make in your life leads you somewhere. I remember sitting at my computer one day, browsing aimlessly because there was simply nothing to do, when suddenly I found myself reading something that stated that every decision that I have ever made has led me to reading that, and that got me thinking. Of course it did. But then, it wasn’t me who decided to get the computer, it was someone else, my parents to be precise: They brought it for me for my sixteenth birthday when I had left high school because they had a discussion about needing peace and quiet to complete any assignments that I get when I start college. So, was it really me who made all the decisions? Well, the answer is still yes, because it was me who decided to sit at the computer on that day, browsing on that website at that specific time when the post went live to read it.

But even then, a lot of factors had to be put in place for me to read that post. The person who created and, or uploaded it decided to do it then and on that website. If it weren’t for him, then I wouldn’t have done so. So, who made the ultimate decision there? Did he decide to do what he did so that I could read the post, or did I decide to browse on that website so that he could upload that post? Who can say?

But what I do know is that a lot of decisions and a lot of factors has to be made and put in place in a specific order for me to end up laying on this floor. Sebastian had to receive the watch, Amy had to fall in love with him to be sitting at the dining room table with us reading that day’s newspaper which had the advertisement for the concert in, and once we’re at the concert, the four meteorites had to appear out of nowhere, forcing Sebastian to make a quick decision to take us to another universe, where Zaylor had to be on standby to take us and hold us in his laboratory, and then Amy and I had to suddenly find ourselves in another universe. My decisions in all of that is when I decided to go to the concert, decided to go back and say that I was sorry for storming out on Sebastian after I found out about the watch, and decided to be his friend the first moment I met him way back in pre-school.

If we never became friends, none of this would have happened. The question I’m asking myself is: Am I regretting being friends with Sebastian? No, of course not. When Sebastian and I became friends on that day, none of us knew what was going to happen. I can only assume that a lot of factors had to be put in place for Sebastian to find the watch sitting in his living room, so is all of this the fault of the person who sent The Watch to Sebastian? And if Zaylor had decided to create his own laboratory, we wouldn’t have been trapped in it when we arrived. So is it all his fault?

Or am I lying here because I am about to make a decision that will lead to something so much better than anything I could have imagined – for lack of a better phrase, am I supposed to be pulled through the hedge backwards to get there. I don’t know. Not even Sebastian who can see the future whenever he wants knows of what is going to happen.

I’m lying here because I am, and that’s it. There was nothing that I could have done to prevent it, and there is nothing that I can do to prevent what will happen in the future. Call that destiny. Call it fate. Call it whatever you want, I’m laying here because I am. Nothing more, nothing less.

           

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)