Cold Skin Page #2

- Escaped? To where?

- To a civilized world.

Nice place, that civilized world

of yours.

That why you gave it up?

Here, I'm master of my own destiny

come hell or high water.

Well, you can keep it

I'm signalling for the first ship

that passes by.

Really?

Now this island is not on any

commercial shipping lanes,

the next ship here will be

the one with your replacement.

Come on Gruner,

lighthouses are built

where there's naval transit.

There also built to balance

navy budgets, and siphon funds.

Got to empty your bucket before

you can fill it up again boy.

It is the second time in a week

I'm forced to rebuild my life.

All my belongings are burned.

I've nothing from the person

I used to be.

In this remote part of the world,

I feel a a sense of irreparable loss.

I can't tell whether it arises

from a longing for civilization,

a prisoner's panic,

or simply fear.

Don't! Don't eat on that!

It's not edible.

It's a can..

Friend,

get your rifle.

Don't shoot til they reach the tower

and don't waste bullets on their wounded.

Given enough carrion,

they'll devour each other.

I don't see anything.

You'll learn what to look for.

Go on!

Shoot, man! Use your gun!

Come on! Shoot!

...

No man is an island..

Or ship.

Gruner is an island.

Gruner does not need,

any dead weight,

no matter how much chocolate,

and coffee, ladybird brought.

Go fetch some water.

One last chance.

Hold.

Hold fast.

Wait.

Hold.

Steady.

Behind you!

Wake up, man! Wake up!

Shoot, shoot dammit,

shoot, shoot!

One last chance!

Gruner..

Gruner! wails

Let me in!

Gruner!

Let me in! Gruner!

Gruner and I settled into

a curious sort of coexistence,

based on routine.

Monsters always swarm at night,

their strikes growing

longer every day.

The Japanese philosopher Musashi said

that only a few appreciate

the art of war.

A good warrior is not defined

by the cause he defends,

but rather by the meaning

that derives from the struggle.

Days are always the same.

I abandon my post on the balcony

at the break of dawn.

Nature dictates the length

of my slumber.

I have to accept

the most ungrateful tasks

simply to keep my place

inside the lighthouse.

I've been meditating on my reason

for coming to this island.

I had been seeking peace

through nothingness,

but in place of silence,

I found a monster-plagued inferno.

It smells strange.

- D'you know the herbs aren't bad?

- Herbs are like people.

They're neither good nor bad,

they're just known or unknown,

that's all.

A herbs won't slit your throat

for money.

A farmer keeps cows,

cares for them, he feeds them.

Gives them endearing names.

Like Daisy.

But then he steals her milk,

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