Silent Samit

Release Date

 The "end of lunch bell" wailed, as everyone groaned. Sam got up taking a deep breath to prepare his venture out from the shade and into the sun. He lined up with the other inmates tapping his finger discretely against his leg wanting to get inside and out of the heat. He felt a hand land on his shoulder, so he tilted his head further down hoping that if he just ignored them they would leave him be.

"Hey, Sam" he heard a friendly voice say, while the hand gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. Sam's muscles loosened and his lips tilted up.

"Hi, Jessie" He mumbled back still feeling too shy to tilt his head up. Sam never liked to look people in the eyes. He felt threatened by it; as if by one look they could read into his mind, and he liked to keep what went on up there secluded. Most people seemed to get annoyed by this, but not Jessie. Sam always felt as if Jessie somehow understood him, but maybe that was just because he understood everyone; Sam would remind himself.

"What did you have for lunch?" Jessie asked letting his hand fall to his side again. A flash of sadness crossed Sam for a second as his eyes lingered on Jessie's hand still feeling the phantom of it on his shoulder.

"uh... just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich," Sam lied.

"PB&J; nice. At least you didn't have the casserole" Jessie said, sharply breathing air in through clenched teeth. "Ronny and Joe dared me to try it out. Let's just say it didn't go down very well" He laughed and so did Sam.

The guards walked down the line of prisoners to get a head count. Most inmates were unshackled, but there was one group of prisoners with handcuffs restraining their hands behind their backs. It was the one group that ever caused any actual trouble; Rob, Danny, and Steve. They always tried to start fights just out of boredom. Every person in this jail has gotten into a rally with them except for Sam and Jessie. Sam avoided them at all costs.

"Watch it, buddy!" Steve elbowing away the guard's hand that was going to give him a pat down. "Getting a little too close to my ass there; don't ya think?" The guard just sighed at this remark.

"Steve, knock it off." The guard grasped his arm to hold him in place.

"Damn, someone is in a bitchy mood." Steve snapped back at the guard, while his friends laughed.

The guard just sighed and moved on to give Danny and Rob their pat-downs, who gave him just as much of a hard time.

Sam was sitting in his cell which was right in between Jessie and Joe, who would talk a lot. Sam knew that he had no reason to be jealous of this since Jessie talked to everyone, but still couldn't help but resent Joe.

"Hey Jess," Joe hollered. "When you going to see the warden again? I'm getting a real hankering for some of that checks mix he always buys."

"You mean the M&Ms from the checks mix?" Jessie teased. "I see the nuts left over in the trash every time I bring you that stuff." He pointed out.

"Yeah, Yeah," Joe mumbled. "If you get me some maybe I'll eat a few nuts this time." He compromised.

"Why don't you eat these nuts!" Danny yelled to Joe from the next cell down while thrusting his hips. You could almost hear everyone roll their eyes.

"I'll see if I can visit Andrew before lights out, Joe." Jessie said, " This will be the last time I can do it though." All of a sudden Jessie's face lit up with a grin.

"Why is that?" Joe snapped.

"I told you last week; Tomorrow I get to go home."

"You lucky bastard." Joe grinned back

"Maybe I'll come back to visit you rats someday." Jessie joked, then glanced at Sam. "Sorry, Sam. You know I didn't mean that towards you, right?" Sympathy crossed his eyes.

"I know." Sam shyly reassured him.

"Do you know when your release date is yet?" Jessie asked.

"Uh, I think the warden said sometime in the next two weeks." Sam shrugged.

"I can ask him for you when I go down to get Joe his trail mix if you want," Jessie suggested.

"Ok," Sam replied quietly, not wanted to sound too eager.