5 hours and 17 minutes. The clock is ticking the time away. I believe the direction I have chosen lies somewhere north-east, although I can never really tell directions clearly. Mom tried to teach me, but I just follow my nose, is what I do. But just to give you an indication, I can say that I am probably going somewhere north-east. Why have I chosen that direction, you ask? Suppose someone tells you to freeze, you freeze, and then someone tells you to move, you move. Would you have to think where to move to? Exactly my point.
North-east might be colder, I know, and I don't wear my hat. But down here, the earth is very warm. As a matter of fact, I am sweating. Look, here, I'm all damp. Oh, and dirty! I wish I could find a way of digging that is less filthy. I always forget to ask mom when I return. Each assignment I think, 'I have to ask mom how comes she always comes out of the hole clean and bright like when she just dug in'. Each time I forget. I wish I could remember other things as easily as the time given to me. How long have I been going? 19 minutes. How far would I already be? Freeze. I push my ear against the earthen ceiling above my head. I can't hear a thing. Must be deeper than I thought, must be. Must go up a bit, no wonder it is warm down here, must be close to the centre of the earth, must be.
I'm digging up a bit, but still I am following the direction. As planned. There you go, can you hear the sounds now? A roaring engine. Another one. A street. Above me runs a street. Means I'm not far yet. Must be going, imagine where you could get in 5 hours and 17 minutes! Must take full advantage of it, full advantage.
I've been digging quite a while now and I do think I deserve a break and a sandwich and a few drops liquid. Not too long though, because I am so damp, I could easily catch a cold. Mom wouldn't approve of that, told her I'd be safe. I can't hear no sounds anymore, but still I know for sure - how? I follow my nose, you must know that by now - that I am quite close to the ground. Sitting down like this in silence is always such a rivetting thing to do. My own heart ticking, my breathing calming down. Listening to the tick-tack sound of my clock. One day I'll have the glass repaired, I mustn't forget. It's been broken ever since I got the watch. My dad gave it to me, he said 'son, you take care of that watch now, it has the longest history any watch has, and the most peculiar, this watch is a famous watch, son, but I'll tell you more bout it some other day'. After which dad left the house and never came back to tell me about the peculiar history of my watch. The day the first assignment came, my sniffing nose told me at once: I will breathe life into the watch again, and maybe in time it'll tell me all 'bout its peculiar history. That was a bright and clear idea of me, me thinks, and I was not old yet. This much: 4 fingers. Dad used to say: Peter R. Dante, you're bright and clear, is what you are. 4 fingers.
Oh, but I forget to keep watch of the time. 2 hours and 6 minutes to go and I am getting cold. A few more drips liquid and off I am, digging. I must say, I'm so full of energy, I could dig for another 10 hours easily. But I can't. Once the time is there, I have to pop up above ground. How excited I am, how excited indeed!
(to be continued)
