New Life
Night 1 The trial was set against me from the very beginning, I never had a chance. Even though I had a rock solid alibi, I was still found guilt. Even though I had never Know the victim a day in my life , I was still found guilty. Even though there were hundreds of other more likely culprits, I was still found guilty of the murder of Fay Ambrosia. She was just a little fox no older than 16. She was found dead after a high school football game against my school. We never met we never said a word to one another and yet I feel I know everything there is to know about her. The court had one slither of evidence, an eye witness that claimed he saw the culprit running away from Fay's dead body. The description was vague at best and of course I fit the mold. Teen aged white Tiger wearing a school jacket. That's all they needed to lock me away , and no matter how much evidence was found that could have and should have cleared my name it seemed I was too deep in a hole to possibly climb out. In a small town when the community makes up their mind on something nothing can change it . I was tried as an adult and sent away to a low security prison. I was lucky enough not to have the death penalty put over my head but it was February 16th 2014 when I officially started my life as a permanent member of the prison life. My name is Michael Read , and this is my life's work . A journal starting from day one to my last in that prison.
Day one I arrived on a buss late that evening and taken through processing which was invasive cold and crude. They stripped me down till I was naked holding my man hood between trying to keep what little dignity I could. They searched my body in a way that said I was no longer a person rather I was an object . They searched my mouth making me open wide as they all but jam their fingers down my throat to make me couch up anything I may have swallowed. They lifted my tail and searched my most private cavity. Starting with 3 fingers and going up to 5 they dug into me until I was ready to cry. My tears came , and they didn't stop for a long time. Next they took me to a dark room , a wet room, with brick walls . I stood waiting to find out what the purpose of that room was , I found out. It was abrupt and gave me no chance to gather myself, my tears were drowned out by high pressured water. It came at me like a cyclone forcing me up against the wall from my feet down to my knees until I was laying shivering in agony. But the end didn't bring peace, it was after the water stopped that I felt the true cold . I could hardly open my eyes as the guards dragged me from that wet hell of a room. They tossed me into a cell and threw my clothes on the floor near me. It took a long while just to sit up, getting back to my feet took longer. When I stood up I noticed I wasn't alone. He was a Rat , around my age. He was so skinny he looked malnourished even while wearing that orange jumpsuit. He didn't say a word , he just watched me with those green eyes. It took me a moment to realize he was staring at my crotch. When I looked him in his eyes he looked to my crotch then to my clothes and back to my eyes again. He wanted me to get dressed. I put on the jumpsuit and that's when he stood up from the cot and stepped to me. Frank- My name is frank He offered me his hand and i offered mine back. Shaking hands was probably the first human thing I'd been allowed since my arrival that morning. Michael- I'm Michael Frank- its nice to meet you Michael , welcome to cell block J He had a sarcastic voice when he said that to me. He went back to his cot and motioned for me to take a seat on the cot siting on the opposite side of the room. Frank- your my new roommate so I want to get a few things clear Michael- alright Frank- 1. I don't give a shit why your here , feel free to tell me or don't, ether way your hear so don't be a bitch about it 2. This is my side of the cell, that is your side of the cell , this is my bed , that is your bed , if I catch you on my side I will make your life hell 3. If there is no respect anywhere else or at any other time there will be when ether you or I are naked or taking a shit , that means we don't speak unless clothed and especially not when on the can And lastly and probably the hardest thing but you'll come to understand it quickly 4. I wont save you , I wont come to your rescue if the guards are beating you , I wont stop anyone from hurting you, we don't have to be enemies but by no means am I looking for a friend Before I could say a word I heard the call for lights out , the lights went out, and Frank had already turned his back to me to go to sleep.
