Behind Prison Bars

Anticipating The Worst.

Brandi: we haven't uploaded in ages i know! but i've had a lot of exams on and State is busy at work, so this chapter is more from a girls p.o.v, sorry guys! i'm going to get State to write loads about Seth next chapter, don't forget to vote - it really means a lot to us :)

Keep it coming with your ideas of actors for characters, love you all loads,x

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Hally's P.O.V

"So this is the fight you wanted to see?" i asked bewildered, staring at the bent copper lying in a pool of blood.
"Might've been" Rebbecca smiled, as though she was satisfied with the damage caused.
We lent against the wall, waiting... waiting for something.

When we first entered the yard, it was noisy - like the sort of noise that would give you a headache.
I saw Seth straight away, he seemed to be encouraging the crowd by shouting their silly little rhymes, his eyes were wild with excitement - like the sort of feeling you get when you're just at the highest point of the roller-coaster ride, but like every ride you had to come down, and just like that his expression changed to a scared little boy... something Crash had said.

I must've been lost in my own thoughts, i didn't notice Crash signal Rebbecca over to him.
She slinked over, she kept her eyes above the other boy's eye levels, maybe as a sign of authority.
Crash told her something and i wish i could've heard what he was saying, but whatever it was - it made Rebbecca look back in shock, and then she whispered something in his ear, he looked straight over at where i was stood and nodded.
My stomach folded into itself, was he looking directly at me - or at Rebbecca's group as a whole?
I was getting paranoid, had Liam found out about Dallas' baby? am i going to end up like the copper - half dead on the floor covered in red? and will people just walk past me like i was invisible?
Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.

Rebbecca walked back over, her head still held high, every step closer she made had me internally flinching, i was looking over at the exit door, any minute now and she would pounce, i was sure of it.

"Titch" her voice cut through me.
I bit my lip wondering whether i should make a run for the escape door or not.
"Damn, you look shaken up girl" Fellissa turned to me with her concerned persona.
"Relax, i'm not going to shank you" Rebbecca told me as she joined us "not yet anyway" she smirked, was she joking? she had to be, Fellissa was smiling as well - and Fellissa was on my side.

Don't trust anyone.

"What did Crash want?" Fellissa mused.
"He wants to thank Hally for telling Dale about the murders the copper has been hiding" Rebbecca looked seriously grateful, but then her face went icy cold "but you should have told him straight away, now he's pissed - he wants an apology".
I almost laughed at the last word, but i kept it in as Rebbecca looked deadly serious.
"He wants me to go over there and say sorry?" i couldn't help but snigger.
Fellissa hit her forehead with the palm of her hand, indicating that i was missing something.
"Words are useless to Crash, when he's mad - there's not a word in the world that'll make him calm down" Rebbecca said frantically as if she was living a moment from the past.
"What do i do then?" i said in a small voice.
"Actions speak louder than words" Rebbecca said grimly and slowly walked away.

What the hell did she mean 'actions speak louder than words' ?
Was this some sort of test? am i suppose to know what to do?
"Fellissa?"
"Yeah" she sighed.
"What did she mean?"
"Honey, Crash wants you to do something to prove your loyalty, i don't know what, but you'll either figure that out for yourself, or he'll tell you"
"Could this day get any worse - me and my big mouth, i should've just kept what i knew to myself" i mentally kicked myself.
"No honey, there's an active murderer going around and killing people, Crash needed to know" Fellissa gave daggers to Mia, who had come over to listen in on our conversation.
I waited until Mia was out of earshot.

