Charloft Thursday: Absolute Power
Absolute Power
Charlie has felt absolute power. He’s felt it rain down on him from the fist of other inmates and the night sticks of guards. He’s felt it in the quick, vicious slide of a shank through his skin. Hundreds of people have held absolute power over his head then dropped it down on him like a ton of bricks.
He found ways in prison to get power for himself. Little things like his book of Zen were a way for him to have power. A book, something to give his mind an escape from walls that rapidly closed in and choked the sanity out of him was a sign that he wasn’t completely gone. Something of him, something of Charlie Crews remained even though the inmates tried to bleed him dry and the guards tried to break him down.
It gets to him now, how much control one person has over another. He sees control everywhere now, in how Reese always drives, how they have to type up every report and the handcuff chain rattling against the table. He still feels those controls, the power, weighing down on him and reminding him. Twelve years of his life was defined by who had power over him. It’s not going to go away anytime soon.
But he’s got power now. Not from his badge or gun or money, but freedom. Freedom is the absolute power, the only power and after losing it Charlie is ready to die to keep it.
Charlie has felt absolute power. He’s felt it rain down on him from the fist of other inmates and the night sticks of guards. He’s felt it in the quick, vicious slide of a shank through his skin. Hundreds of people have held absolute power over his head then dropped it down on him like a ton of bricks.
He found ways in prison to get power for himself. Little things like his book of Zen were a way for him to have power. A book, something to give his mind an escape from walls that rapidly closed in and choked the sanity out of him was a sign that he wasn’t completely gone. Something of him, something of Charlie Crews remained even though the inmates tried to bleed him dry and the guards tried to break him down.
It gets to him now, how much control one person has over another. He sees control everywhere now, in how Reese always drives, how they have to type up every report and the handcuff chain rattling against the table. He still feels those controls, the power, weighing down on him and reminding him. Twelve years of his life was defined by who had power over him. It’s not going to go away anytime soon.
But he’s got power now. Not from his badge or gun or money, but freedom. Freedom is the absolute power, the only power and after losing it Charlie is ready to die to keep it.