The Story of Silence (Book 3)

Chapter 21

Thursday, 16th:

It was a sunny day the next day, though Silence didn't get to see it. He was locked up in a cell, which didn't really surprise him after what he had done the day before. It wasn't all that bad, Susan was allowed to visit and so was his uncle. It had been arranged for them to visit him later that morning. It wasn't the place that Silence had wanted to introduce his uncle to his girlfriend, nor was it the right place to tell him that Oldwood was dead, but Silence couldn't help it.

As far as he was aware his uncle didn't yet know about Oldwood's death or of the reason why Silence was in jail. That meant that it would be up to him to tell his uncle everything, which wasn't a task he was particularly looking forward to. But at least he would have Susan by his side.

He hadn't quite expected Inspector Hollow to act the way he had, in Silence's mind he saw the Inspector do something else. But it didn't matter; it was up to a judge to decide what would happen now, he only hoped that the judge would understand what had happened.

Silence sat in his small cell and gazed at the wall, there wasn't much to see. Never actually having been in a cell before, he wasn't sure if all prisoners lived in a cell like his or if he was just in there until he was moved at a later date. It was a square room, about six feet by six feet, grey brick walls, and very dull.

He'd been searched when he had been taken in so all that remained were the clothes that he had been wearing when he'd left. He didn't even have his watch so he had no idea of the time. But due to the faint sounds of talking and the clattering of plates and cutlery he guessed it was morning. He wondered briefly whether they would serve him breakfast in his cell or if they would let him out to have it with the others.

Visiting, he'd been told, was at eleven. For him anyway, apparently he was a special case. The guard hadn't told him why though.

It was strange for him to think it, but he was actually enjoying the experience. It wasn't something he would like to stay doing, it all depended if he would have to or not, but it was an experience.

Sometime later after he had been fed breakfast in his cell, his cell door opened and a man in uniform greeted him and cuffed his hands. Having had his pad and pencil taken away Silence couldn't ask where they were going, but he guessed that it was probably time for visiting. He was led down a wide hallway that separated rows and rows of cells, full of people who had done who knew what. They laughed and jeered and threw dirty comments at him, Silence ignored them and wondered why they acted that way.

After a short walk later he was shown into a large, grey, room, with five tables spread out around the place. Each table had four, hardback, metal chairs that matched the shine on the tables. Seeing as he was a special case there was no-one else in the room besides one of his visitors, Susan.

She smiled brightly upon seeing him and rose to her feet to greet him as his cuffs were removed, and the officer who'd led him left the room. As soon as he was gone Susan threw her arms around Silence's neck and embraced him with a kiss.

Parting, they took their seats and Susan pulled his notepad and pencil out of her bag. Handing it to him she said, 'I hope they haven't treated you badly?'

Silence shook his head. No they haven't, they've been quite good. How are you? He passed the note across to her, happy that he could finally break silence and talk.

'Oh I'm well, still a little shocked from last night but I'll be okay,' she told him as she reached out and gripped his hand in hers.

 Silence nodded, smiled, and then asked for the time.

'A little past eleven, we've got half an hour to talk.'

Silence nodded again. I called my uncle as well last night and told him I was here, he said he would come by to visit.