The Other Side of Love

Deceptive Looks

Cedric Pov- 98, 99, 100. I was finishing my workout for today. The guards finally brought me breakfast this morning.
My workouts and the meals I receive  are the only thing I have in here that's constant now. Someone planted drugs in my cell and they took everything out. Including my Bible. My art, my letters, and all my pictures. Gone. I don't have anything left from the outside. I sighed as I walked over to the wall and scratched in another number. To mark the days I've been in the hole. XIII. Almost two weeks now. Me being in the hole is a result of my own actions. This is how it all happened. How I foundthe truth the hard way.
It was Saturday night we had just finished dinner and everyone had been locked up. I did my nightly meditations and fell asleep.
Throughout the night I heard walking up and down the block. I didn't think anything of it. I figured it was the guards making their rounds. I turned on my side when I heard Officer Parker's voice.
"Ced lets go! Let's go! Hit the floor! Get up!" Said Officer Parker as he banged his nightstick against my cell.
I pulled myself out the bottom bunk and stood to my feet. I put my hands through the bars and watched as he cuffed me. I had no idea what time it was or why I was the only one being pulled off the block. "Get a move on Rodriguez!"Was the only thing I heard before being shoved into the wall. Officer Parker grabbed me and snatched me up. "Stay off my wall you Spanish nigger." I took a deep breath and smiled. "Yes Sir I apologize."
We walked until we were no longer on my side of the pod. We went down a long hallway until we reached the elevators. He pushed me in the elevator and got in behind me. I was watching as closely as I could. I needed to pay attention to everything around me. I didn't want these to be my last moments. Not here, not in prison for something I didn't do.
This looks like a totally different building
The hallways became a corridor of cells that I never seen before. "Stop." I turned around and waited as Officer Parker unlocked the cell door. This had to be the old jail that everyone said was destroyed by fire years ago. He pushed me in and slammed the door shut. I stuck my hands out for him to take my cuffs off and he reluctantly unlocked me. I made my way over to the bed and noticed everything that was in my old cell was now in this one. I looked around and I didn't see any signs of where I was. I took deep breaths and began to pray and meditate.
I laid back on my bunk and looked over at the picture of me and Ashley. It was taken on the day she graduated college. We were so happy. The thought of having that happiness again is the only thing that keeps me going.

About three months has passed since my visit with my wife. It was great. Ashley and I had so many things to talk about, but we didn't speak about most of it. We just spent our time with family. Allot of it was spent alone holding each other and telling each other how much we meant to one another. We made love and I can still feel her body next to mines. I am curious to know what's going on. When I got returned from my visit everyday was just like any other until Drew left. That's when everyone started being so hard on us. People didn't get their mail, medical attention, or phone calls. We barely got out meals on time. The yard has been a war zone. Gang activity has increased tremendously since the program didn't meet as often and now none at all. With all that happening the men in here just started running wild.
More drugs and other contraband got snuck in. There has been overdoses and countless fights. Not to mention the stabbings have spiraled out of control. Every time I turned around another person gets shanked. Suicide has become more common too. People are jumping off of the top quad every other week. As a result of everything worsening  we were placed on lockdown for  two solid weeks. Everyone stayed in their cells for 23 hours a day. Even the people that was in here for petty crimes or simple offenses were celled up.
I guess the warden got tired of everything that was going on because he assigned everyone an advisor and a counselor. I couldn't believe it. It's like college in prison. Nothing got better. If anything it got worse. Instead of having sex with each other and the officers inmates started having sex with them. I don't know how much more I can take of this. I'm so tired. I pray this appeal is in my favor. Even though I haven't been able to make or take any calls. My good friend Officer Pierce has been giving me my mail since I been in the hole.