Kindred Spirits

Part 15

Vera Bennett had visited Stevie's cell alone twice in the dead of night already. It was torturous to hear the same heartless claims about Joan night after night. It was on the third night that Stevie heard the tell-tale sound of heels again. It had been a long time since dinner had been served so Stevie could only guess it to be somewhere close to midnight. When the door opened, it revealed not only Vera but another taller woman behind her. Blonde hair haloed the woman dressed in teal as she stood just outside as Vera stepped through the door once more.

"I don't have anything to say to you, Miss Bennett. I've already told you." Stevie started and Vera held up a hand to stop her from continuing.

"I know you don't believe my claims about Joan Ferguson. She has clearly poisoned you against anything I say, but maybe you will listen to someone who was a prisoner under Joan's charge long before she came to Wentworth." Vera pointed to the women still standing in the hall to come in.

"This is Eve Wilder."

"Hello, Stevie." The older woman smiled a worn warm smile and Stevie sat up and back against the wall.

"No need to be frightened, dear. I'm not going to harm you. Miss Bennett just thought we could have a little chat." Eve said, but Stevie just sat silently.

"I'll be right outside." Vera said before leaving the two women inside. She did, however, leave the door opened as to hear what was said.

"I don't have anything to say to you." Stevie said, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"For the life of me, I don't know how Joan Ferguson can get such pretty young girls under her spell. I used to think it was the uniform and the power that comes along with it, but she's been stripped of all of that now, hasn't she?" Eve said with a smile that held neither warmth nor friendship. Stevie could see the malicious intent pouring from her eyes. Eve must have also seen something in Stevie's face as her smile got even brighter.

"She hasn't told her of her history, has she? Of how she got that young woman under her charge killed. What was her name? Oh yes, Jianna. She was fond of that one. Went right off the edge when the prisoners killed her. Of course, I was told Joan always was a bit unhinged." Eve chuckled at a memory.

"Please stop." Stevie whispered, the ache in her chest getting bigger as she started to understand better of why Joan had been so cautious about them being seen together. It was a fear from a past hurt and Stevie didn't know if she could take the depth of pain.

"Will Jackson taking that baby away really destroyed her, I'm told. She hadn't been able to keep her promise to that poor dear girl. Do you know why the prisoners strung Jianna up?" Eve asked, getting a bit of glee from the torment she was causing.

"No, I don't. Stop." Stevie said, louder this time. She didn't want to hear about Joan's past this way. She wanted to hear about it from Joan.

"Joan Ferguson took her anger out on everyone except her little pet. She got her killed, Stevie. It would be a shame if something happened to you because of that cold-hearted bitch." Eve continued.

"Stop it. Stop." Stevie stuck her hands over her ears to drown out the voice of the serpent in front of her, but Eve refused to stop.

"She tortured another long woman long enough to convince her to poke out her own eye, Stevie. She would wet tea towels and we could hear the drip through the halls. You would hope and pray to God she didn't stop at your cell, and those were only on the nights she wanted us to hear her. Some nights you would wake up and she'd already be there. Like some kind of demon ready to drag you to hell with her. I'll say one thing for her. She had been taught not to leave any scars. She could be with you all night, and no one would ever know by the look of you."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Stevie yelled, unable to hear anymore as her eyes were filled with tears.

"Her name is Kath Maxwell. I don't know anything about Joan Ferguson, and I don't want to hear these lies!"

"Oh, honey, I wish for your sake they were." Eve said, her face taking on a whole new demeanor.

"I hear she's up to even worse tricks here. A caged wounded animal is the most dangerous kind."

"She is not a fucking animal! She's a damn human being, and I don't care what you say about her. I love her, and I know she wouldn't hurt me." Stevie said, fire burning in her eyes as red as her hair.

"She is incapable of love." Eve spat out.

"Then what about this Jianna you told me about. If Kath was this Joan Ferguson, she obviously cared about Jianna greatly. That shows she is capable of caring for another person." Stevie countered.

"To the other person's peril." Eve replied but then she sighed and threw up her hands.

"But everyone makes their own choices, don't they? Now you can at least make yours. Information is a valuable tool. To all of us."

Without another word, Eve walked out and left Stevie alone with her thoughts and tears. The closing and locking of the cell door was the loneliest sound that Stevie had ever felt, and she curled into a ball and compared the woman she knew to the monster they were trying to make her into. She thought back to Joan having the meltdown in her cell, and how she'd been so lost in that inner torment. The woman had suffered greatly in her life. Stevie wasn't sure exactly how much, but she wanted to know. She wanted to understand. If Joan had been abused and then lost a person she loved through her own perceived fault, then it made sense. She wished Joan would have already talked to her about it. If she ever got out of this hovel, Stevie was going to ask Joan herself. She had to know the truth of it all. For Joan's own sake. There was no more need for her to carry that burden alone anymore.