The Wake

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The Wake

by Donn Byrne

Genre: Drama
Setting: Europe
Format of Original Source: Short Story
Recommended Adaptation Length: 45 Minutes

Candidate for Adaptation? Promising

EXCERPT:

The thought that within ten minutes or a half-hour or an hour he would be dead did not come home to him. It was the physical act that frightened him. He felt as if he were terribly alone and a cold wind were blowing about him and penetrating every pore of his body. There was a contraction around his breast-bone and a shiver in his shoulders.

His idea of death was that he would pitch headlong, as from a high tower, into a bottomless dark space.

He went over to the window again and looked out toward the barn. From a chink in one of the shutters there was a thread of yellow candle-light. He knew there were men there playing cards to pass the time.

Then terror came on him

COMMENTS:

An Irishman contemplating suicide. Strong, convincing prose; a lot of internal thoughts rather than action; but some good stuff to work with here.

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