Twenty Seven Years

  Chapter 108 Just Come

   "Then how did you know that you were imprisoned for two years?" Veraker was quite curious. Could it be that Keating was also silently counting the days in the prison without the concept of time.

"Every New Year's day, the prison guards will take a vacation, and the prisoners can also rest on that day, so for some people, although the specific month has been blurred, they still know that they have been here for several years," Keating explained. said, "Today is Tuesday, September 12, 1433, isn't it?"

  Verak was taken aback: "...Yes."

   "It means that my calculation is not wrong." Keating was very satisfied with this, and the smile on his face became more intense. "The people who have been assigned to my cell to take care of me in the past six months are all old prisoners. I haven't been able to check the date for a long time."

   "Have you been counting the days every day for two years?" Verac was planning to do the same.

   "That's right." Keating said, "Knowing the time is also a way to keep yourself awake."

  Verak deeply agrees.

  If you don't even know the time, you will gradually lose your desire for the outside world, slowly integrate into this place, and become a part of the prison machine, without any hope.

   "I will also remember the date. Two people are better than one person, and it can ensure that there are as few mistakes as possible." Verak said.

   "Do you want to go out?" Keating heard Veraker say this, and looked at him with a half-smile.

  Verak did not hide his desire for freedom. Everyone locked up here wanted to get out. How could he be an exception: "Of course, it is impossible to like this place."

   "But do you know? For eighty years, the prisoners who entered this place have never left alive. Some of them even died and could only be buried in the rubble near the prison, unable to return to their hometown."

"I know, I've heard it mentioned before." In fact, Veraker didn't want to mention this, this fact would always bring him great despair, and he didn't want to be crushed, "But people like me who just came in , you won’t compromise and accept your fate so easily, will you?”

   "It sounds like you don't have much confidence in the future." Keating is very good at seeing more of a person's thoughts from words.

Verak stood at the door of the cell and looked outside through the cracks in the railing. The prisoners outside were being led away in an orderly manner by the prison guards: "We'll talk about it later. It's useless to think so far now... What do you think? After being locked up for two years, is the desire for freedom still there?"

"In this kind of place, no matter how long you've been locked up, you'll still want to get out all the time. The difference is that some people give up and some don't." Looking at things, Keating's gaze has been following Veraker, "I haven't given up yet."

   "That's not bad. When I can't hold on, maybe I can draw strength from you." Verak joked.

   "Then you have to find a way to stay in this cell." Keating revealed a little bit of information, "This matter is not only about me, but also about you and the warden."

Keating's words were the same as if he didn't say anything, but it brought more doubts to Veraker. He stopped studying the layout outside the cell while watching the prisoners being taken away, and turned to face Keating: "For a short time I should not be able to leave, because the deputy warden Lecter has forbidden me to apply for a cell change."

   "Why?" Keating narrowed his eyes.

"I provoked him when I first came here." Verak told about his feud with Lecter, "It is for this reason that I wonder why other prisoners are unwilling to live with you."

Keating skipped the question in the second half of the sentence: "It's hard for you to mess with that young man Lecter. I heard about him in Lazein before I was arrested. He is a complete lunatic , likes to torture and kill, and caused a lot of trouble in Laizein many years ago."

The reason why Veraker was so afraid of Lecter was because on the way to the prison, the prison guards mentioned that the riot at noon was arranged by Lecter alone. He didn't care if any prison guards would be injured or even lost their lives during the riot. It is logical to kill a few people to enjoy the fun.

   "Then this prison is simply heaven for him." Verak said.

   "Hehe... His father arranged for him to work here, which is the wisest choice."

   "Who is his father?" Veraker was very curious about Lecter's background. He heard from the prison guard that even the warden couldn't do anything about him. His father must have a high position and profound background.

Keating pondered: "Before I was arrested, his father was the Minister of Justice of Bracey. The functions of the Justice Department include supervising the construction of courts, maintaining and managing courts, supervising public prosecutions, and recommending civil or criminal laws or procedural legislation. , and...manage the prison system. So putting Lecter here is a no-brainer for them."

   "No wonder..." Valak murmured.

   "If you provoke him, your life will be in danger." Keating pointed out Veraker's situation. "In the past six months, there may be no less than 30 prisoners who died at his hands in Damans Prison."

  The situation is far worse than I imagined.

  Verak's expression became serious: "I thought he was looking for trouble at most."

"The purpose of setting up this prison is different from other prisons. Other prisons are for enlightenment and punishment, and hope that the prisoners will be born again. Here, the prisoner is afraid that the prisoner will not die, so tyranny and torture prevail." Keating noticed the change in Verak's expression, "Facing someone like Lecter, you have only one way to save your life."

"what?"

"Never compromise with him." Keating paused every word. "Only in this way can he become competitive. He won't consider executing you until he conquers you and completely destroys your will. But it's better than death." It is much more difficult, because you will often be beaten innocently by him, bitten by dogs, tied to a chair with electric shocks, burnt by cigarettes, and imprisoned without food or water..."

  These inhuman tortures made Verak a little emboldened.

"Soon you will find that living is really difficult, and death, as long as you admit defeat to Lecter, kneel at his feet and beg for mercy, and destroy his interest in you, it can be realized immediately." Keating described Finished, looking forward to what kind of reply and performance Verak will make.

  Verak frowned, and walked slowly to the door of the cell. The prisoners outside had been taken to work in the work area. He looked at the dead corridor and kept his mouth shut.

  The biggest challenge he faces is not abuse, not death, but hopelessness.

  If you can't get out in this life, what's the point of being abused? What is the value of such persistence?

   Keating saw hesitation and panic from Verak's back.

   After a long time, Verak's hand was on the iron railing. He gripped the iron railing tightly and said in a deep voice, "I will definitely go out, so just come."

  (end of this chapter)