Nicola

Monologue I can’t feel my legs it’s so sad. If I didn’t object that day I wouldn’t be here. It all started when a little boy Wesley was nearly falling in the top of the machines while trying to fix them. Lots of people had to climb up there and pull him back, but I just stood there. When they pulled him back he got scolded at and was weighted for nearly an hour and lost half his pay. I always felt from a young age that I wasn’t part of the family. Only yesterday I found out that I was sold to Mr and Mrs Gold when my real parents couldn’t afford to feed and clothe me anymore. I left two minutes early so I had enough time to chop wood, cook dinner, clean and wash the clothes as soon as I get home from work. I just knew there was going to be some sort of consequence for leaving 2 minutes early that day. They sent me to bed that night with no dinner when the mill manager came and told them. I cried myself to sleep that night. When I got to work the next day something was very disturbing. Something in the air made my throat feel funny. The wheel on the west side was broken overnight and it was getting dusty and stuffy in the mill. No-one cared they just told us all to get back to work. I could hardly last that day but at least they fixed it just before I left to go home. I’m now one of the oldest so if one of the little kids missed some of the wool and dirt on the floor under the machines the oldest always got in the most strife. We were always responsible for directing the younger kids to do their work. I was on my way out to go home when the manager grabbed me and pushed me against the wall and got mad because all the little kids had stopped too many times during the day when they couldn’t breathe. He told me I wasn’t getting paid that week as punishment. I started to object and he pushed me again and I fell down the stairs tumbling over and over and over. I spent weeks in hospital and can no longer walk. My adoptive parents don’t want me any longer as I can’t work. I will now live in an orphanage with other unwanted children.