Prison break in the eyes of Michael

Chapter 3 - Fox River

Fox River State penitentary, Joliet, Illinois

New arrivals lined by a security door waiting to be checked by armed officers for drugs or weapons.

C.O 1: Ok men move through the door to be checked, grab a box keep the line moving.

I had already had my anal check and I was now out of my black suit and dressed in a light blue shirt and trousers. Prison uniform. I walked over to one of the C.O's with their back pressed against the wall. He was chubby and small an ugly face with a head almost completely bald. I handed him my form that I had just completed containing my information.

C.O 2: Need your fax number.

" Michael Scofield 94941."

C.O 2: You a religious man Scofield?

" I've never really thought about it."

C.O 2: Well the ten commandments don't mean a box of shit in this prison. We got two commandments and two only. First one you got nothing coming.

I looked at him smugly.

" What's the second one?"

C.O 2: See commandment number 1.

I tutted and looked towards where the men were lined.

" Gotcha"

C.O 2; You're talking out the side of your neck.

" Come again?"

The revolting man sneered at me.

C.O 2: I said are you being a smart ass?

" Just trying to fly low, avoid the radar boss. Do my time and get out."

C.O 2: There isn't any flying under my radar.

" Good to know"

He twisted his head to the side indicating for me to move on eyeing me suspiciously and with blatant hatred.

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I walked to my cell. Men from behind bars, glared at me and jeered when I walked past and was led to my own cell accompanied by a muscly black man. I looked out once the bars had closed. In the cells opposite I could see the cellmates bickering like young children. Some lay in their beds and others gazed lazily from between the bars. Some men were avoiding the C.O's when they walked past each aisle and once they had passed, sneaked drugs into the next cell by sticking their hands through the bars.

A buzzing noise erupted from somewhere on the second floor and a stream of people walked from the ground below me led by another C.O.

" Yo fish what you looking at?" shouted a burly black man from the cells opposite. " You look kinda pretty to be up in here man.....FISH!" I ignored him and kept on staring at the passers.

The black man in my cell suggested for me to take a seat.

" I would take a seat if I were you fish there aint nothing to do up in here apart from serve time."

His voice sounded mexican and as I turned to face him i noticed that he was bald and a small square of facial hair beneath his bottom lip. He was engrossed in a magazine as he spoke.

" Aint noone gonna serve it for ya."

Just after he had said that I had a yell of pain and a clatter as metal hit the concrete ground. As I turned around I could see a man laying on the floor clutching his stomach and another man behind him shifting his weight from foot to foot. All the men in the cells erupted in angry cheer and I stood back from the bars shocked and feeling sick to my core.

" Welcome to prison fish."