Shower 1 The next morning the prison was woken up at 5:15AM. Being a low security prison the inmates were allowed to wander there specific cell block until 6AM to shower, make phone calls, or visit the inmates only available store. Some used that time to mingle with other inmates but with it being the only time the showers were open most didn't feel like conversation. I think its important to point out that while Juke Durham might have been a low security prison it was still by any other standard a serious place. Low security simply meant there weren't any fancy cameras and there were even fewer guards as. That's why they had so many cell blocks starting from A all the way to Z . Each cell block was at the most 50 inmates. Going to shower with 50 other people was a concept harder to get past than most might think. It doesn't matter how much of a tough guy you are , if your gay or straight, or whatever. You have to force yourself to strip down and go into a large open space with other men who you know have been convicted of rape and murder. Just stepping into that shower room alone is enough to make you piss yourself , but you know that won't help. I tried to avoid showering but Frank wouldn't have it. He said the last guy he shared a cell with had no hygiene and he wasn't about to deal with someone else who wouldn't wash their ass. I remember having to walk naked from my cell to the showers. Frank told me I could take my clothes but I cant take them in the showers which meant having to leave them outside the door, an easy way to have my clothes stolen. The cold air catches you off guard at every step. The cold ground under my paw pads was excruciating. But what made that walk take forever are the eyes that watched me . They knew I was new to the system by my every action. Covering myself up to hide my manhood let them know I hadn't adjusted yet. How I walked with a shiver in my step told them that I wasn't used to the cold . Even my eyes watching them look at me told them that I was afraid of what they might do to me. I was fresh meat to them and the only question was who would jump out at me first and make me cower in the corner of a wall. My walk was nearing its goal . Just a mere foot step from the showers I was stopped dead in my tracks by two inmates. A large bull who seemed to be on edge his face kept a killers smile and his hands were always popping his knuckles. And then there was a hyena, he wasn't large , actually he was rather slender ,but he gave off a sense of confidence in his power by how as he spoke he touched my face and body to no end. The two seemed to complement one another, the bulls menacing size made him a clear and visible threat while the mannerisms of the hyena spoke volumes as to what he could do to you. The bull was up front while the hyena toyed with you. Box- well what do we have here Those words came slithering from the Hyenas lips as if they were dripping intense intent. Ravage- Looks like the block has some new equipment Box- now Ravage you know what the guards said , no using inmates as punching bags They spoke as if I weren't standing right there. Box- whats your name I mumbled and could hardly get a word out as he was had a hand on my shoulder and started running it down my body. Michael- I'm Michael Box- Michael, that's a nice name , soft name , sweet name , and it fits such a soft plush thing like yourself Ravage- let me take him to our cell Box , I'll break him in before breakfast Box- now now Ravage were all here for a long time no need to rush into the fun it'll happen when it happens, Im sure Michael here wants to get to his shower His hand pried away my own from my crotch , he didn't even look down he just got off to making me feel uncomfortable. Box- we can all have some fun later on today when we go to the yard , maybe even some fun that wont leave the new inmate in a pool of blood He finally retracted his hands from my body and they stepped to the side letting me go into the showers. Box- we'll see you in the yard , we have much to discuss Michael After that unwelcome welcome It was easy to shower. Sure I still thought about all the guys around me who could be real danger but after being confronted by a now sure danger relief may be a stretch but it fits well enough.
