1984

           Everythingwillbedeadinsideyou. Neveragainwillyoubecapableoflove,orfriendship,orjoyofliving,orlaughter,orcuriosity,orcourage,orintegrity. Youwillbehollow. Weshallsqueezeyouempty,andthenweshallfillyouwithourselves.’ 

           Hepausedandsignedtothemaninthewhitecoat. Winstonwasawareofsomeheavypieceofapparatusbeingpushedintoplacebehindhishead. O’Brienhadsatdownbesidethebed,sothathisfacewasalmostonalevelwithWinston’s. 

           ‘Threethousand,’hesaid,speakingoverWinston’sheadtothemaninthewhitecoat. 

           Twosoftpads,whichfeltslightlymoist,clampedthemselvesagainstWinston’stemples. Hequailed. Therewaspaincoming,anewkindofpain. O’Brienlaidahandreassuringly,almostkindly,onhis. 

           ‘Thistimeitwillnothurt,’hesaid. ‘Keepyoureyesfixedonmine.’ 

           Atthismomenttherewasadevastatingexplosion,orwhatseemedlikeanexplosion,thoughitwasnotcertainwhethertherewasanynoise. Therewasundoubtedlyablindingflashoflight. Winstonwasnothurt,onlyprostrated. Althoughhehadalreadybeenlyingonhisbackwhenthethinghappened,hehadacuriousfeelingthathehadbeenknockedintothatposition. Aterrificpainlessblowhadflattenedhimout. Alsosomethinghadhappenedinsidehishead. Ashiseyesregainedtheirfocusherememberedwhohewas,andwherehewas,andrecognizedthefacethatwasgazingintohisown; butsomewhereorothertherewasalargepatchofemptiness,asthoughapiecehadbeentakenoutofhisbrain.