Part 2:
Why do nurses do that? Wake you up to give you a sleeping draught. It has never made any sense to me.
I had been in hospital for seventy two hours and had been told to expect to stay for at least another seventy two hours. To be perfectly honest I welcomed the stay, there was not one part of my body that didn’t either hurt or throb. My left eye was swollen and closed, I could barely see out of my right eye and my head was a sea of pain. On top of that I had three broken fingers and a fractured left wrist. All courtesy of the animals who had seen fit to attack me.
“Right Philip, time for your medicine.” Stated June, the Nursing Sister in charge of the drugs trolley. She unhooked my chart and checked to see what drugs I required and then unlocked the lid of the trolley to access the appropriate drugs.
“Do you need any extra pain relief, Philip?”
Yes, pump me full of Morphine, I’m thinking .
“Yes please Nurse, I’m in quite a bit of pain at the moment.” I replied.
She made some notes on my chart, hooked it back on the end of the bed and proceeded to get me my medicines. Once she had confirmed that I had swallowed her drug cocktail she asked me to roll over so that she could give me some morphine. She could have been more gentle, either that or, used a sharper needle.
I can understand why people get hooked, morphine gives such a gentle glow and a feeling of well-being as it courses through your veins.
“All done, Philip. Try and settle down, I will be back in the morning.”
My curtains were drawn back and she started the same procedure all over again with my neighbour. I grabbed the newspaper and turned to the crossword, not an easy task when one of your arms is in plaster and suspended in a sling from your neck.
June heard me cursing at my own inadequacy and pulled the curtains back from around the bed of my neighbour.
“Language! Philip.” She admonished. “What are you trying to do?”
I explain to her.
“You only have to ask one of us to help you, getting in a strop never helped anybody!”
She proceeded to access my crossword and folded the paper so that only the crossword and associate clues were visible.
“There, easy! Not really worth shouting about, is it? Next time ask!”
Though thoroughly admonished, I reflected on her words, 'next time ask!' It occurred to me how alien this concept had become in modern-day Britain. We are so accustomed to the Government telling us what to do and how to do it that asking is fast disappearing from our vocabulary. 'Asking', brings disappointment which begets disillusion which, in turn begets frustration, therefore it is better to support the status quo than be disappointed.
I thanked her and then rolled over, taking the Newspaper with me.
The answers to the crossword clues became evermore elusive as the sleeping draught and the morphine took hold.
“Ah, there you are Phil! You will have to stop disappearing at the drop of a hat, we still have a lot to do.”
I turned around and found myself face to face with Blake. Not only that but, we were standing on a vast sandy beach, a very familiar beach! Out to sea, through the ocean mist, a vast and instantly recognisable island dominated the horizon, from the centre of which a huge, conical-shaped mountain rose, so high that the peak was shrouded in cloud.
I knew this must be a dream, for a start both of my arms were fully functional, I didn't have the encumbrance of a sling around my neck and my head was free of pain and yet everything seemed so real, Blake’s voice broke through my air of disbelief.
“Phil! Phil, what is the matter with you, come we must hurry!”
‘Hit me!” I exclaimed.
“I beg your pardon?” Replied a very surprised Blake.
“Hit me.” I repeated.
“We haven’t got time for any silly histrionics!” Shouted Blake. “Now, hurry we really do have very little time.”
“Hit me Blake, bloody-well hit me now!” I shouted at him.
The stinging slap I received across my face not only brought tears to my eyes, the force of it sat me down on the sand.
“Good God, Blake! You didn’t have to hit me that hard.” I said as I rubbed my left cheek.
That really hurt and I remember feeling even more confused. Can you feel real pain like I felt at that moment if you were dreaming?
“Happy? Now if you have quite finished playing the fool, perhaps we can carry on!” Blake was still angry and, in retrospect, who could blame him?
“I’m sorry Blake but one minute I am lying in a hospital bed and the next I am back here with you.” I said.
