One click. Maybe, two.
He drew in a sharp breath and ripened his grip on the bars. Him, as well as others, looked up at the clock. The seconds passed quickly as the little short hand met the long one at twelve. It struck. Then the buzz rang out.
The ringing bounced off the dark gray walls, sounding as an alarm to everyone to brace for freedom. All the cell doors busted open. The prisoners ran wild, whooping, and stomping their feet. Even his cellmate whooshed past him to join the others. Everyone raced past him in a blur of blues and whites, eager to get to the courtyard and feel the fresh air and sunlight on their faces. Being on lock down for two weeks, he should've felt the same. But... he didn't.
"Big Dawg, what you doing? Let's go!" His mate's burley fingers crushed the bars as he looked up at him.
"Nah man. You go ahead."
"Whaddup?"
His mouth felt dry, rough like sandpaper, almost guilty for lying. "I dont know. Must've been something in that slop they served us at lunch."
His mate lifted his eyebrows, dissapearing under his mad afro. "What? You sick or sumthin'?"
"Yeah, I think so. I gotta lie down for a bit."
He walked over to the bunk beds and plopped down into the bottom one. The mattress's hard springs rubbed against his ass and side of his body, as he lied down, curling into a fetal position. He hoped his feign act of playing baby would drive his mate away. He didn't want to deal with him. Besides, he was sure his black mate would rather be playing poker out by the bleachers, than taking care of his sick friend.
Typical. It's all for one and one for none, around these parts.
"W-Why don't you go ahead, yeah?" he asked.
"But yo, you sure Big Dawg? The outs ain't gonna be the same without you and yo' pretty little face."
He laughed. "Sure as I'd be sure, if you keep standing there, those doors are going to close again."
"Fuck!" His black mate staggered back as if the bars themselves were on fire, and burnt him. He shook his hands. "Don't be playin with me, man. I ain't getting stuck in here again."
"Then you better get out...while you still can." His mate clicked his tongue. "Dang, why you gotta be so mean, huh? I'm just trying to help a brother out."
"I know, I know. But like I said, I just ain't feeling up to it, aight?"
"Mhm..suit yo' self. Don't say I didn't try."
"Hey!" He said as his mate was walking off. He turned. "Give Slick hands my best ace!"
His mate slapped the bars, and flashed him a gun sign. "You know it."
His mate walked off.
He heard his mate's footsteps fading, before he drew out the blade attached to the brown tape under his shift. The weapon glinted in the dim light.
