Sample from Manifesto

It's 3:30 in the morning during a blackout in New York City, and I'm stuck in a 4 x 4 x 8 foot elevator shaft on what I believe is the 13th floor of a 27 floor building. It’s at least 100 degrees in here, and I have just taken a break from yelling for about three consecutive hours. After the first 15 minutes I stopped pretending that I was not that scared and started in on some high pitched screams. Unfortunately, I am not alone. All too close to me is an elderly religious lady (just my luck) with a hearing aid. My screaming is frying her eardrum. I should just be quietly praying for my soul, she says. “If it’s God’s time to take your soul, it’s best to just hand it over.” “Hey, I’m only 15. I’m still creating my essence,” I reply. She tells me, “God gave you your essence and he can take it away or let it live for ever after death. Your choice.” “Some choice,“ I say. Determination sets in for me as I decide to pound and bang the walls of the elevator harder and harder and keep yelling my high-pitched shriek. I think I hear distant voices as I hurl myself at the walls. The air is getting oxygen poor, and the old lady is telling me to save my energy, which God gave me, for God. Does he need it back? I keep hurling and shrieking. Suddenly there is some kind of heavy tool banging away at what used to be the front door. I collapse on the floor.