In the Ruins
In the Ruins is the shortest published short story by the British writer Roald Dahl (1916–1990). It was first published in June 1964 in the program of the World Book Fair (World Book Fair), which took place in New York , and in 1965 in the March issue of King magazine. This short story has not yet been published in German.
action
The narrator, not mentioned by name, walks through stone ruins. He meets a man sitting on the floor who is sawing off his left leg. The narrator sees a syringe in an open pocket next to the man . The supposed doctor offers the narrator something of it. The starved narrator accepts the invitation. However, the doctor is only willing to share his leg with him when the narrator provides the next meal. He also assures that it is not radioactive . The doctor also explains that he gave the injection down the spine and that there is no pain at all (when sawing off his leg). The narrator collects wood, makes a fire in the middle of the ruins and begins to roast the meat over it. Suddenly a little girl arrives, drawn to the smoke and the smell of roast meat. The doctor also offers her meat (his leg), whereupon the girl nods. However, he points out that she will have to repay it later. The girl looks at the meat impaled on a curtain rod, which the narrator is holding over the fire to roast. The doctor notes that the three of them can survive for quite a long time (that is, if each provides body parts). The little girl starts crying and screams for her mom. The doctor tells them to sit down and assures them that they will take care of them and take care of them.