Breakfast 1 Breakfast is one of the only times during the day that all of the cell blocks are in one place at the same time. Its also the time of day with most guards around. Its not like TV . Sure there are gangs and there are plenty of odd balls but for the most part it felt like I was back in a high school cafeteria. All of the gangs were just different clicks and the guards were teachers. There is always this sense of something can get out of hand at any moment, the food sucks , and there is always someone talking about you somewhere. The individual cell blocks were there own gangs , but there were also intermediate gangs inside the cell blocks. There were 5 main gangs. The old and untouchables were made up of the life sentence inmates who lived out so much of their life behind bars no one would mess with them. The predators were a gang made up of inmates who were exclusively the most out right predatory species. Then you had east coast and west coast , two gangs that seemed to only live to kill of one another. And then you had the inmate guards , inmates that seemed to be in league with the guards acting as humble servants for special privileges. Outside of the gangs there were other lone wolf types and a few groups that could be seen in the cafeteria. Now , much like high-school, I had to choose who to sit with. But it wasn't high school , and they weren't a bunch of high school teens. They were inmates, murders, thieves, rapist, con men. Of course I picked the only seat that I felt I knew any of the risk to. I sat next to Frank. Frank- what are you doing Michael- I thought we could eat together Frank- I told you I'm not looking for a friend Michael- I know but ... He raised his hand to silence me. Frank- you don't want to sit with me, you think just because we room together that I'm safer than everyone else in this room , I'm not , notice how no one else is sitting at this table, why do you think that is Michael- I don't Know Frank- why are you hear Michael- I needed somewhere to sit Frank- I mean why are you in prison Michael- I ... I shouldn't be I didn't do anything He knocked my tray off the table nonchalantly without blinking an eye. Frank- why are you here? I can tell you why I'm here, I can tell you why no one else is sitting at this table, I can tell you why the guards wont even think twice to leave the room if I decide to start a fight stab you or go so far as to kill you right now , I'm not proud of what I've done but it earned me privacy in this place No one so much as looked in our general direction. Even as Frank scolded me the guards seemed distant. Frank- don't act like your safe around me , your just too stupid to ask the questions that everyone else starts with, and when you finally do you'll realize those shit stains parading around as gangs are safer for you than I am , none the less stay , the fuck if I care He put his head down on the table as if to go to sleep but his eyes stayed open. He glared at me as like I was a fly on the wall bugging him but he was too lazy to swat it away . Then for just a second he looked to my food on the floor and back to me. I couldn't figure out what he wanted, but I noticed he wasn't eating. Why wasn't he eating? He was clearly starving. I had no reason to care about him but I did. He was my cell mate. But he was right I wouldn't ask the questions that I wanted to , that I needed to. I was going around judging without taking any information. I had no clue what anyone had done to earn there way into the place we all were , least of all Frank. And honestly I still didn't know why or how I landed in such a place. I wasn't a straight "A" student but I had good grades , friends, and was getting ready to go off to college. My life was just beginning and before I could take a step out of my small town it threw the book at me and I fell into a prison cell. I picked my food off the floor but didn't eat it, at that time I didn't know not to waste food. We sat there for about 30 minutes before it was time to go. Every one was leaving but Frank. He was the last to get up from his table , the guards seemed to just let him be. As I walked out of the cafeteria I saw him take the bread from my salvaged plate with his tail , as if to hide the fact that he eats. Demons 1-Frank You need friends in this place , not to save you or protect you from threats that aren't real but to keep you from going insane. I know your here for life , so am I , I've been here since I turned 14 years old. I told you what I did to get here earned me privacy and that would be true , but privacy is something most people want , what I have is isolation. I'm a member of a small group of inmates who truly deserve to be in here for life. What I did should haunt me and make my life and dreams a living hell but It doesn't. I lay awake sometimes and remember my crimes as if they were glory days. I raped and murdered my kid brother. And then I did the same to 4 of his friends that same night. In my town