“I hope this journey isn’t causing you lose your mind.” Said Blake, looking at me, earnestly. “You have been by my side since we exited Hell. That-is-to-say until you disappeared for a few minutes back there. Now, if you have recovered from your bout of silliness we must go and find a ferryman to take us over to the Island.”
“What, we are going over there?” I asked rather stupidly.
“Of course, that is the Island of Purgatory and that is where you will start the next part of your journey so, stop dawdling and let us find this ferryman.”
We walked the beach for hours and eventually found a man who was willing to ferry the two of us across to the island. The craft was a sleek, fifty foot power boat easily capable of thirty knots. The Captain said that as we were doing a night transfer to the island, he would keep the speed down to a healthy twenty knots.
We settled ourselves on board and found that we were in the company of seven others who were also making the crossing. As well as the Captain there were two crew which made a total of twelve people, slightly overcrowded for my liking.
Even at twenty knots, the crossing took four hours, made memorable because the Captain and his crew sang for the whole journey. I was surprised that it had taken so long to get to the island, from the shore it seemed but a stones throw away. As we edged closer with each passing hour I began to realise the size of it. With an hour to go it had completely taken over the horizon.
When we arrived the Captain tied up to alongside a large wooden jetty which ran out to sea from the land. Once he had secured the boat he allowed us to disembark and I was struck by how quiet it was. True it was the middle of the night but in Hell the noise was constant, 24/7.
We walked to the end of the jetty and passed under a high steel arch from which hung a sign.
“ANTE-FEGEFEUER TEIL EINS”
Written in English under this was; “ANTE-PURGATORY PART 1”.
This seemed strange to me as I was used to seeing signs written in German alone. Blake explained that on this part of the journey it was hoped that I would see that it is possible to be free of the Hell that is the EU. He said that because of this, all signs I come across will be in both German and English.
It was late and I was too exhausted to question him any further so we camped on the beach and I fell asleep instantly.
The following morning Blake was up and about as usual, chivvying me along, making me hurry. I noticed that in the distance, raised up from the beach there was a settlement of sorts and Blake informed me that, that was where we were heading. I looked up at the mountain as we were walking and noticed, for the first time, that it was terraced. In all I counted nine terraces the settlement that I had seen was perched on the first one.
We were joined on our trek by an elderly gentleman whom Blake introduced as, John Milton. He explained that John was a resident of the island and would explain “The Rule of The Mountain”. Basically, no one was allowed to climb the mountain after sunset. Allegorically the sun represents Britain and therefore you could only attain the summit if you truly believed in freedom for your country.
I felt very strange around Milton because he seemed to hold me in some kind of reverence. Blake said it was because I was destined to spread the word which would eventually lead Britain out of the Hell that is the EU.
We arrived at the base of the mountain just after lunch and, a short climb later, we reached the settlement. I found it to be a very strange place, there seemed to be a muted expectation in the air. People milled about, walking with purpose, heads held high. It was as if they had all been given good news and were waiting to act upon it.
I said as much to Blake and he told me that, in part, I was right. The people on this level and on, “ANTE-FEGEFEUER TEIL ZWEI” Ante-Purgatory 2, were free but not free, sinful but not yet forgiven.
He instantly picked up on my look of puzzlement.
“These people have all been given access to Purgatory, we are still on the outside. You will find the gate on the third terrace and it will bear the sign, ‘STOLZ’ - PROUD. The people here have realised the error of their ways and the majority of them want to put right the wrongs in which they had a hand. However, as a sign that they really have changed and have identified their own faults, they must stay here for a period of thirty times longer than the length of time it took to perpetrate those crimes against the people whom they had sworn to serve.”
“But, who polices them, who ensures that they honour their new commitment?” I asked
“They police themselves, this is where trust begins. A lifetime of reflection with the promise of forgiveness and trust as the main prize is all the policing they need. Plus, the guardians of the ‘STOLZ’ are aware of the failings of those on this level and they hold the key to further fulfillment. Therein lies your task, for as hard as it is for them to come to terms with their own failings, it will be equally as hard for you to point out those failings to them and to get them to accept your doctrine when you are on the outside. ”
Milton joined us at this point and the two of them proceeded to explain to me what I was about to see and learn over the following weeks.