"I fucked up, didn't i?" i asked rhetorically.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, you're just a fresh" Fellissa put her arm on my shoulder, i looked down at the ground, a single tear escaped.
"Fresh?" i would have laughed if i wasn't so anxious.
"Freshman, lets just say we're schooling you for surviving on the outside" Fellissa laughed.
"The outside? why would i need to know how to survive the outside? the only thing i'd need to survive from on the outside would be Mr. Vincent, after tracking me down and finding out that i hadn't completed my history coursework" i pointed out.
"Trust me, you've only been away from society for three days, try another twenty years of this" she signalled to another fight going on in the yard "and you'll forget how to behave like a normal person, you'll be depressed, hostile, suicidal, homicidal, you wont be able to trust anyone, you'll start arguments off with fists - not words, you'll always be watching your back, if someone stares at you for too long you'll think that they want to shank you, you wont leave the house unarmed, you'll turn to other ways to calm your nerves and before you know it - you're addicted, you'll be wanting a quick and easy way out" - i can always rely on Fellissa for making me think positively.
"I'm not like that" i rushed.
"Not yet, take that guy for instance" she pointed to this old man - maybe he was 70 or 80 "his name is Saul, he killed his first wife for insurance money and ended up here, when they finally released him, he couldn't handle life on the outside, so he stabbed some woman he didn't know as she walked past his house, he did it so he could be sent back in here, this place is all we know".

This place is all we know...

Saul the old man dragged his feet around where the rest of the oldies were, his expression was blank and he looked zombified - no way was i going to end up like that.

Mia had been lingering behind us like a bad smell.
"'You can't handle Pendant Hall'" Mia mimicked the crowds chant in a childish voice, was it me or was she drunk? "And Crash thinks he can? - can he fuck! his power balance is slipping... he cant, he can not handle this place and the people in it! he should've been first to know who'd killed who, now he's scared" she laughed "there's a pattern and he's next in the sequence, little scardy Crash" Mia looked off her head on something.
"Have you been smoking pot again?" Fellissa grabbed her by both shoulders so she wouldn't stumble over.
"Nope" she giggled "I don't smoke, eugh! dis-gust-ting, me and..... me and my lovely Liam got us some space cakes"
I gave Fellissa a puzzled look.
"She means marijuana brownies" Fellissa was forever translating urban slang for me, she turned back to Mia "come on, lets get you back to your cell before Rebbecca see's you".
Fellissa put Mia's arm over her shoulder, Mia slumped all over the place and Fellissa barely managed to keep her upright.
"Get off me" Mia giggled "you stupid.... bitch, take me back" Mia swore like she was a ten-year-old - quickly covering her mouth "Shhh...shut up you stupid whore".
I tried to cover up my amusement at the stoner version of Mia, i think i liked this Mia better.

"I can help carry her" i offered watching Fellissa struggling.
"It's alright honey, i think Rebbecca wants you where she can keep an eye on you, and besides - i'm going to check on Dallas today, so i might as well drop Mia off on the way" she heaved Mia upright and walked her towards the yard's door.

...But then a thought occurred to me.
"Wait!" i called after them, they stopped and i caught up.
"Mia, what did you mean by Crash was 'next in the sequence'" i asked, but Mia just giggled again.
"Shhhh! it's a secret!" she put her finger to her lips.
"What sequence, Mia?" i urged.
"What" Mia slurred.
"Pardon" came Seth's voice form behind me, correcting Mia's manners.
"Mia please, this is important" i sighed deeply.
But Mia had pushed herself away from Fellissa, and within seconds Mia had her hands feeling all over Seth's chest.
"Hey babe" she said seductively.
Seth looked freaked out and stared at us for an explanation.
He tried to push her away but a crowbar wouldn't have got her off him.

That's when she threw up all over Seth.
The sticky yellow sick ran all down Seth's top, i cringed and Seth was didn't look too happy either, as he was in a rush to get his shirt off.
"Stripper in the house" Mia giggled.
"Mia!" i shouted at her, wanting an answer.
"What the fuck is going on here?" Rebbecca had come back over, her face like thunder.
"Rebbecca, your head... it's so big" Mia gawped.
"Is she high?" Rebbecca glared back at Mia, then her glare came down heavy on us.
"Yeah, Wacky Backy, consumption not inhaled, Liam's fault" Fellissa summed up as if she was use to analysing the drug usage of people inside.
"Get her back to her cell, leave her there and come straight back" Rebbecca said to Fellissa.
"But what if something happens to her?" Fellissa asked timidly.
"If she dies it'll be her own fucking fault" Rebbecca snapped, but Fellissa didn't look like she was going to argue.
"I'm not ...dying? am i?" Mia slurred, panic struck across her face.
"We're all dying Mia, but if you don't get to your cell now, i'll make sure you don't see tomorrow" Rebbecca spoke seriously - like she always does, i could never tell if she was actually just saying these things, or if she meant every single word, back at home it sounded like something my Mom would say to me, but we weren't dealing with ordinary people in here - most had already killed and probably wouldn't be bothered doing it again.
"You... you're not going to kill me?" Mia giggled.
"Stick around and you'll see what happens" Rebbecca threatened, her eyes wild and daring.
"Come on Mia" Fellissa dragged Mia away towards the yard door, before Mia opened her trap again.
Rebbecca watched until they were out of sight.

