you will be thrown in the hole.’ She sniffs. ‘The hole is a solitary confinement cell in the lagpunkt. It is a dank, mouldy place where your body is forced into a crooked shape whether you stand, sit or lie down. There is no stove, and through a barred open window the snow will come in on you from outside. You’ll be lucky to get a bucket for your waste, as there’s a ready-made stinking hole in the floor. You will receive barely a third of your normal ration – and a black, hard piece of bread at that.