Milton began.
“First, some of the people whom you meet as you traverse the terraces will be familiar to you from your visit to the Hell-on-Earth that is the EU. They are here because they want to make amends for their past actions and are displaying their penitence for all to see.”
Blake then added. “We will now prepare you for the journey, terrace by terrace. Each terrace will bear a signpost displaying the name of that terrace. They will all be written in German with the English translation alongside. This is to symbolise the fact that the old system will no longer be dominant and that the new Britain can and will work alongside anyone without fear or prejudice.”
“When you are admitted through the gate and into ‘STOLZ’, you will be confronted by people who are still too proud to admit their shortcomings and, as a consequence, are bent double by the weight of their pride. As they walk around the terrace however the burden becomes less as they realise and then take responsibility for their faults. Lack of responsibility is possibly the greatest sin that any of the penitents here have perpetrated.”
The light was beginning to fade by now and fires were being lit all along the terrace. Milton offered me a drink and some food which I eagerly accepted as I was hungry. After we had eaten he continued with the description of what I was about to experience, taking over from where Blake left off.
“Once you have circumnavigated the ‘Proud’ terrace you will, the next morning, approach and enter the the terrace of ENVY - ‘BENEIDEN’...”
“Why?” I asked, cutting into Milton’s eulogy. “Why is it necessary for this place to exist? Surely it is clear, there are the supporters of the EU and those who oppose it? That being said, why do I have to climb to the top of the mountain to find out something which I already know? That, being that the EU is evil and will destroy Britain as we know it and it will never be the same again.”
It was Blake who answered.
“Phil, this place exists to show the World that even in the most evil of places, good still exists. Purgatory is a metaphor for good over evil. The people whom you will see and meet here and, they are only an illustration of the mainstream, can be persuaded to see not only the good within themselves but the good and evil in others. Given this insight they can make a reasoned judgement as to which way they want to go. It will be your job to learn from what you see and then take that message to the streets in order to enlighten the people and prove to them that the leaders, to whom they have become disciples for and slavishly vote for in the Community and on a National level year in year out, can be taken to task. Can be questioned and, more importantly, can be ousted from office and replaced by someone who will listen and act upon the will of the people.”
“This island is not about politicians it is about the people. We want them to have free will, we want them to hear the truth, we want them to be able to freely choose. What we are trying to show you here is that people can change their opinions, can be made to see that there is a better way, can be trusted, can be happy, can be British.”
“Above all else, you have to trust in them. It is not about selling UKIP, it is not about forcing your beliefs and opinions upon them - they have had years of that and are now sick of it, - it is about selling the truth, unfettering them from the yoke of Federalism and giving them back their self-belief. It is about ‘hard work’ and that is the essence of this island. You can achieve anything with hard work and commitment but you need to work harder than the opposition to do that. Which is why, on every level here, you will see people working as hard as they possibly can in order to free them from that unfair burden!”
“You really think that I can make a difference?” I asked incredulously.
MIlton answered this time.
“Anyone can make a difference, Phil. It all depends on whether or not they want to. Dreamers come and go but people with real conviction and the will to carry that conviction through are rare. However, ‘conviction’ is a double edged sword, Hitler had conviction and look where that lead! Within your Party you have people with real conviction and they are fighting against people whom also posses conviction, only their conviction goes against the moral, national and Christian beliefs of the people of Britain.”
“You job will be to assist your people of conviction in their fight against the EU. Even if you only gain one convert to your cause, you will have made a difference. The clever part and, where hard work will pay off, is to get your convert to convert someone else. Make them believe in themselves and others will believe in them too!”
“Is that clearer now? Asked Blake. “Shall we carry on?”
“Yes.” I replied although how much more I could take on board I wasn’t sure.
Milton took over the conversation once again.
