Beware of the Light

Meet John Linton

"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. You can feel the warmth of sunlight on your skin. The birds are singing and the plants are flowering. As you walk slowly along the wooden pathway a light breeze brushes softly against your legs. Soon you come to a bridge and you watch as the water flows lazily around the rocks."
"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. You walk across the bridge and enter the garden through an archway. You feel welcomed, safe and comfortable. You look around the garden. Taking time to stare at the flowers and the trees. As you walk along the gravel pathway you look up at the fluffy white clouds and the perfect pearly blue of the sky."
"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Your eyes slowly fall down to the ancient mountains that travel along the horizon. Their rocky peaks coated with a sugar dusting of snow. You wish you could stay here forever."
"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The clicking and clacking of the pebbles as you continue down the path is like music to your ears. You can smell the sweet scent of flowers. The world is perfect. You stop to listen to the sounds of the garden. You hear the call of a bird echo through the garden and you follow its beautiful melody. "
"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. As you follow the entrancing sounds the bushes grow taller and soon you realize you are lost. You look around for anything that could help you and you see the bird sitting on top of one of the tall hedges."
"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. You hear the beautiful call again and it jumps into flight. You run after it, following the long wavering tail feathers through the twisting path. To your despair, you reach a dead end and the bird flies away, but just as you think you are lost once again the hedge opens and you see an entwined pathway of blue, white, black and red."
"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. You cautiously walk along the tangled paths and soon reach the centre of the maze. There you find a fish pond. The blue water ripples as the black and white koi fish swim around the pond. They are a symbol of unification. Yin and Yang. The Moon and the Sun. Darkness and light. But, you watch in horror as the water becomes a sickening red and the lifeless bodies of the fish float to the surface."
"Breathe in with your nose. 1. 2. 3. 4. Hold your breath. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. And breathe out. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The water clears and you stare in amazement at the two small fish swimming through the pond. A symbol of rebirth. You walk slowly back through the twisting hedges and along the gravel path. You leave the garden through the archway feeling both rejuvenated and reborn."
"Sit up and open your eyes," Mr Sancho said, smoothing back his thin grey hair as they lazily obeyed his instruction. Mr Sancho had been their beloved drama teacher for as long as any of them could remember and since then his age had taken a massive toll on him. He was full of life, but life hadn't been that easy on him. He often said that life was better when he was younger, but that that didn't mean he should stop looking forward to it. He walked with a carved wooden walking stick that was once a dark oiled brown but was now a discoloured yellow. He was loved by the children of the school and they missed him dearly when he is away recovering from his countless operations. And even though the doctors argued with his lively opinions and his choice to continue teaching he was full of passion. "Today I will be reading a poem of my own entitled I hate."

"Your rotting heart.
No more love. No more I miss you.
Strike it out.
Show them you hate it.

No h's. No more I like you.
Show them you hate it because I know you do.
Draw them to quarters and steal their heads.
Slit their necks and ring them clean.