Hostage is a crucifying aloneness. It is a silent, screaming slide into the bowels of ultimate despair. Hostage is a man hanging by his fingernails over the edge of chaos, feeling his fingers slowly straightening. Hostage is the humiliating stripping away of every sense and fiber of body and mind and spirit that make us what we are. Hostage is a mutant creation filled with fear, self-loathing, guilt and death-wishing. But he is a man, a rare, unique and beautiful creation of which these things are no part.

Summary

This quote describes the harrowing experience of being a hostage. It portrays the psychological and physical torment endured during captivity, highlighting the overwhelming sense of isolation and despair. The metaphor of hanging by one's fingernails over chaos symbolizes the precariousness of the situation, as the captive gradually feels their grip weaken. The quote also emphasizes the dehumanizing effects of being a hostage, stripping away one's identity and replacing it with fear, self-loathing, guilt, and a longing for death. Despite these torturous circumstances, it recognizes the inherent beauty and uniqueness of the individual, which remains untarnished by the ordeal.

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