1984

           ‘Room101,’hesaid. 

           TherewasagaspandaflurryatWinston’sside. Themanhadactuallyflunghimselfonhiskneesonthefloor,withhishandclaspedtogether. 

           ‘Comrade!Officer!’hecried. ‘Youdon’thavetotakemetothatplace! Haven’tItoldyoueverythingalready? Whatelseisityouwanttoknow? There’snothingIwouldn’tconfess,nothing!JusttellmewhatitisandI’llconfessstraightoff. WriteitdownandI’llsignit—anything! Notroom101!’ 

           ‘Room101,’saidtheofficer. 

           Theman’sface,alreadyverypale,turnedacolourWinstonwouldnothavebelievedpossible. Itwasdefinitely,unmistakably,ashadeofgreen. 

           ‘Doanythingtome!’heyelled. ‘You’vebeenstarvingmeforweeks. Finishitoffandletmedie. Shootme. Hangme. Sentencemetotwenty-fiveyears. Istheresomebodyelseyouwantmetogiveaway? JustsaywhoitisandI’lltellyouanythingyouwant. Idon’tcarewhoitisorwhatyoudotothem. I’vegotawifeandthreechildren. Thebiggestofthemisn’tsixyearsold. Youcantakethewholelotofthemandcuttheirthroatsinfrontofmyeyes,andI’llstandbyandwatchit. ButnotRoom101!’ 

           ‘Room101,’saidtheofficer. 

           Themanlookedfranticallyroundattheotherprisoners,asthoughwithsomeideathathecouldputanothervictiminhisownplace. Hiseyessettledonthesmashedfaceofthechinlessman. Heflungoutaleanarm. 

           ‘That’stheoneyououghttobetaking,notme!’heshouted. ‘Youdidn’thearwhathewassayingaftertheybashedhisface.