Free Captain Mack by James Roy

away. He was wearing pale blue pyjamas. The air-conditioner grate in the centre of the ceiling rattling.
    â€œKnock knock,” Danny said.
    Captain Mack turned his head and frowned. “Who is it?” he asked crossly.
    â€œIt’s Private Snell.”
    â€œWho? Oh, it’s ye. Well, in ye come then, and close the door, for crying out loud. And don’t be attracting any attention to yeself.”
    â€œVery well sir,” said Danny. He pushed the door shut, then saluted as soon as he was sure that the other man was definitely asleep. “How is it here, then?”
    Captain Mack casually returned the salute and pointed to the chair beside the bed. “Much the same as we were led to believe. This camp’s not a patch on the other, let me tell ye.”
    â€œWhy’s that?” Danny asked.
    â€œWell, look around ye, lad! It’s appalling!” He plucked at his pyjamas. “This uniform they make us wear, for a start. It’s downright degrading, lad, and clearly contravenes every convention ever passed and signed!”
    â€œAren’t they just pyjamas?”
    Captain Mack scowled and shook his head. “Maybe to ye, lad, but to the rest of us they’re a symbol. Don’t ye see? They make us stand out as prisoners. And the mess hall is a sty, which is no real surprise, since all they serve us is swill. Like animals, Snell — that’s how they treat us.”
    â€œHow are the nurses?” Danny asked.
    â€œBarbarians every one, lad.”
    The door swung open without warning and a young woman in a sickly green dress strutted in. “Now then, who closed this door, hmm?” she asked in what seemed like an unnecessarily high voice.
    â€œCaptain Mack asked me to shut it,” Danny confessed.
    She ignored him. “Now Mr McAuliffe, we know the rule about doors being closed during the day, don’t we?”
    â€œAye, and a ridiculous rule it is, as I’ve told ye several times,” Captain Mack retorted.
    â€œWell, rules are rules, aren’t they?” said the nurse, opening the door wide and placing a chair against it. “OK?” she added, flashing an insincere smile at Danny.
    â€œSee what I mean?” Captain Mack said as soon as she was gone. “And that’s one of the nice ones.”
    â€œSo you’re hating it, then?” Danny said.
    â€œWouldn’t ye, lad? Wouldn’t ye?”
    â€œI guess I would.”
    â€œHuddle up, Snell,” Captain Mack said, glancing about and beckoning Danny closer. He lowered his voice. “I was happier at the other place. They were kinder, ye see. More humane. They let a fellow have a wee bit of space to himself. But here it’s not like that. It’s not the same. I must get back there.”
    â€œUm … Are you sure you can do that?”
    â€œWhy not? I’ll tell ye a secret, lad. I’m going to escape, see if I don’t.”
    Danny scratched his head. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean —”
    â€œIt might not be a good idea at all. It might be a daft idea, lad, but what have I got to lose? Tell me that.”
    â€œBut —”
    Captain Mack sat back against his pillow, crossed his arms and gazed out the window again. “Don’t argue, Snell. I’ve made up my mind. And ye’re going to help me.”
    Caleb shoved his books into his overflowing locker and slammed the door shut before any of the teetering mess could fall out. “Escaping,” he repeated.
    â€œThat’s what he says.”
    Caleb grinned. “Don’t get caught — there’s a stiff penalty for harbouring escapees.”
    â€œDon’t make fun,” Danny said. “He’s very unhappy.”
    â€œSo tell him a joke.”
    Danny shook his head. “You know, sometimes I wonder if you could ever be serious about anything.”
    Caleb pulled a crazy face, then realised that Danny had failed to see