Death Row // m.c

4

Silently Michael rested against the railings as he watched an inmate being talked to by some other officers. His eyes scan around and he sees all of the other death row inmates looking at this one guy who was then cuffed and then was taken away. As he passed other cells, other inmates would say ‘goodbye’ and whisper some last words to him before his figure was taken away.

Michael was confused, was it his execution date? Maybe. Probably. After he was gone, Michael just walked back and sat on his bed. The one place where he feels comfortable and safe. “Are you going outside today Mike?”

Claxton asked but he already knew the answer. "You know you should get out sometime.” Michael still stayed quiet. “I’ll be there. Other guards will be there. You need the sun Michael. It ain’t good for your skin if you ain’t getting any rays.”

“But isn’t that a good thing for me then?” He questions. Getting up and going to a sitting position as he looks at his friend. For some reason, he lets out a little laugh and just focuses on the floor. “I’m going to get killed, aren’t I?” Seeing how sitting hurt him a little, Michael just resorted to staying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. “Might as well just rot here, Clax.”

Officer Claxton understood Michael enough to leave him alone. So he said goodbye to the broken 18 year old and followed out with some other officers and into the yard. From his bed, Michael was thinking. What was he in for? He thought. Thinking about the inmate he saw get taken away. Just as if there’s a light bulb, a depressing one, above his head. Michael realized something.

He’s getting executed. He hadn’t known that inmate well but he still felt sorry for him. It left Michael wondering if he too was wrongly blamed or if he actually committed the crimes he’s jailed for. Everyone here is on death row which means Michael wanted to avoid making friends with the inmates. Knowing that they’re all going to die.

Knowing that he’s going to die.

Under his pillow lay the picture from the first ultra sound. She hasn’t returned. Thinking about her, Michael as realized that she hasn’t come around in another month. She should’ve. Just to bring him the second ultrasound picture but she hasn’t visited and the hope that lived inside his body was dying. Along with him.

Michael was already dying and he knew that. He knew perfectly well that he was going to die soon. But the thought of death didn’t scare him anymore. It was the thought of not seeing his wife one more time was what scared him the most.