A SLOW, AGONISING JOURNAL, PT.4

22/06/2024:

After finishing vocals, The Curator showed us one of his most valued finds; the journal of “Sgt. Sarah Raines” an apparent former solider, who defected from the military to form the “Great Britain Revolutionists” and assist in unwittingly transforming the country into the pigsty it’s become. Still, if it wasn’t for her, we’d all be speaking English!

Nonetheless, it’s an interesting read and I’ve gone to the trouble of transcribing it for you all below:

May 7th, 2000:

It was a lot easier this time, if you can ever call it that. The men and women who call themselves the IRA are a shadow of the organisation two years before, but it's not surprising; a few rebels is the least of this country's problems.

They're certainly no better off now. Streets empty, rows and rows of shop windows boarded up, homeless people begging for work, for money, for food. Even with all the fighting before, things were still better than this, and I suppose it's made me realise how bad things have gotten back home too. This is Ireland, in the United Kingdom, now struggling the same as the rest of us.

Very disheartening, but I still have hope we can make life better here.

August 15th 2001:

I think it was Corporal Barrow who fired the first shot. A teenager from an Asian family was getting in his face, the dad stepped in, Barrow pushed him over. Then the boy got out a machete, and all hell broke loose before anyone knew what was happening. They fired, and kept on firing, and the COs said nothing to stop them. I got as far as my finger being on the trigger, but I just couldn't shoot my own men. I just couldn't do it. So I did the only thing I could think to do, and ran. I ran with most of the civilians and a few others, whilst some decided to stay and fight, but it didn't matter; they were all killed.

We've been out in the countryside for a few hours now, ducking down behind banks each time we hear a patrol coming, but I think we're far enough away to rest for a short while. I know they'll still be looking for us, but I'm not going back, not willingly.

There’s just no hope for this place anymore. There’s nothing to fight for.