you could get away with incest, but there was no love in what I did to my brother and he was too young to understand it even if there was. It was birthday, he was turning 6 and I was 13 at the time. Our mother died giving birth to him which left us with our single father. And before you go getting it in your head that my dad was some low life drunk who beat me into the person I became, he wasn't. My father has always been the perfect example of what a man should be , his only mistake was having me. I was only 13 but life felt so cold and empty like I was missing something. I would do anything to feel a rush. I cut myself, burned my tail , I would have done drugs if I was old enough to get any from the neighborhood dealer. But no matter how high I got I always needed more. My brother was having a sleep over. My dad left to go get pizza , and that's when It happened, It flipped. I lost control over myself. I didn't try to control myself. I locked me and my brother in the basement and fucked him bloody till he couldn't stand . I felt primal , I was raw and unhinged. There was no thought no hesitation and even as I watched the light fade from his eyes I felt no remorse, I felt alive. His friends heard his crying for help so I had to shut him up , I took a hammer from a near by toolbox and bashed his brains in till my arms went numb. I stood up covered in brain matter and blood, his teeth were scattered across the floor and his eyes were no longer recognizable. I finally let the other kids in only to trap them as well. You may be asking "it couldn't have possibly taken my dad so long to get a pizza that I had enough time to rape and murder all of those kids" and you would be right. He made it home shortly after I killed my brother but he thought that every one had simply gone to sleep. I had all night to have my fun. I got more creative as I went kid to kid using tools my strength and the urge to consume there souls through pain. It wasn't until morning that my father found me in the basement laying on a bed of corpses that he called the police. I tried to kill my father, and came very close to it .The police came and took me away before I could do anything to hurt my father further than I already did. I didn't go without a fight. I bit the throat out of one cop , clawed another's face off and made a run for it before I was eventually shot and knocked out. I'm a special kind of criminal a specific kind of bad that even the most foul cant stomach here ,and I suffer for it. No one dares to look in my direction, or cross my path but they speak my name when I'm not around. I'm on an island surrounded by people who are on their own islands but they wont ever come to mine because of how I made it to shore. There are sex traffickers and murders here but pedophiles are rare. I miss the feeling of my brothers soft body being ruptured by mine. The feeling of his curtailing around the blood from his torn inside mixed with my cum around my cock. That tight squeeze of his ass trying to make room for something to big to fit. And I wouldn't mind showing you first hand what that feels like. You need friends Michael, and if I seem like an ass its not because I don't need friends like you do , you just deserve better. You still don't even know what I did do you? That's the only way you could possibly sit in that bed across from me. That's the only way you could stand next to me. Its the only way you could breath the same air that I do and not know its toxic.You refuse to ask a simple question, the question, but you need to. Your sleeping in a room with a monster and you wont even do yourself the justice of knowing what breed I am. And maybe I'm worse than you. I don't know if I'm hoping that your not knowing leaves you open to be the salvation, the friend that I need , or If I'm waiting for someone else to tell you my history. But I haven't told you , and you haven't asked. When will you ask ? I hope you never ask .
Character list - Cell block J inmates Inmate number- name - crime convicted of Inmate 2659- Michael Read- murder Inmate 2601-Box- murder, torture,arson, kidnapping Inmate 2602- Savage -grand theft auto, rape, murder,illegal gambling Inmate 2635- Kray Burns- criminal conspiracy, blackmail, bank fraud, extortion, insider trading Inmate 2622- Romulus Romero- rape , murder, sex trafficking , gang affiliate Inmate 2633-Tristan Young- drug trafficking, gang affiliate Inmate 2613- Jack Turner- grand theft auto Inmate 2658 - Frank Lloyd- pedophilia, rape, murder
