The Convict

The Convict

POV: Dakota

The life of a convict is a difficult one. I try to keep my head low and my mouth shut, but that doesn't always spare me. Today I am lucky that they are just beating on me and not the other option. Their fist push into my skin over and over, harder, and harder, leaving bruises in their wake. I double over but they hold me up by my hair, hitting me so hard a tooth gets knocked out and I have to spit it out in a glob of blood, or I'll choke on it.

Once they are satisfied with their pound of flesh they drop me to the floor and I slap to the ground like a wet pancake. Part of me wants to retaliate against them, show them why the hell I am here. Remind them I am a killer, that they shouldn't fuck with me. The other part promised Melony I wouldn't do that anymore. That I would be on my best behavior so I could make parole and get out of here in 10 more years. Time flies in prison and I just have to hold on to 10 more years and then I'll be free at last.

"Remember your place bitch!" Macho Mary says before she kicks me in the side and walks off with the two other girls who like to pick on me.

I just lay on the floor for a moment, catching my breath, soaking in my own blood. It's best just to lay here for a while, and let the blood dry up. If I leave a mess for people to clean, I'll get it again.

"Hey, you still alive?" A prison guard asks me, kicking me in the side.

I groan out a response and roll on my side, struggling to breathe.

"You need a medic?"

I shake my head no.

I technically do, but if I take the chance the girls beat me twice as hard when I come back. For snitching and getting "pampered". They said I got pampered enough before I came to prison and that I should give those chances to girls more in need.

I slowly get up and grab my tooth, putting it in my pocket. That makes three teeth that have gotten knocked out while I've been in here. Two of them are my back molars, so no big deal. Hardly noticeable. This one is a show tooth though, the tooth next to my right canine. Now I have a gap-toothed smile. Not that I smile much these days.

I have a lot of creative names in prison. Among the most popular are Ditzy Dakota, Blonde, Baby, The Melony Molester, I hate that name the most, and the kidnap killer, that's what they call me on TV.

They pick on me for a lot of things in prison, really anything. Everyone is just looking for an excuse to vent their frustration on me. I am the smallest girl here. The youngest. The prettiest. The most crazy they say. They make fun of me for just about anything. They tease me for my letters. Tease me about the documentaries that air on TV about me. Tease me about the book Melony wrote. I am always being picked on and teased.

I just take it though because that's what you do when you are a convicted murderer. You take it, because deep down, you know it could be worse. Prison life isn't all bad though.

I completed my degree here.

I'm officially a college graduate.

I've also taken up woodworking and lots of other crafts. They give us jobs in prison, stuff to keep us busy and earn us money. The job only pays a dollar an hour, but it does help pass the time. I've built furniture and made purses and bags, I even got to work on boots for a little bit.

I like woodworking the best. Mostly because I get to pound on wood and get my frustrations out. Also, it's one of the harder jobs so many women shy away from it, helping me stay safe.

I have a lot of free time. So I work out a lot, a lot, a lot. I'm more in shape than I've ever been. I could probably take those women if I wanted to. I just don't want to cause trouble and end up in solitary again.