'I think out of mind is out of sight.'

My cage is just the way I left it, home away from home.

It's nice in a way that I don't share it, cause sometimes the others sharing a cage have trouble dividing up the rations they get. I don't get much being a one man household, but on the occasion I get a little more than I need, I pass it down to some of the sicker guys. I may be the favorite whipping boy, but before I got here some of these others shared that pleasure and they've been here longer.

Plus some were hurt before they were captured.

Anyway, these unlucky bastards they've just brought in will probably be the VC's new favorite toys, well, unless they sell out. Hmm, maybe they should, it may be a lot easier than all the other crap you have to go through.

Hey, I can hear them coming, so I sit back in the corner of the cage. It don't make nodifference where I sit 'cause they can always reach me, but I'm not gonna make it easy for them, am I?

They're marching in five new guys, splitting them into two groups, three's coming in my cage it looks like and the other two in another one, I can't get the energy up to see where exactly but it don't matter, it's a cage like this one so what the hell does it matter really.

These guys who are joining me in my humble home all look at me like they're waiting for something. The VC say something about having fresh meat and laugh to themselves and then walk away. They like people to get nice and settled into the comfy accommodation's first, the torture comes later.

Having been a little distracted by what the VC are saying, I'd forgotten my guests so I look back to them as they all start to sit down inthe hell that is a POW camp.

I check 'em all out. First guy'sa big black guy. It looks like he could've taken these guys on with no problems if they weren't outnumbering us by about 10 to 1 and didn't have guns, but yeah, he looked like he could take care of himself. The next guy's older, looks real serious but pretty non-descript really. The last guy's a young 'un. I feel sorry for him already.

When the older guy looks my way again, I offer a small smile. He returns it. Then extendinghis hand, he introduces himself.

"Colonel Smith," his hand, wiping off all the mess that's undoubtedly on it first. "Everyone calls me Hannibal, though."

"Hannibal." I say, nodding my head a little. Nicknames aren't exactly a new thing to pilots.

I decide I best introduce myself now. "Captain Murdock. H.M." I say.

"H.M.? What's that stand for?" he asks.

"Whatever you like." I respond with a small smile. Another small one almost makes one normal one, right?

I'm about to look to the next guy when the sitting position I'm in decided to become too painful. I can't help the pain etched into my face, God, this hurts. Why now? I lay down a bit more, it's a little better, soothes me a little.

"Are you alright?" Hannibal asks.

"S'kinda like asking what colour the rainbow is. No easy answer." I say. It still hurts. "You have a pilot with ya?"

"We got shot down, pilot died on impact." the young looking guy answered. He looks a little uncomfortable, and not just cause of the cage.

Shifting positions again, the pains still there. "What's your names?" I ask, through slightly clenched teeth.

I hear them saying something, but my mind's focusing on the pain. Why's it hurting so much now?

I start tuning them out permanently. I need to get away from this place, just for a little while. I can't sleep with this pain and I can't accept it.

I listen to them talk, but I hear nothing.

I know they're talking to me, asking what's wrong, but I'm going now.

I don't wanna stop here.