My Cold Days

Ch. 3

I woke up in the middle of the night. I needed to use the latrine in the corner of my prison cell. Once I finished, I returned to my bed and sat down. I let out a long yawn and smacked my lips. Just as I was going to lay down I heard screaming. I walked quickly to the back wall of my room to look outside the cracks. A man was being dragged by guards. His shout grew louder and more hysterical by the second. It's a crazy one, I thought to myself. I knew he was under arrest. But why in the middle of the night? 

Perhaps something delayed the ride over here. I don't even know why I cared. It was the middle of the night and I was thinking about a random person's arrest. Maybe people have been arrested in the middle of the night before, but I just never noticed. I couldn't stop thinking about it. My eyes were droopy and my bones were weak. I layed down in bed and put my hands on my chest. I felt the slow rise and fall of my chest as I breathed. I closed my eyes prepared for a few more hours of sleep, but I couldn't.

Thinking about the new prisoner kept me awake too long to fall asleep again. Maybe it was better because, after I opened my eyes and turned on my side I heard an even louder and horrendous scream. It wasn't the same man as before. It was a deeper more manly howl. I heard soldiers yelling to each other over the screams. 

"We'll put him in a cell tomorrow morning. For tonight, he sleeps in the padded room." I heard the first guard say. The second vigil began to speak as well. 

"Put tape over his mouth too. He's loud enough to wake the everyone in the prison."

I don't understand why everyone tries to avoid arrest. I accepted mine peaceful. I decided to ignore the man and try to fall asleep. My many attempts at falling asleep were useless. I wish neither of those men were arrested. For I was not able to sleep the rest of that night. Before I even knew it, the sun was up and someone opened up my cell door. This would change my life forever.