“Where were we? Ah, yes. ‘BENEIDEN’. Here you will come across those who, in a past life, were envious of others good fortune. They live in a world of grey and have their eyes closed to the opportunities which surround them. One could say that it is the worst kind of Socialism whereby people who have strived to make themselves comfortable or have worked hard to keep and expand on inherited wealth are vilified because of it.”
“Envy requires no effort or hard work yet it is a disease which will eat away at the very soul. We all have the capacity for envy and it is this capacity which the Left prey on. However, the opposite of envy is virtue which is another quality we are all capable of possessing. This is what you must look for in people, not in a Biblical sense but in an everyday common sense way. Why be envious of your neighbour when, with a little help and a lot of hard work, you can be on a par? That is the message you have to get across and the one which the people on this level are learning.”
“I take it you have heard the saying, ‘the meek shall inherit the Earth’? Asked Blake.
I was still digesting Milton’s words and the question caught me off guard.
“Its a quote from the Bible.” I answered, wondering where he was going with this.
“Correct.” He said. “Meekness is also the opposite of wrathfulness and on the next terrace you will come across examples of these people. ‘zornerfullten’, is the sign you will look for.”
“People here are blinded by anger, they have been lied to, duped, mistreated and ignored. They are suspicious of others and ever more angry at what they see as the injustice of life. Understanding their anger and converting it to meekness will be your task. It will not be easy, you will talk to ex-miners, ex-fishermen, ex- shipbuilders, all with long traditions in those industries and all angry at the Tory Government. That anger will be directed at you because of the lies that the Left have told about UKIP being a safety net for ‘old Conservatives’.”
“You need to be strong enough to rise above this and convince the irate, through the truth, that yours is a better way. Far removed from the Conservative doctrine and the Left’s lies. The truth will always out but it needs time and effort to make people see it. Just discrediting the other Parties is a cheap trick; showing the EU for what it really stands for and their (The other Parties) association and support for it to the detriment of British workers is the way to win people over to the truth because it is the truth.”
Milton handed out more hot drinks and then sat down beside me. He stared into the fire for a long time before asking.
“Do you understand what Purgatory is all about, Phil? That is, in the context that Blake and I are using it?”
“I think so.” I replied. To be honest I was tired and, keen as I was to learn, I found the amount of information and advice which I was receiving to be a strain on my retentive powers.
As if reading my mind, Blake said.
“We both appreciate that we are giving you a lot of information but it is necessary if you are going to take the message to the outside World. Tomorrow we will rest and then we will start the ascent so if you are ready we will carry on with your education.”
“Carry on.” I replied.
“Purgatory.” Said Milton. “Is, as we have said before, a metaphor for good over evil. However, that is not the full explanation. If you will, this place is a beacon for ‘hope’, a place where a vision for a new future takes shape. Everything that you see and hear on this mountain is a metaphor for change.”
“Others have promised change but have never delivered. A balloon can be many colours but it is still a balloon. To understand that, you must understand the word ‘change’. To change is to cause to be different; alter. Or, to give a completely different appearance to; transform.”
“So, as I said, a balloon can be many different colours but it is still a balloon. Change means that you swop the balloon for something different and that is what this place is all about. We don’t want the cracks papered over, we don’t want half measures, we want long-lasting repairs and the only way that can happen is if there is a radical change in attitude, thinking and policy.”
“You are here to see what can be. You have already seen what it will be if Britain carries on blindly along the same path. Self-serving politics is the enemy of the people, there are many examples of believers in this doctrine scattered throughout the terraces. Learn from their plight.”
Blake, who was sitting opposite to me, took up the narrative.
“TRAGE” - SLOTHFUL, this will be the next terrace you gain access to. People here have no zest for politics or life in general, no zeal. They are the apathetic, the ones who cannot be bothered, some will be unemployed, others will be employed but self-centered and uncaring. The man encased up to his neck in ice, whom you came across in the Pit, is to blame. He promoted apathy which promoted slothfulness. It suited him and his cohorts to put people in this mind-set. It is all part and parcel of tactical voting but he might as well have given them hard drugs because once on the path to slothfulness it is very difficult to come off.”
