He stood silently, staring at the mirror.
Joseph passed his hand along his chin. His beard was scruffy. His hair was long, maybe even a little too long. He liked it though.
He had lost a little weight. A belt was now required to keep his pants on. His shirt had creases on them. He thought of getting it pressed, then decided against it. Where he was going, it didn't matter. He pulled down the shirt by grabbing the end that surrounded his waist, but left it untucked.
"You got 5 minutes".
The voice gave Joseph a start. He turned to see a familiar face, one he was used to seeing every single day for what felt like forever.
"Do you want to eat that meal now?"
He nodded. No point wasting a meal. Better to go to the chair with a full stomach.
A plate of hot porridge was brought to Joseph. He ate it slowly. His face shriveled up with every spoon. He didn't enjoy porridge, but it wasn't like he had a choice. He ate silently.
"That's enough! It's time."
Joseph placed the spoon on the plate, and chewed what was left in his mouth. The last bit was particularly harder to swallow. He didn't know if it was because of his throat or because... no. It was his throat. It had gone unexpectedly dry.
The door opened, and Joseph was escorted out. Joseph turned around to take just one more look at all that was his. He took a deep breath, then turned and carried on walking.
Joseph felt the weight of his legs with each step he took. He felt time slow down as he looked around him. Bars... wall... bars. It was a familiar pattern. The air seemed pretty stuffy. He passed his hand through his hair slowly.
The party stopped. It was in front of them.
The chair.
The chair that had seen innumerable people who sat on it, never leave the way they had come.
Joseph's heart was thumping so hard, he was sure everyone around could hear it. Not like it mattered. It was only a matter of time.
"I guess he's keen to get started.", Joseph thought to himself as he saw the man standing next to the chair. The man was in his late forties, with a thick mustache. A little too thick for his thin face, in Joesph's opinion.
"Stop looking so morose! If someone saw you right now, they'd think you were going to be electrocuted or something!" shouted Joseph's dad.
"Well, being electrocuted would have been better! I don't understand why I need to go through this!", reacted Joseph in anguish.
"You got a family gathering tonight, and your mother and I will not have you walking around like a caveman. You better sit on that chair and get that hair cut and shave", snapped Joseph's dad.
"Fine!", replied Joseph grumpily. He sat himself on the chair, beside which stood a smiling barber.
Joseph passed his hand along his chin. His beard was scruffy. His hair was long, maybe even a little too long. He liked it though.
He had lost a little weight. A belt was now required to keep his pants on. His shirt had creases on them. He thought of getting it pressed, then decided against it. Where he was going, it didn't matter. He pulled down the shirt by grabbing the end that surrounded his waist, but left it untucked.
"You got 5 minutes".
The voice gave Joseph a start. He turned to see a familiar face, one he was used to seeing every single day for what felt like forever.
"Do you want to eat that meal now?"
He nodded. No point wasting a meal. Better to go to the chair with a full stomach.
A plate of hot porridge was brought to Joseph. He ate it slowly. His face shriveled up with every spoon. He didn't enjoy porridge, but it wasn't like he had a choice. He ate silently.
"That's enough! It's time."
Joseph placed the spoon on the plate, and chewed what was left in his mouth. The last bit was particularly harder to swallow. He didn't know if it was because of his throat or because... no. It was his throat. It had gone unexpectedly dry.
The door opened, and Joseph was escorted out. Joseph turned around to take just one more look at all that was his. He took a deep breath, then turned and carried on walking.
Joseph felt the weight of his legs with each step he took. He felt time slow down as he looked around him. Bars... wall... bars. It was a familiar pattern. The air seemed pretty stuffy. He passed his hand through his hair slowly.
The party stopped. It was in front of them.
The chair.
The chair that had seen innumerable people who sat on it, never leave the way they had come.
Joseph's heart was thumping so hard, he was sure everyone around could hear it. Not like it mattered. It was only a matter of time.
"I guess he's keen to get started.", Joseph thought to himself as he saw the man standing next to the chair. The man was in his late forties, with a thick mustache. A little too thick for his thin face, in Joesph's opinion.
"Stop looking so morose! If someone saw you right now, they'd think you were going to be electrocuted or something!" shouted Joseph's dad.
"Well, being electrocuted would have been better! I don't understand why I need to go through this!", reacted Joseph in anguish.
"You got a family gathering tonight, and your mother and I will not have you walking around like a caveman. You better sit on that chair and get that hair cut and shave", snapped Joseph's dad.
"Fine!", replied Joseph grumpily. He sat himself on the chair, beside which stood a smiling barber.
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