This is 9 of 9 pages
18.
I heard them tell me at the outset what it would be like. They said when I awoke I would try to get up. When I did they would hit me across the knees with a hard pipe. I would fall down in great pain they said and eventually I would try to get up again. They knew this and told me each time I did they would hit me again and I would fall again in great pain. They said they would do this 12 times. If I was still able or wanted to get up after 12 repeated hits across my knees they would not hit me again. But when I got up the 13th time I would be shorter by no small measure. I would not be able to walk as tall as before and each step would be painful. From that moment forward every step would be painful.
Eventually they said I would learn to live with the pain but it would not go away. I would continue my journey to the end with this pain that I accepted because I insisted upon walking and even though I was shorter and could no longer see as far I would walk anyway.
The beatings began.
19.
It was not meant to be that we would grow old together and know the comforts of rest together. She left to do other work and challenge us to finish ours.