“Your job will be to encourage them to be pro-active, to play an active part in their communities and to do this you must first understand why they are as they are.”
“OK, but why should this group prove to be any more difficult that the other groups?” I asked.
“Because.” Said Blake. “The majority believe that they are happy with their lot in life and the rest believe that no matter what they do, nothing will change. There is, however, another challenge here. Most of these people supported someone on a regular basis before they were coerced into apathy. Their natural instinct will be to revert to type once you have convinced them that they can make a difference. They will forget that it was the Blairs and Majors of this World who caused their malaise, they will only remember who they supported. You will have to guide them to the truth without falling into the trap of ‘dirty politics’. The other Parties will be at each others throats, vilifying opposing candidates. Don’t do it, show the slothful that you are above that and they can be too if they choose to follow your example.”
“Shall we continue?”
“Yes.” I replied and Milton duly took up where Blake had left off.
“On the following day you will climb to the fifth terrace and the sign will read, ‘COVETOUS’ - ‘BEGEHRLICH’. You will notice that the signage puts English first with the German translation second. This to show that the old Federal order is changing and that your country is heading for freedom.”
“As, on this level, you will come upon people who put personal gain before people and country. You have met this type before but here you will see how they are trying to change. Unfortunately, this applies to the majority of modern-day politicians and their bad example has spread throughout the land. ‘It is my right!’ seems to be the most common phrase in the English language.”
“What do you offer the person who has everything, who is used to taking whatever they want whenever they want, who view extravagance as the norm? You offer them redemption through the truth. Most of what they have is short-term, even possessions. They are at the mercy of the system and this is the truth that they must accept before they can see the light.”
“‘GLUTTONOUS’ _ ‘UNERSATTLICH.‘ When you pass this sign you will be on terrace six and here you will find people being starved in front of trees full of fruit which are forever out of reach. Why, you may ask?”
“This is more about lack of temperance than gluttony. These are people who know no restraint. They have always been allowed to do whatever they saw fit. Perhaps the sign should have read, The Arrogant Gluttonous. However, do not be put off by their attitude. You have a lot to give and a glutton is ever eager to take. Hard work will be required in order to find the chink in their armour but the easy part is, that chink is ‘weakness’. A glutton is an addict and you treat them as such. Get them to admit to their addiction and then start the healing process. That healing process starts with the truth.”
“Just two more terraces to explain and then, if you have no questions, we can all retire for the night.” Said Blake. He continued by telling me of the seventh terrace.
“Here you will pass the sign which says, ‘LUSTFUL’ - ‘LUSTERN’. To get on the terrace proper you must first overcome a wall of flame. Do not worry though as, in your case, this is only symbolic.”
“Be wary of these people when you meet them for real because they can cause you and your Party harm. This sort of crime is one which has a stain that sticks, in a Biblical sense the deed can be forgiven and forgotten but in the real World misdirected sexual desires are rarely forgiven. The lesson for you here is to be on your guard at all times and to recognise where you can make a difference and when it is best to acknowledge that is is better to move on. Experience will teach you this but, even the most experienced will be caught out sometimes.”
“The final step for you is not another terrace but a staircase. Atop the stairs you will meet Margaret who will explain to you the next part of your journey. Unfortunately neither Milton nor myself can accompany you on that part.”
“Why not?” I asked. I was comfortable in the company of those two and had built up a respect for their knowledge and teaching methods.
“It is not possible Phil. We are not worthy of the place to which Margaret will take you.” This was all he would say by way of explanation.
He continued with my lesson.
“Margaret will take you to the banks of a river and on the opposite bank you will come to a place grandly named Earthly Paradise”
“She will be your guide from there on and will show you what is possible. Now, it is time to rest, sleep now and save your questions for tomorrow.”
I lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
Someone was shaking me, all I wanted to do was sleep.
“Phil wake up, Phil, wake up!”
“Go away Blake, leave me alone!” I exclaimed.
“Phil, wake up its time for your medicine.”
I opened my eyes to see Nursing Sister June hovering over me.