The yard 1 The yard was a place of mixed emotions. In my old life , life outside, I was what some might call a gamer. I didn't go outside very often is my point. But in this new place being outside more than ever was a privilege. To see the sun was a blessing that felt overwhelming. The prison didn't have a problem with lighting but there were hardly any windows. For so long i took for granted how easy it was to feel the warmth of a sunny day only to be caged and told I would only have access to it for 45 minutes a day. 45 minutes, that's how long the prison system decided was necessary for a person to have access to sunlight in order to stay well. 45 minutes was hardly enough time to watch a TV show worth anyone's time. 45 minutes and it was back to the cold concrete prison that was prison itself. The yard wasn't very big , it took up the space necessary for at best three basketball courts. One section was a basketball court, another was chairs and tables that had been bolted to the ground and the last section was an assortment of weights.A high fence with barbed wire and cameras made the perimeter of the yard. There were also 5 guards , one at the entrance to the yard , and one on each fence of the rectangular enclosure, all clearly carrying firearms. Until my time in the yard I had yet to come to a realization. Most of the inmates of my cell block were of a similar age as my own. There were older characters but few to be found. It wasn't until maybe a year later that I was informed that my cell block existed for criminals of a young age tried and convicted as adults that which judges deemed rehabilitation was likely. If not for that special cell block I would have been placed on death row. I would have been in a solitary cell with no access to other inmates or the ability to ever leave my cell at all. My first time in the yard I had only one thought, avoid Box and Savage. They left an impression on me earlier that day that made it clear I should steer clear of them. But the universe has a strange way of drawing you to the things you fear the most. I tried to hide behind a group of guys siting at a table when I felt a taping on my shoulder. I turned around and before my eyes could process who it was savage lifted me off the ground by the neck of my jumpsuit. Box- we've been looking for you Savage- we don't like having to look for people Box- were you hiding from us Savage- do you wanna know what happens when you hide The guys siting at the table quickly got up and ran away. Though it was sad no one would help me in the end their leaving took away the cover from the guards thus forcing Savage to set me back on my feet. Michael- I wasn't hiding, I just wanted to look around before I found you Box- sure you did , well anyway white coat we need to have a talk Michael- about Savage- business Box- your new here so we thought we'd let you in on how things work around here Michael- what do you mean Savage- shut up and maybe we'll tell you Savage put his arm around me and made me sit with him at a table, Box sat to my other side. Box- you see there is an order in cell block J , a peace, we don't have many conflicting gangs and its rare that anyone has a problem that leads to dead bodies , but that order, that peace is very fragile , how fragile you might ask Savage- like a glass pipe bout to hit a concrete ground Box- my self and my partner Savage here act as .... protection Michael- protection? Box- yes protection, we protect the inmates of cell block J from themselves, if you have an issue Savage- you come to us Box- if you got a problem Savage- you come to us Box- if you want to kill the new guy while he's taking a shower Savage- you come to us Box- you come to us and we tell you if its OK , kinda like an Inmate court house where I'm the judge, the guards here don't need to know about everything that goes on and god knows if they did we'd all suffer for it, so if there is ever a dispute a problem or you just get in a stabbing mood Savage- you come to us Michael- that's all Box- well , if anything that effects the life of cell block J happens without us finding out about it before it goes down whoever is responsible for fucking up everyone's day will eventually Savage- come to us Box- and we will make sure they leave Cell block J Savage- in a body bag Box- and all we ask in return for our services that keep the life of Cell block J so happy and at peace is a small fee Michael- what kind of fee Box squeezed my cheeks almost the same way as my grandmother did as he continued. Box- well assuming you get a job , when you start getting paid we get 30% He stretched my cheeks in an irritating way and just as I reached my limits he slapped my face before he and Savage got up from the table. Box- oh and one last thing, just out of the goodness of my heart , I'd suggest you sleep with an eye open your roommate is a special kind of crazy , what he did to his own brother Savage- Im not even that fucked up They left me alone for the remainder of the 45 minutes. Box and Savage didn't seem like the type to care for keeping the peace but I could believe they were doing it for the money and control. Jack- those guys give you they're speech I was so lost in thought I didn't notice this guy walk up to me. He was a kangaroo , much taller than me with a faded red and green mohawk . Jack- name's Jack He sat beside me and made himself comfortable. Michael- I'm Michael Jack- oh I know , everyone knows, your the new