Endurance

Chapter 9 - Down In The Hole

Later that day I woke up in my cell. I slowly sat straight up and rubbed my eyes. The first thing I noticed was how much my head was throbbing. Then I noticed how much I stomach ached. I unbuttoned my jumpsuit a little looked down at it. It was covered in bruises.

I moaned and relaxed my head on the wall.

"Poor scrawny got his @$$ kicked." The prisoner in the cell across from me teased. It was followed by a bunch of other prisoners laughing.

"Your face isn't looking too good, you should probably get trust checked out." He said.

This time I just straight up ignored them. I felt like sh*t and talking isn't really something I was in the mood for.

A guard came over and told me I had a visitor. I buttoned back up my shirt and walked over to the visitor room.

It was Morgan again. I sat down and looked at him through the glass. We both picked up the phones.

"Kid, what the h*ll happened to you?" He asked.

I looked at the shades out reflection in the glass From what I could see, my face was swelled up and bruises all over.

"Some guys jumped me." I said.

Morgan looked at me in sorrow. Soon enough, he turned angry. "Just give me a name. Tell me who did this to you and I'll-"

I cut him off. "You'll what? You're out there, and we're in here. There's nothing you can do about it." I hated saying it but it was the truth.

Morgan hated seeing me beat up. Not only does he care about me and doesn't want to see me hurt, but he knows what it's like to get beat up. He was abused as a kid so he knows what it's like to beg for mercy.

"Listen kid, we're going to get you out of here. We've been looking for evidence and we won't stop until we find something that proves your innocent." Morgan said.

"What if you do?" I asked. "Then you'd take my place, that's what would happen."

"I'm willing to make that sacrifice. I just can't walk in here everyday seeing you like this." Morgan said.

I looked down before saying the next part. "Morgan, I don't know how much more I can take of this." I admitted.

Derek sighed. There was a pause before he said: "Let me guess, you still haven't eaten or slept."

"Is it really that obvious?" I asked.

"Kid, you have eye bags for days and I can hear your stomach grumbling from here."

I looked down and held my stomach but then quickly let go because even touching it hurt from the bruises.

"Just promise me you'll try." Morgan said.

I nodded sincerely. I will try for him.

"Visiting hours are over." A guard came over.

Derek took another glance at me and forced a smile. I waved as we parted.

As soon as I started to get back to my cell, a guard stopped me and told me I had to go to the hole.

"What?" I asked panicked, even though I knew exactly what he said.

"I said you have to go to the hole. Three guys there said you threw the first punch in your fight."

"No I can assure you that's not true. They got me alone and beat me up, I didn't lay a hand on them." I explained, frantically.

"I'm not going to tell you again. Follow me to the whole." He wasn't joking around. His seriousness made me obey.

He put his hand around my elbow to make sure I didn't try and run away.