Jailbreak

Marvin peered anxiously out of his jail cell, clutching the bars with sweaty hands. Where was Antonatos? If he didn’t arrive soon the entire plan would fail. Marvin darted a look at his comrades, men who had become as close as brothers. He would gladly take a knife in the back for any one of these men and they would take one for him. Today, however, the only person getting a knife in the back would be Antonatos. Antonatos was Marvin’s sadistic warden who, for the past three years, had made Marvin’s life a misery while he was incarcerated on the island of Crete.

“Marvin,” whispered a weedy man in the cell opposite. “This isn’t going to work.”
“Of course it will work,” replied Marvin. “Just stick to the plan, Carlotta. Remember, I’ll play my part and you play yours.”
They were interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps walking down the corridor. It was Antonatos.
“He’s on time,” breathed Marvin with a sigh of relief. “Excellent.”
The footsteps quickened in pace. Marvin paused. Something was not right. Then he realised – Antonatos was angry. Well, Antonatos was always angry to some degree, but today he was angrier than usual.
“What are you cretins talking about?” he shouted as he strode up to the cells. “Well?” he demanded. Marvin swallowed and shrank back into his cell. Seeing Antonatos here, now, like this, he couldn’t go through with it.
“I am going to kick your arse, Marvin!” shouted Antonatos as he fumbled for his keys. Marvin’s face went white.
“Antonatos, please…” he grovelled. But it was too late. Antonatos opened the cell door and grasped Marvin by his collar.
“Get out here!” he barked and tossed Marvin across the floor as if he was an old, moth-eaten rug. As Marvin lay there, writhing in pain, something stirred inside of him.

Marvin gradually stood up and stared Antonatos squarely in the eye. The jailer traipsed up to him and the two men, who might have been friends if each were cast a different lot in life, stood face to face. They were motionless except for the heaving of their chests with each heavy breath they took. Then Marvin did something that not even he could have predicted. He slapped Antonatos. The sound of hand on cheek echoed throughout the entire cell block. Marvin, Antonatos and the other inmates were stunned. Marvin, filled with adrenaline, did not falter.
“You have imprisoned us, Antonatos, but you will never break our spirit!” Marvin declared. Furious, Antonatos lunged at Marvin, picked him up, and held him above his head.
“Spiritus vitae!” Marvin cried out, proudly and defiantly. With a mighty heave, Antonatos threw him onto the hard concrete floor.

After Marvin was released, it was a while before he would speak about his time in prison. One night, as we shared a bottle of wine, he told me that there are only a few times in a man’s life when he has the opportunity to do something great. This was just such a time. It was Marvin’s moment, perhaps the one moment in his life that would define him forever. I asked him if this act of defiance was worth it.
“Absolutely,” he said, without hesitation. “That man broke nearly every bone in my body, that day,” he chuckled. “But he could not break my spirit.”