Nineteen Sixty-Four // Starrison

Chapter 22

  Their visits weren't regular at all — they were coming just like this, all covered in black, walking out of the darkness. They've had the whole range of ways to hurt a person, sophisticated tortures and hits, and were ready to present them on George. The man knew pretty well it's just a beginning.

They were squeezing all kinds of testimonies out of him. Threatened him, tortured mentally, humiliated. He admitted to every crime they wanted him tom from the thoughtcrime, espionage, to conspiracy, incitementing to rebellion and even murder. And every time the pain was slowly becoming unbearable, he was thinking about Richard. George was terrified; probably the same was happening to him right now, when he promised the greater gods he will protect him. No matter what.

And where have all the promises brought you, Harrison?

Brian was watching all the tortures. His relentless words were ringing in George's mind: reeducation. Learning. Understanding. Accepting. The more Harrison rejected Epstein's teachings, the more he rejected Big Brother, the more frustrated the Inner Party's member was becoming. Reeducation in Ministry of Love was based on brainwashing the victim, making them submissive, and fitting in the rest of the society. To completely lost himself to the party. But Harrison couldn't, his heart couldn't — he promised to never betray Ringo, so he prayed for death. Prayed with all of his power.

But death didn't want to come in this darkness.

Insipid days were passing until Brian finally realised that his teachings mean nothing, that George's mind is still resistant; through all the tortures, pain, hunger, humiliating. That he can't destroy the man so strongly protected by love. And face the facts — it was the first case like this in his long, cruel life.

He stopped coming. Nobody walked to George's cell, consumed by darkness and coldness. No food, no oppressors, nothing. The victim wondered in fear what could it mean.

Harrison fell asleep with this question on mind, too tired to notice the hunger and rumbling stomach.

"George?"

Human's voice... George jumped on his feet, hearing it.

"Calm down. It's just me."

"J-John? What are you doing here?"

"Look around."

And so he did. They weren't in the Ministry's dungeons anymore, they were standing on the big, arboreous field; some old, definitely harmed by the time building towered over them. But what surprised George the most were... people visible from behind the red gate of the field. Everybody dressed up in various, colorful clothes, young ones, old ones, children with guitars on their backs, chatting, laughing, all free. Without a shadow of fear. It was magical.

"Where are we, John?"

Lennon smiled to him lightly; his face looked younger and full of life, hair brushed back and full of gel, wearing leather jacket and tight pants. "Far away."

"But..." he sighed quietly, wanting to clear his thoughts. "I know this place. It's Liverpool."

"It's another Liverpool. Liverpool far away."

They were standing just like this, overwhelmed by this magical and free place, hearing delicate sounds of guitar. Harrison wanted so desperately to see Ringo here as well. Happy. And, most importantly, safe.

"I'm so sorry it all had to end like this," said John. "Stay strong, Geo. The better tomorrow will come for you. You and Richard."

Some tall person with long eyelashes, delicate facial features and same hairstyle as John appeared next to them, laughing — George recognized Paul McCartney and smiled.