Burn

Prison

The burly men lead me through long, windy, dark corridors and into a giant room. It was bigger than anything I had ever seen. 100s of desks and tables were scattered around and everywhere I looked thin, tired people were stood working.
'This is M'am.' said the tall one and tge men disappeared, never to be seen again.
'Hello. My name is M'am and I will be your mistress in your stay here. You will work, eat and sleep. Come with me.
She lead me into a room full of shelves and handed me a pile. On top sat a badge with the number '786'.
She lead me into another passageway until we reached a door with my number '786'. Inside was a mattress. The room was as tall as I was and as wide and long as my arms outstreched.
'You have 5 minutes to your first duty.' she said and, like the men, disappeared in a flash.

I looked at the scrap of paper. It read:
4am-7am- cleaning
7am-7.10- breakfast- bread and butter- 1/2 slice
7.10am-10am-washing clothes
10am-1pm-Punishments
1pm-1:10pm-Lunch, Cold Soup
1:10pm-8pm-Chores
8pm-8.10- dinner- bread and butter, 1/2 slice
8.10pm-11.10pm- cookery
11.10pm- 12- write lines
12- 4am- rest.

I was disgusted....
10 minutes to eat a gruesome meal! 4 hours of sleep! No break!!
I already knew I was worthless to them.

I pulled on the stiff, brown tshirt and scratchy grey shorts. I pulled my long hair into a tight bun and pushed my feet into some tiny black shoes. They made my feet sting with pain. I saw the size on the base. 3. I was size 6!!!
No wonder it was like squeezing scotland into a vase!!!

I looked at the time on the clock outside, hoping for bed and meals, though they often didn't come near each other. 1.13pm. I had narrowly missed lunch!!

A few days passed and one morning I woke up early.I had this excited tingling feeling, like the one you get when you wake upon christmas day or your birthday, but I just couldn't figure out why.

I got up and got dressed before hurrying to cleaning and arriving 22 minutes early! I stood silently for a few minutes and then an old woman, leaning on a walking stick, hobbled in. I had never seen her before and she didn't look anything like the other prison staff.

'Hello, Beth,' she whispered in a hushed way, 'it will happen at 5 5 5.'

What? I got to work, though my brain was filled with trying to work out what 5 5 5 stood for or meant. Hours passed and nothing happened so I basically forgot about the old womans creepy words. People arrived and soon the day started like any other.