Jailbird

Jailbird ~ Chapter 2

update! it's been a long time coming, but we've got an update, and finally a proper title

*Clang clang clang.* The sound of the guards baton against the cold metal bars of the cell door woke me from my slumber. "Get up! Breakfast. Now." I dragged myself off my tiny wooden bed, and walked to the door of my freezing cell. The guard grabbed me by the forearm and marched me to the canteen, where breakfast was served at exactly 6.05am each day. There was a clock on the wall, with bars around it, presumably so the hands can't be stolen to use as a weapon. I ate my cold, lumpy porridge and watched the seconds and minutes tick past.

At exactly 6.20, the bell rang out through the canteen, signalling that breakfast was over. We prisoners were given duties each week; I was on dish duties all week, so I was sent to the narrow corridor to the kitchen, with nineteen other prisoners. Other duties in the prison were laundry, gardening, hard manual labour which consisted of mixing up bags of cement or other medial tasks. When I got to the kitchen, there were eight guards with baton in hand, watching like hawks around the room. We separated into five groups of four, collecting the dishes, washing everything in the large sinks, drying the dishes, putting everything away, and washing down the counters in the kitchen and the tables in the canteen. We worked silently, but slowly.

When the work was done, one of the guards walked around and inspected our work in the kitchen while another inspected the canteen. It was apparently up to standard, as we were sent back to our cells, and without a beating.