Tidal Vortex-Book One

Chapter Three

Teal:

After my trip down the hall to the medics, I now sit handcuffed to a metal table in an interrogation room. I felt on edge. Rooms like this remind me of when I was twelve and got interrogated for hours for something I never did. Panicking inside, my breathing becomes quick indrawn gasps as the walls start closing in on me. The room was far too small for my liking. Closing my eyes, I focus on slowing my breathing. It would do me no good if I pass out hyperventilating. Breathing in and out slowly, I focused on what had happened in the medic room to distract myself. I had sat chained to a bed as I got stitches and shots to help avoid infection. Seems I still had a little luck on my side because the whittled toothbrush of a shank and my arm wound tested negative for any traces of poison. The door to this small holding room abruptly creaks open, and my eyes shot open. A tall woman with long brown hair and perceptive brown eyes walks in wearing a navy-blue dress suit. Her black heels click on the grey concrete floor as she walks towards the table. She sits down across from me, all business-like, smoothing her skirt over her legs.

"Miss. Bowen, I am the warden of this prison. Now you have caused quite the excitement today between the cafeteria incident, bathroom incident and now, even in solitary confinement. I can't keep you out of trouble, it seems," the warden says, a little exasperated as she looks at me.

"I just defended myself. I didn't want to hurt them, but they were going to kill me," I mumble.

Suddenly, my hands became my focal point in an effort not to yell or scream. All of which I know really will not do me or this situation any good.

"The surveillance system footage from the bathroom incident shows that you showed amazing restraint and aimed for areas that would not kill. Even Martha's stomach wound was in an area that would not instantly kill her. In light of the fact that Martha and Cici bribed a guard and attempted to kill you twice, this leaves me in an awkward position. Miss. Bowen, they and twenty or more other inmates are now out for your blood because of the damage you managed to inflict on Martha. Unfortunately, they cannot see the footage like I can in order to see that you defended yourself."

"Not that it would make any difference," I mumble, interrupting the warden's brief speech.

The warden frowns slightly; frustration clear on her face. She gives me a pointed look before continuing.

"Rather remarkably, I might add, considering most wet naked people would have found scaling that stall wall near impossible," the warden says with raised eyebrows.

As she continues, I sit feeling like I'm in limbo, waiting for my punishment to be dealt out. I felt floored, numb, and it shocked me that I wasn't just getting locked up for practically gutting Martha. Yet on the other side of the same coin, I felt she had-had it coming. Given, she attacked me first, intending to stab me in the heart and kill me.

"I have come to the conclusion that I can't keep you safe in this prison. So, I am transferring you today. To face the rest of the inmates that are out for your blood and serve the rest of your sentence here would be insane. In Barbados, you will be enrolled into a work inmate program, where you will have to serve the remaining three years of your sentence," she informed me as I sit staring at her.

I sit there, fighting my emotions that were a mixture of shock and feeling stunned.

"I guess I have no choice with everyone out for my blood. I kind of like being alive."

My palms became sweaty as I struggled with feeling rather shell-shocked.

"Good Miss. Bowen. We will expect you to be on your best behavior. Considering the present situation, you will board a boat to sail across the Atlantic Ocean in a few hours' time. Due to the threat to your life, I can't allow you to say goodbye to anyone. A guard will collect your things and we will supply you with a few additional sets of clothing and necessities that you will need once you get to the new facility that runs the program."