Worse Than Prison

Chapter Four

Why I Hate Showers...

The showers were crowded with inmates, Jared noted sickly. Definitely not the best place to bring a naked teenager infected with the cannibalistic zombie virus. However, glancing down at Silence, he looked as if he couldn't possibly care less about the situation. He just looked at his towel, as if trying to contemplate it's use.

"Come on, we'll go the furthest away." Jared said and elbowed Silence in the shoulder gently, nudging his head toward a less populated corner of the showers. Silence just followed obediently, now scanning the showers. He could barely remember what this place looked like, but he knew for sure that the gray, cracked tiles used to be white. Showerheads spurt water down on the inmates, who laughed and made filthy jokes. A good amount of them glanced over their shoulders, eyes wide at the sight of Silence weaving through the wet bodies with Jared.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Silence." A gruff voice chortled. Jared paused because Silence stopped dead in his tracks, head snapping around to the sound of his name. He could vaguely remember this man from his first day at the prison. His name was something like Skull or Squirrel, or something weird. He was a bulky man, even bulkier than Jared, and a barcode tattoo etched into his throat. His shaved head reflected the lights above, his beady black eyes narrowed down at him.

This guy had to be at least seven feet tall, Silence noted with wide eyes. Even so, he wasn't intimidated. The man much too vulnerable to him and he wanted to see what it'd be like to bite into one of those thick arms, pulling at the juicy muscle beneath.

"What're you drooling for, pup?" Skull, or Squirrel, sneered, arms folded over his beefy chest as he glared down at him. Silence licked the path up off his chin and cocked his head. He was about ready to make a lightening bolt fast lunge, but a form stepped in front of him and he looked up in surprise to see Jared poised between them.

"Buzz off. We're just here to take a shower." He stated coolly. Silence blinked and peered over his shoulder to look at him and Skull, who snorted. His little gang of friends behind him snickered amongst themselves, others muttering dirty comments about the fact that Silence was still just a teenager.

"And who the hell are you? The bitch's master?" Skull asked. Silence snarled at him, snapping his teeth. He knew an insult when he heard one, that was for damn sure. Skull smirked and Jared shoved his arm back against Silence's throat. Silence choked and sucked in a deep breath, glaring at Jared as he rubbed his throat.

"The name's Jared. And you know his name, so use it." Jared responded, his voice icy calm. It even made Silence a bit uneasy. Skull narrowed his eyes.

"I ain't dumb, Mr. Jared. You ought to keep your nose out of our business. Ol' Silence and I have business together." He glanced at Silence, who looked at him in confusion. Since when did he ever have business with a meathead like this? He could barely remember this man. Just that he was big, annoying, and most certainly stupid. Jared glanced at Silence as if waiting for him to give some indication that he knew what the man was talking about. Instead, Silence rolled his eyes.

Even though it was a gesture of insolence, Jared was rather proud that Silence really had retained parts of his humanity.

"So, your memory is as bad as your hygiene?" Skull muttered. His voice had taken on a dangerously, bitter tone. Silence knew when a situation was growing tense and dangerous, his teeth bared now as he growled low in his throat. Jared glared at him.

"Stop it, Silence." He commanded. Silence glared at him and snapped his teeth. Jared went to scold him again, when he turned his head around at a whistle. A fist collided with his jaw, snapping his head to the side. Silence froze, hearing a crack emitt from Jared's mouth. He watched as blood dribbled down Jared's chin, hitting the tiled floors with a wet plot amongst the shower water.