The whacking of the metal pole against the cell bars jerk me out of my light sleep, and I bolt upright in my tiny room.
My eyes are greeted by the blindingly bright lights from the hallway outside of my constrictive cage, barely wide enough for the cot I'm lying awkwardly on.
Squinting, loud yells and clangs from the bar erupts.
"Get up, you lazy fuckers." the guard tries for a growl, but ends up perfecting playground bully, his squeaky voice fading down the hall, the loud banging echoing through the building.
I roll my eyes and grunt, lazily swinging my legs over the metal bedframe.
That kid thinks he's so superior and it gets on my fucking nerves.
Just cause the dudes he's cussing at are locked up don't mean he won't get an ass kicking from any of the inmates here who got half a temper.
Me at the top of the list.
I rake my fingers back through my hair, sighing deeply. Only a few more days, then I will be out of this shithole. A few more days.
"Drakey boy." my nickname of seven years draws my attention, and I see Darvin, and old man with a fake hip and a crooked nose from being broken too many times is looking intently back at me, his arms sticking out from the bars with his wrinkly hands intertwined.
His name, he said himself, is a combination of Dalinda and Marvin, his parents' names, because they were too drunk and idiotic to come up with a normal name for their son.
The look in his eyes is full of sadness and sincerity for a moment, before being masked by the usual indifferent expression he has worn nearly every day since I have known him.
Even by his emotionally distant façade it was obvious that he was going to miss me after I was released - I had practically become the old man's best friend since the moment I got here, although he would never admit to it. I bite my lip, remembering the foolish, angry, immature kid I used to be.
God, I have come a long way since then.
"Yeah?" I reply, and he looks me directly in my eyes.
"Don't be stupid. Okay, kid?" he warns, and I give him a confused look. He sighs and explains.
"When you get to see the world. Don't be stupid and get yourself thrown back in this place like someone took out the trash. Cause that's what we are. The worlds trash." he coughs loudly,
"If something don't smell good, they throw it out, instead of putting smelly stuff on it to try to fix it. Put smelly stuff on when you're out there, okay?"
He finishes and I find it hard to stifle a laugh. He glares at me, in the "how dare you insult my wisdom" look.
"Is that your way of telling me I stink?" his face relaxes when he realises why I'm laughing, and gives a low chuckle, responding with.
"Maybe."
The sudden appearance of a guard called Clint - a tall, buff black man - shuns everyone into silence as he approaches my cell and I stare him in the eyes, refusing to back down. He narrows his eyes at me and grumbles,
"I've got my eye on you, Flemming." reluctantly, he slowly walks away.
Darvin gives me a confused look and I shrug.
What the hell was that about?
A voice booms down the hallway, calling for everyone to get ready for breakfast. I turn around and drag a t-shirt from the corner and change out of my clothes.
The tight back of the shirt snags on my black hair, which has got quite long since the last time I got it cut.
When we are let out, the guards herd us to the cafeteria, and Darvin claps me on the back. He leans in to whisper in my ear,
"Couple more days and you'll be out of this hellhole. Don't find some way to fuck it up."
I turn to him and nod, and through his thick grey beard I see, once again, a smile full of desolation.
_______________________________________
"Hey, Flemming." A deep voice bellows from behind me, and I know exactly who is it. I am sat by a lunch table, munching on some indistinct prison food that has been served ever since I was sent here.
Clenching my fists, I get up from my seat with a warning glare from opposite the table from Darvin.
Just as I expected, when I turn around I see Flynn, flanked by his two usual puppy dogs Scott and Jimmy.
The only thing I have to my advantage over them three is that I'm taller than everyone here, only by a couple centimetres on Flynn who acts like a dick all the time, like he runs this place and what he did to get himself locked up deserves a fucking gold medal.
"What do you want, Flynn." I sigh. I don't want to do this crap right now.
"Just coming over to congratulate the fact that you're gonna be a free man soon." he replies, but the tone in his voice suggests there's something more.
"What do you want from me?" even from my tall height, all the guys here knows not to mess with Flynn.
He fucking abused his wife and the crazy prick burned his house down with his son and wife in it. I know I can't judge, but what kind of sick monster does stuff like that?
"I was hoping you could do something for me when you're out."
Shit. "And what would that be?" I can't help myself. The temptation is too great, even just to see the flicker of emotion on his face. "Fucking your wife?"
The whole room gasps.
"Oh, I must be mistaken. I mean ex-wife."
I see the red flash in Flynn's eyes briefly before he takes a swing at me, pouncing, but I am stealthy and prepare for the attack, slipping off to the side. He lunges again, the guys at his sides trying to hold him off.
Flynn's fists fly clumsily through the air, and I dodge every one of them gracefully, which enrages him even more.
I get too cocky, and my foot catches on a chair leg, sending me falling onto my back. Flynn takes the opportunity of weakness and jumps on top of me, pounding his knuckles into my face, making my head whip to the side.
Trying to struggle from underneath him, I manage to roll over. To his surprise, I free my hands and take a swing at him, causing his head to jerk back, blood trickling down his nose as he collapses to the floor.
I wipe my lip and spit blood onto the tiles next to him.
When Darvin yanks me off Flynn, he is lying there on his back, not moving. Damn. I must've hit him too hard.
Fuck.
Strong pairs of hands grapple at me and pull my wrists harshly behind my back. Cuffs chafe against my skin and I am dragged out of the cafeteria.
Looks like I'm not getting out any time soon.
YOU ARE READING
Love Stamps
Romance"𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆." _______________________________________ Unsuspected love blooms between domestic abuse...