guy and your in the cell with the... um never mind , but B and S gave you the speech right Michael- yea they gave me the speech Jack- those Russian fuckers showed up one day and just decided to make themselves the law keeps of the place Michael- it could be worse Jack- yea maybe, you know they don't even do shit , they just like knowing when someone is gonna get a knife to the gut so they can see it Michael- how often do those happen Jack- what, a knife to the gut? Not often , but fights are regular Michael- oh Jack- yea you get used to it , its like the weekly entertainment Michael- I prefer to game Jack- we don't have many games here , we got plenty of fights books and Inmate drama though Time in the yard was almost up. Jack- so I been waiting for a good time to ask , did you do it Michael- did I do what Jack- it , you know ...it.... Michael- I don't know what your talking about Jack- see everyone always says no they didn't and that's understandable but I heard your whole court case on the radio and It sounded like you got a bad lawyer, bad judge, bad trial to be honest so did you do it Michael- no I didn't do , is that really something people in here just ask upfront Jack- yes sir it is , everyone is in here for something and you don't really know a man in here unless you know what got em here, I myself ain't ever raped or murdered no body so I'm proud to be a cut above some of the rest of these folk Michael- what did you do to get here Jack- robbed a back stole a car and shot a cop, but I didn't kill em , the fucking prick is the one who caught me too , ain't that some shit Michael- yea Jack- but I knew you didn't do it , that means your like me Michael - but I've never robbed a bank or stolen a car Jack- and we both ain't never killed nobody ether , murder is a com on crime in cell block J , in the whole prison come to think of it The guard blew a whistle, it was time go back inside. Michael- well thank you for.... um ... the company Jack- any time Michael, you and me gotta stick together, our kind the none killin kind need one another in this place, and I imagine with who they got you sleeping with you gonna need more support than anyone
Tells After the yard comes the bulk of the day for cell block J. From 9 in the morning to 9:15 at night the inmates basically have their own lives. In that time an Inmate could work there prison job , do college classes , or rome there cell block. Visiting hours were from 2:15PM to 4:30PM. Dinner was open at 4:45PM to 6:15PM but it wasn't a mandatory meal that inmates had to attend every day like breakfast. Every one had to be back in their cells by 9:15 and lights out was at 10:15. I didn't know about the rest of the prison but cell block J was designed almost how I think most people might expect. Its big and rectangular with two levels. Inmates 2625 and lower were on the first floor while inmates 2626 and above were on the second floor.The second floor had metal railings to keep people from falling from the second floor to the first but they were so short if someone were to push you to hard you might still go over. There was a big open area in the center that had tables and chairs bolted down like in the yard. On the first floor near the entry door there was a wall of phones for inmates to make calls. All of the cells had doors made of metal rods like in the movies but these doors had better locks that wouldn't open or close until remotely told to. There was no bathroom since each of the cells had built in toilets and water fountains. And there were windows in some cells but they were few so the cell block was lacking in natural light. And everything was grey so inmates decorated the walls with their own art but it wasn't enough to get past the lack of color every where. I thought it was strange that the inmates had the ability to rome around the prison as freely as they could . Sure inmates were restricted to their cell blocks unless they had a job or class that required them to leave their block but it was still so casual how everyone was allowed to do their own thing. Guards were always standing at every exit and there security measures to keep the inmates from just running wild but that didn't alleviate my fear of having to be around so many convicted criminals , a fear I'd been dealing with since my arrival but still a very real fear. But who was I to fear the other inmates, when I too was convicted and made to be in that place. Inmates in cell block J couldn't sign up for a prison job until Friday. That was when the warden would take new request and partitions for work or programs to be added or introduced to the prison. Guards and inmates were allowed to submit request for just about anything.The only things the warden would permit were the inmates job request, anything else would take the backing of at least a few guards if requested by an Inmate. I was unable to sign up for a job and had no visitors , or classes to get to so I did the only thing I could think of. I