3 March 1845
My dearest, Lucy:
I'm writing to you at this hour for I can not sleep.
Sleeping is rather difficult in here. While the loud noises of my fellow convicts and lack of a comfy bed typically keep people awake, those are not the reasons as to why I can't sleep...When I finally find myself able to fall asleep all I can dream of is you, but not in a good way...
I have nightmare upon nightmare about that day, the day that rotten judge took me away from you. I find that day constantly replaying in my mind as if trying to drive me mad. No matter how hard I try to distract myself, I still end up managing to think about it. (Please make it stop...)
I also find that sometimes, out of the corner of my eye, I swear I see you and Johanna. Sometimes I think you two have come to see me but, then I realize that it can't really be you two, for you two have not aged a day since I've last seen your faces.
I'm haunted by you both, sometimes it makes me feel comforted to know of your presence. I miss you both terribly, if it wasn't for you I probably would've given into the hopelessness of this place by now. But sometimes, the thought of your ghostly presence makes me feel worse. I fear you both look at me with distain and shame, that you despise the person the world has made me into. That you don't love me anymore and never will again...Does that make me a bad husband? I hope not...
Every once in a while, I feel such paranoia that maybe you're actually gone and I'm really seeing your ghost. I pray to god that's not true. I pray my mind is just fearing the worse-I'm not ready for you to die. I still love you. I always will...I'm ready to see you again...
It shouldn't be much longer...
With love,
Benjamin Barker
YOU ARE READING
The Letter
Poetry"And in that darkness when I'm blind with what I can't forget..." A series of letters written by the wrongfully imprisoned man who would become "The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" addressed to his beloved wife, daughter, and best friend. (Based on th...
