THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

CHAPTER 10

I had barely settled back into my bunk when Trevor returned, clutching his stomach and groaning.

“Guess Block didn’t take the whole ‘walking out on him’ thing too well, huh?” I asked, sitting up.

Trevor gave a weak laugh. “You think? That guy's punches feel like sledgehammers. But hey, I didn’t say a word about you. Guess I’ve got some integrity.”

I sighed, guilt creeping in. “I didn’t ask you to cover for me, but… thanks.”

Trevor smirked, but his expression turned serious quickly. “Block’s not someone you want to mess with, Liam. He runs this place. You either stay out of his way or make yourself useful. Trust me, man, you don’t want him as an enemy.”

I nodded, letting his words sink in. “Noted.”

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, aside from the uneasy glances from Block and his crew whenever they caught sight of me. As the evening set in, Mr. Richard finally broke the silence in our cell.

“You’re lucky you didn’t pick Block,” he said, turning a page in his book. “But luck won’t protect you forever. Sooner or later, you’ll need to figure out where you stand here.”

“I’m not looking for trouble,” I replied, leaning back on my bunk. “I just want to survive this place and figure out how I got here.”

Richard gave a dry chuckle. “Surviving is trouble in Nowhere. But you’ve got something most people here don’t.”

“And what’s that?” I asked skeptically.

“Hope,” Richard said, closing his book. “You still believe you can make it out of here. That’s dangerous, Liam. People will exploit it or crush it. Either way, you need to be careful.”

His words lingered in my mind long after lights-out. The metal walls around me felt suffocating, and the faint sound of waves crashing against the island only made the isolation worse.

I had to find answers, not just for my sake but to prove my innocence. Someone had set me up, and if Nowhere was where they wanted me, then it was where I’d find the truth.

---

The next morning began like every other, with the blaring of alarms and the clanging of metal doors. Trevor and I fell into line for breakfast, the tension between us and Block’s crew still thick in the air. But today, something felt different.

The guards were on edge, whispering amongst themselves. One of them, a young officer with nervous eyes, kept glancing at the inmates like he was expecting trouble.

“What’s going on?” I asked Trevor.

“Beats me,” he said, shoveling what passed for oatmeal into his mouth. “Maybe someone tried to escape.”

“Escape?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Trevor shrugged. “It’s happened before. Doesn’t end well, though. This place is surrounded by water and sharks. Not to mention the guards have shoot-to-kill orders.”

Before I could ask more, an officer’s voice boomed through the cafeteria.

“Everyone to the yard! Now!”

The tension in the air thickened as we were herded outside. The yard, usually a place for exercise and idle chatter, was now swarming with guards. At the center stood a group of men in suits, their presence commanding attention.

One of them stepped forward, his eyes scanning the crowd like a predator searching for prey. When his gaze landed on me, a cold shiver ran down my spine.

“You,” he said, pointing directly at me. “Step forward.”

The crowd parted as I hesitated, my feet rooted to the ground. Trevor nudged me forward, whispering, “Whatever you do, don’t make them angry.”

I stepped forward, my heart pounding in my chest. The man in the suit gave a thin smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Liam Brown,” he said, his voice dripping with authority. “You’ve caused quite a stir.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, my voice steady despite the fear gripping me.

“Oh, I think you do,” he said, his smile widening. “But don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of it soon enough.”

He gestured to the guards, who grabbed my arms and began dragging me away. The last thing I saw was Trevor’s worried face as the yard erupted into whispers.

Wherever they were taking me, I knew one thing for sure—this wasn’t over.