"And what're you doing here?" Rebbecca looked Seth up and down like he was piece of shit "if you're going to make a habit of coming over to the girls side, then i can arrange a sex change" she pulled her knife out of her joggers "And this isn't just for show" she smiled.
Seth swallowed the lump in his throat.
"That's my cue to go" Seth turned around and started walking away.
"Bye shirtless wonder" Rebbecca mocked as he left.

Rebbecca turned to face me, everyone had gone or had been sent away.
All the rest of Rebbecca's crew had long gone, they knew her too well.
She looked around like a meerkat spotting potential predators, then when the coast was clear she looked me straight in the eyes.
"Can i trust you?" she said finally.

Rule number one Rebbecca: Don't trust anyone.

"Why?" i asked.
"Just answer the question" she snapped.
"Yeah" i said uncertainly.
"Good, don't ever give me a reason to think different" she scanned the yard again.
"What's this all about?" i asked impatiently.
"It's a threat Hally - you cross me and i'll slit your throat myself" she looked homicidal, maybe it was
me - but did i see a flicker of fear across her face?
With that she turned and walked away.

I searched the yard, i saw Crash sat on his chair.
He was watching us, his glare cold, callous and calculating.
How long had he been watching us?
His glare sent chills up my spine, to believe that i confronted him on my first day here and got away with it has made me realise what a lucky escape i had.
Maybe he understood that i was a 'fresh' (as Fellissa puts it) and decided to give me a chance to learn
what acceptable and unacceptable.
Then again, that kid Jason was fairly new and Crash kicked the shit out of him, but from what i heard Jason was being racist.

A loud siren-of-an-alarm sounded, different than the one that i usually heard, but surely it wasn't time to go back to the cells yet?
Maybe it was a fire alarm? we were always having fire alarms at school - because kids were always setting them off so we could miss lessons, if not - then the alarms would be set off by the dodgy science experiments or the smokers in the girl's toilets.
All the oldies seemed to be pushed out of the way in a mad rush - as everyone made their way to another door i hadn't even noticed was there.

Seth's P.O.V.

Hally stood bewildered against Southside's wall.

"Hal" i half-walked-half-jogged over to were she was stood, it was as if she was in some sort of trance.
"Seth" she acknowledged me without showing a bit of emotion on her face.
"Are you coming" i pointed to the crowd rushing through the door, hoping she'd make her mind up soon so i wouldn't have to queue.
"Where?" she sighed.
"The showers"
"Let me guess, they're unisex?" she said arms folded.
"Yeah" i laughed, but she just stared at me unamused.
Her stare was long and it was almost like she was waiting for me to apologize for something..
"Have i done something wrong?" i asked
"No" the breathe that she'd held was released - emphasising her frustration.
"So we're ok" i said indicating the two of us.
"We?" she stared at me like i'd lost my mind.
"Yeah, you and me" i said calmly.
"There is no 'you and me' " her breath was sharp and her eyes even sharper, no emotion on her face.
"But i thought after last night...."
"Well you thought wrong" she said annoyed.

I ran my hands through my hair, hearing her words were painful, but watching her walk away was worse.

What did i do to make her brush me off like that?
Why did i even care?
I hated her for doing that to me.
Yet i couldn't bring myself round to hating her...
I hated myself for not hating her.
I hated myself for feeling like this.
I'd never felt this way about anyone, and if this was love then it sucked.
Rejection sucked.
It was almost like i had no control over my feelings, she had them in her hands.
And i'd never felt so weak...