New Enemy or Old Lover (Final book in the "Love or Lust" trilogy)

Chapter 24:

I shuffled along in the mob of people as we pushed through the small door way, getting to our freedom. Well, not freedom to be exact, but our time outside.

Each day the guards let us roam around in the guarded yard for a short period of time—whether it be fifteen minutes or forty five minutes if the guards are feeling friendly. To me, it was still freedom. I'd been here for almost a week and so far the guards have been feeling a bit friendly. The building was as cold as Alaska, but right when you got out? It was as if Africa hit us with a major heat wave.

I pushed through the crowd, letting my bare feet touch the warm crusty outside floor. It felt so good. My feet were frozen; they took away my clothes and gave me an ugly pair of tattered clothing that barely fit. My feet were bare from walking around barefoot, but that'll wash away later tonight when they allow us to clean up in the showers.

"Hey give it back you mutt!" My fellow inmate whom I came to know as Chance shouted, gripping the stray apple that had rolled outside. His hand was inside a large hell hounds mouth, snarling as he refused to let go of it. "It's.. Mine.. Ass!" Chance grunted angrily, ripping it away.

The hell hound snarled angrily, beating his six massive paws against the ground in frustration before walking away. Chance brushed himself off. I strolled silently up to him, leaning over his shoulder. He took a bite of the apple, and I shuddered.

"That's gross." Chance jumped at the sound of my voice, stumbling to the side of me. He held his chest and glared at me, snapping, "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

I snickered, "My bad."

Chance rolled his eyes and offered the red apple, extending his hand out. I took another glance at it, watching as a long strand of drool dripped from the side, and immediately shook my head. He shrugged and chomped on it once more.

"How you liking it," He said, his mouth full of food as he continued, "ya newbie."

I folded my arms over my chest, taking in a slight breath as I replied, "It's... Okay I guess... I mean," My eyes glanced all around at the mobs of people that flooded the cramped outside yard, "it's not home sweet home... And I miss my friends and family."

"You mean Andy," He arched a brow.

I glared at him, "I miss him the most."

Chance gave a small smile and let the conversation fall to the floor. We roamed around the edges of the yard, my fingers trailing along the chain link fence. It rattled under my touch as we walked.

My bare feet kicked a few stray pebbles to the side; my eyes fixed on the floor. Chance patted where his pants pockets would be as we walked, sliding through mobs or fights that guards weren't trying to stop. If they fought and it went on long enough, guards will shoot them on the spot. No mercy whatsoever.

Dry blood lined the fences along with the dark red ground, blending in easily. There were multiple guards that placed themselves at the edge of the fence, large guns laying across their shoulders. Their lips were formed in thin lines; their states cold as ice. They refused to move a muscle, unless something set them off.

There were men and women, all different heights, ages, built— nobody was the same. There was a young female, maybe eighteen or so, who confused me. Her arms were as thin as three sticks combined, yet she carried such a heavy gun and such heavy armor. Next to her was a tall, buff, man who had scruff along his chin. He was heavier, and looked to be able to carry more than three guns at once.

The only thing that was the same about them was their uniforms. They all wore dark black jeans held tightly by laced combat boots. On their upper body, they wore tight black vests with multiple zippers and loops to hold anything they wanted. Three sharp daggers hung from the left loop of all of their vests, followed by two large machetes hung at each side of the lower edge of their vests.