A Long Walk to Freedom
Day 1: Today I was put into a small, damp, concrete cell with only a straw mat to sleep on. They gave me a journal to write each night. It’s going to be a very long 27 years in prison.
Week 1: It's been a week here in prison. I go to work each day and break rocks into gravel. It’s really tiring, that's why I haven’t been writing in my journal for a week.
3 Months later: It has been such a hard past 3 months. I am extremely tired, breaking rocks into gravel is like I said before extremely tiring. It is going to be such a long time here in prison. My cell is so cold and damp. My straw mat is definitely not comfortable but I’ll get used to it.
2 Months later: I have broken so many rocks into gravel, I could probably do it with my eyes closed. It makes me so tired that when I get back into my cell I completely forget to write in my journal.
1 Month Later: I was allowed my visitor today, no one came. So I got sent to work earlier than usual. When I got back into my cell, I decided to just sit and think. Strangely I wasn’t that tired but I’ll probably be extremely tired tomorrow. Once again I was breaking rocks into gravel today, it’s getting a little easier now since I have done it for so long. I finally fell asleep after a while, a long while.
6 months later: It’s finally been a year here in prison, only 26 more to go. I’m still breaking rocks into gravel, I’ve been so tired lately I have been forgetting to write in my journal.
26 Years and 6 Months Later: I have been informed today that it is my last time to be able to have a visitor here in prison, but I don’t. I only have 6 months until I am allowed out of here, then I can see who I want to see. It has been such a long time here, I can’t wait to be out. I’m still breaking rocks into gravel, I’m going to be an expert on how to break rocks into gravel when I get out of here. Anyways I’m going to go to bed now.
6 Months later: I am finally out of prison.
Hey Katelynn,
ReplyDeleteWell done on creating your journal entries for Nelson Mandela. What a long, long time to be in prison. Can you even imagine? What would you do to pass the time? If it were me, I would hope I had access to some books, so I could at least keep my mind busy.
I like how you really captured the repetitiveness of being stuck in a cell. Using a little bit of humour with him “breaking the rocks” every day was a nice touch. Do you like writing longer stories like this? Do you keep a journal of your own?
I have what’s called a gratitude journal. I don’t use it everyday, but when I do I try to list 3 things that I am grateful. It helps me to stay optimistic, and to reflect and be thankful for what I have.
Thanks for sharing your blog post :)
Beren
Hi Beren,
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting on my blog. No I don't keep a journal of my own. To pass time in jail I don't know what I would do. I do like writing but not for a long time.
Katelynn