BY THE TIME THE prison bus drops off the young boy at the youth prison and travels back 80 miles to where Eschewal and the rest of the prisoners will be held, Eschewal has completed the first part of his novel. He feels he has found his essence, which he hopes will make him into a creator of values and bring him happiness & riches.
The prison bus jerks to a stop. Eschewal looks up and is met with the tall iron prison gates attached to even more towering solid brick pillars.
The prison bus enters the prison walls as torrential rain plummets out of a pitch-black sky. Eschewal shakes his head, knowing he has reached hell and will be here for a while until he makes it to his heaven.
As he steps off the prison bus, he first sees the small iron windows; behind them are cramped cells. Below the windows are lines of rubbish that the inmates have thrown out.
The next thing to hit Eschewal as he walks through the vast corridors is the stink of the place; the stench is almost unbearable. It gets no better when he reaches his cell. Luckily, for this one night and this one night only, he is put in a cell by himself, which means he does not have to endure the body odor from another cellmate.
He sits down on the iron bed, holding his stomach. The food has run out, so he must go to sleep hungry.
He lays flat on the thin, dirty mattress and feels the springs beneath dig him in his back. He puts his hands behind his head, and just before closing his eyes, he hears:
BANG! BANG! BANG!
His heart thumps.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Oi, next door," says an angry voice.
Eschewal opens his mouth to answer. He pauses when he hears another angry voice, "Yeah, what?"
The other voice replies, "Are you listening?"
"Yeah, go on," says the other.
"Oi, send man a line."
"Send man a line of what, man?"
"Send, man, a burn, innit."
"Man ain't got no burn, man."
"What, how you mean, man, ain't got no burn? Send man a skinny one, man."
"Listen, man, lock off, man; man ain't got no burn. You listening? Get your head down, man. Ride your bang-up, you waste-man."
"How you mean ride my bang-up, you dick head; you better mind I don't bang you up in the showers tomorrow. Oi, don't let me have to weigh you in, ya na. I'll kick your face ugly, blood."
"What? Alright, tomorrow in the showers, you dick head, you waste-man."
Eventually, the whole prison falls quiet. Eschewal stretches out into a sleeping position and closes his eyes. But that night and the 912 nights that follow, he does not dream.
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Will Love Ever Come?
RomanceHe was searching for the one who would capture his heart. As he sifted through a sea of potential love interests, his gaze locked with hers and he knew she was meant for him. He pursued her with all his might, hoping to win her heart and find the...
