Stone Cold

“I’m invisible, see? One of the invisible people. Right now I’m sitting in a doorway watching the passers-by. They avoid looking at me. They’re afraid I want something they’ve got, and they’re right. Also, they don’t want to think about me. They don’t like reminding I exist.”

In this quote, Link describes the experience of being unhoused and the sense of invisibility that comes with it. He highlights how society ignores people like him, avoiding eye contact and dismissing his humanity. This exemplifies a key theme in Stone Cold: Societal Indifference to Suffering.

“Anyway, that’s how he was with me and I guess Mum’s scared of him because she didn’t stick up for me, so I left. You’d have left too, in my place. Anybody would. It’s called making yourself homeless. And so here I am sitting in this doorway which is now my bedroom, hoping some kind punter will give me a bit of small change so I can eat.”

Here, Link speaks directly to the reader, creating an immediate sense of intimacy and making his experience more relatable. He highlights the randomness of living unhoused, implying that it can happen to anyone. The statement “It’s called making yourself homeless” reflects the complexity of his decision to leave home as the result of his mother’s boyfriend Vince creating an emotionally abusive situation for her children.

“Shelter. Shelter. Shelter. It’s starting to look like an authentic signature already. I realize of course that all this has precious little to do with recruiting, and perhaps you think I’m stalling.”

This quote showcases Shelter’s disturbed, methodical mind. His repetition of the word “Shelter” as he practices signing it shows his desire to reinvent himself and build a new identity. His use of military language such as “recruiting” suggests that he views his violent actions as part of a larger mission. At this point, readers are left confused about his intentions.

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