returned to my cell. Frank was there laying in bed with his eyes focused on some spot on the ceiling. All day I heard bits and pieces of rumors about Frank. I knew he did something to his brother , and that it was beyond any Box and Savage would condone. But that was little to go on and a lot to speculate about. When I entered our cell he glanced over at me to check who I was but soon returned to staring off into space. Inmates walking by obviously were avoiding our cell , they would even look inside. As I took a seat on my bed he sighed and turned over on his side facing me. Frank- your hell bent on making this a thing aren't you Michael- making what a thing Frank- you being around me Michael- this is both our cell Frank- no , this is my cell and you sleep in it Michael- why are you being so... Frank- so what? Mean ? Is that the word your searching for Michael- you said you weren't looking for an enemy and I get you don't need a friend, and you like your privacy but Its my first day, I didn't have anywhere else to go Frank- there is an entire cell block for you to go explore kid Michael- don't call me kid Frank- that hit a nerve kid Michael - you cant be more than a year older than me so don't call me ... Frank- or what I didn't have a come back . Frank- exactly, now "kid" I tried to make this clear this morning but I'll say it again, you don't want to be around me, there are better people,nicer people for you to spend your time with than me , we have to sleep in the same cell but between lights out and lights on you and I do not need to see or speak to one another, and that's for your good as much as mine Michael- what could you have possibly done for everyone to be scared of you , for you to be like this Frank- is that you asking the question? Because I can tell you why , but then you'd have to sleep in the same cell as that new person you would have to meet Michael- there are murders and rapists here and I'm pretty sure I've already met 2 of them today Frank- is that a yes or a no Michael- you cant be any worse than everyone else here Frank- yes , or no His eyes locked in on mine , he didn't blink or even breath differently. I turned my head away. Frank- until you know what I did you don't know me , so take my word when I say you don't want to be around me kid Michael - but Frank-but nothing, now leave , I'm sure if you hurry we can both pretend we didn't have to have this discussion a second time today He stared me down till I reluctantly got up from my bed and left . I didn't know were to go. When you walk aimlessly its best to do so in an area lacking people with short tempers. Every where i looked there was an unpleasant face looking back at me. I made my way down stairs, there looked to be a good spot away from everyone else at a table near the back wall. Only thing about that table is that it happened to be directly in front of a specific cell I did not want to be near. His Name was Romulus, he was a wolf with red and grey fur. He was built and taller than me by a few inches. As I took a seat at the table he exited his cell and approached me from behind. He started to massage my shoulders before he said a word , it caught me off guard . Romulus- A tiger, how very rare I tried to stand but he quickly forced me to stay seated applying pressure to my shoulders in a painful way. Romulus- your the new fur aren't you, I know you are ,that white fur is to clean to have seen more than a day here He messaged harder working me over. It might have been enjoyable if not for his claws that he let slide out and into my flesh. They didn't go deep but they went deep enough. Romulus- you know boys only come to this table, my table, if they want something, do you want something Michael- no Romulus- no what , show some respect boy He dug his claws in deeper. Michael- no sir Romulus- are you sure, because Daddy can get you what you want He leaned in close to my ear and licked it. Romulus- if you give daddy what he needs I was lucky enough to be seen by a friend I made earlier. Jack was walking by on his way somewhere when he came to my rescue. Jack- Romulus , I see you done met the new guy Romulus- that I have Jack , do you need something Jack- I recon I do , me and Michael were supposed to play cards Romulus- well he's with me now Jack- Michael didn't you want to come and play cards I nodded my head and Jack took my hand pulling me from the table before Romulus could stop him. Romulus- Jack you cock blocking country whore We started walking away and drowned out Romulus's yelling with his naturally loud and southern voice. Jack- go fuck one o yur usuals ya fuckin tramp He guided me to his cell where he already had another inmate waiting. He was an fox,probably the first inmate I met who was shorter than me. They were actually playing cards so it seemed. Jack- Michael this is Tristan Young , Tristan here is in on a case of the illegally selling and smoking and hiding what the law calls drugs Tristan- it was weed, I sold a