Ashes to Ashes (Book Two of The Kazuya Series) (✔️)

二十四 (Twenty-Four)

(Koan's POV)

Solitary confinement.

That's where putting silverware through that dumbass's hand got me. Malik told me it might be the fastest any newcomer has gotten themself thrown into solitary.

But there's no safer place in a prison than solitary, if you ask me.

Solitary confinement has been known to drive people insane. Some inmates have suffered paranoia, depression, panic attacks, and hallucinations from being solitary for too long. Some others have even found ways to commit suicide.

Being alone in a room where no one can bother you?

Sounds no different from most of my life.

Malik was kind enough to drop by a while later and slip me a book to read. I didn't read it though. I slept, stared at the wall, did sit-ups and push-ups, and thought a lot.

One thing that did bother me was that I couldn't tell how much time has passed or what time it was. The room had no window and I would get my food slipped to me through a slot in the door. I don't know when Malik stopped coming. When he slipped me the book he said that solitary wasn't in his section so he wasn't sure if he'd be back.

I was in the middle of a very nice nap when yelling woke me up.

"You know how much shit you could get in?! The f*ck are you thinking?!" A familiar voice screamed as footsteps got closer and closer to my door.

"I didn't know. No one told me."

The door was yanked open and Malik stood on the other side.

"Get up, turn around, and come over here." He said.

Once I was handcuffed, he started leading me down the hall.

"Is it really that bad?" A guard, around my age, asked.

"Life or death." Malik answered.

I was beyond confused.

"Go do something else before I smack you." Malik ordered and the young guard scurried away.

I raised a questioning brow at him as he continued leading me through the halls.

"You were in there for over a week."

Holy f*ck. It kind of felt like hours.

"Going now?" I questioned quietly.

He grinned. "You'll see."

He had me take a shower and change into clean clothes before we continued on our journey. Minutes went by before we arrived outside a set of double doors.

"An hour. That's as long as I can get you." He said, opening the door and pushing me inside.

Once inside, I realized it was the infirmary.

"The shit I do for you." A familiar voice said.

"Doc?"

He was leaning against one of the beds with his arms crossed and his stethoscope around his neck.

"You're lucky I had a whole bunch of research and shit saved about CIP that I could throw at the FBI and the warden in order to make them let me in here. Only f*cking downside if that I'm now in charge of looking after everyone else in this f*cking building."

"Quit?"

"The hospital? No, this is just a....temporary position until we can get you out." He said, walking my way.

I nodded in understanding. "Thanks."

"Thank me later. All I could get you is an hour so use it...wisely." He said, patting me on the shoulder.