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Date Posted: 06:00:11 08/20/09 Thu
Author: Mahri ()
Subject: Mermaid in a Bowl of Tears, Chapter 48

If I Were a Blackbird

'The wary peace lasted another few weeks and then was abruptly blown apart.'

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Sugar and bleach have been found in the prisoners quarters, underneath Shane's bunk. These ingredients could be used to make a bomb, though small in quantity, the Sergeant believes punishment is in order.

Casey takes the blame, sparing Shane a cruel life lesson. The other men do not agree but Casey feels young Shane would suffer worse, mentally, than he will himself.

The punishment is flogging. Twenty strokes. It is around the 4th stroke in that Casey begins singing, this act alone is enough to enrage the Sergeant wielding the whip, and Casey's choice of song brings that rage up a notch. The young Scots soldier who is witnessing the punishment pleads with the Sergeant to stop at 20.

1) In our previous discussion, we talked about Casey's decision to sing, the why's of it and his choice of song. Could you, in a situation like this, focus your mind on something else? What would it be? Personally, I think I'd pass out!

After the flogging, Matty and Delcan refuse any help in caring for Casey. They demand an 'offsite' doctor and close themselves off in the Infirmary.

Casey dreams of Brian. Brian tells Casey he was wrong to say that the sky above and the earth below, in times, would be enough. Instead Brian tells him to look at his hands. In the way of dream vision/sight, Casey feels a weight in his hands and sees a blue green seed.
'As small as a seed, as large as the universe- call it love, call it spirit. None can take it from ye, an' ye don't allow it. An' that, boy, is sometimes all ye'll have, but it will always be enough.'

In the darkness, Matty admits to Casey that he was drawn to him for the memory of Brian but he stays for the man he found in Casey.

We learn that Shane did not go unpunished. The men were hard on him, physically, but left his soul and spirit in tact and that leaves room for forgiveness. Again we are witness to music being used to calm and soothe.

Last edited by author: Thu August 20, 2009 06:01:12   Edited 1 time.

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