little weed and the 5 o threw me in here , any way nice to meet you Michael Jack took a seat on his bed next to Tristan who was already seated and shuffling the cards and I took a seat on the floor. Tristan- you play? Michael- cards? No , I never learned Tristan- I'd advise you to learn , you don't need to be too good to beat this sorry competition Jack- Sorry competition? Ill have you know I once won a game of blackjack against Ruby Ruth Bell Tristan- and who is Ruby Ruth Bell Jack- only the finest piece of ass this side of the river and any other , and she happens to be a world renowned poker champion Tristan- Ill believe that the day I believe you met Jimmy Carter Michael- who is Jimmy Carter Jack- the best actor in the world Tristan- Jack here is a compulsive liar Jack- the hell I ain't Tristan- did he tell you how he got locked up Michael- yea he said he robbed a bank stole a care and shot a cop Tristan- he was the get away driver to a guy who robbed a bank and shot a cop , and the stolen car was his dads A drug dealer and a get away driver, not who I envisioned myself being friends with but in prison I suppose there are worse people. They taught me how to play cards, or more realistically Tristan taught me while Jack tried to defend his wild stories. I was almost ashamed to say I forgot where I was even if it was only for a short time. It felt as though maybe I was in a camp rather than a prison as we passed around stories off our lives on the outside. And the fun continued as we went to dinner together the three of us. The atmosphere and the orange jumpsuits and the guards with guns kept the assured thought of us being in prison real but as far as days go it could have been worse. The vibe and calmness died when 9:15 was lurking close and I knew I had to return back to my cell. I had to return back to Frank. When I returned it was as if he didn't move the entire time I was gone. Frank- back so soon Michael-I had to come back Frank- no you didn't Michael- wouldn't I get in trouble for being out of my cell after curfew Frank- of course you would , but they'd just toss you in solitary or something Michael- how is that a good thing Frank- Did I say it was a good thing? I'm just pointing out that you have other options than coming back here 9:15 hit and the cell doors shut. Nothing could open them until morning. Frank- well now your stuck with me Michael- now your stuck with .... wait what Frank- now your stuck with me Michael - whatever Frank- look kid you've gone all day without asking the question , are you really comfortable with not knowing Michael- from the way you ask me do I want to know its like you want me to ask you about it , like your proud Frank- because I am Michael- no your not , If you were you would tell me regardless of if I wanted to know , I get it you did something bad but we're in the same place , you said we don't have to be enemies so why cant we be friends Frank- because You don't know me or what I've done Michael- I almost got raped today and my life was threatened by two very strange and frightening people, but I also met two guys who seem OK , you don't seem to be trying to rape or murder me so why cant we try to get along Frank- you have some balls trying to talk to me like you make decisions around here...but your right I'm not trying to rape or kill you Michael- then I'm willing to not care about whatever it is you've done , I wont even ask about it Frank- that's stupid , your choosing ignorance Michael- maybe but if your telling the truth and you really did something I wouldn't be able to look at you for , then maybe this is better, we're stuck together so why make problems for ourselves Frank- are you gay Michael- what no Frank- you seem soft , trying to make friends Michael- I'm not gay Frank- its fine , I am too , but you are really really soft Michael- I'm not soft.... wait ... did you say you are too He turned over with his back to me and went silent. Michael- you cant just say something like I heard him chuckle under his breath , it was faint but it was loud enough to make out. It drew a slight smile out of me even if he was being a dick. Michael- your screwing with me .... can I take that as a "yes we can try to get along" He still gave no response. Michael- Ill take your deathly silent none response as a yes Most people on there first day in a place like that are lifeless or cry without end. I did my share of crying and cowering and judging but I felt alright. I had my whole life ahead of me before I was sentenced to a life in Cell block J but I didn't know where I was going. I didn't want to go to college, I wasn't in a relationship, my family wasn't rich. It sounds wrong to say it out loud but I could imagine a life in that place. And that's not to say that I didn't long for a life outside, but I wasn't completely miserable. A wise man once said the key to being happy is to find a place where your not sad and build on it, maybe there was truth to those words in that place.