Prompts

#7~~ Aggressive Poking~~

A: "So, why are you here?" 

B: "I aggressively poked someone with a knife repeatedly." 

C: "You mean, you stabbed someone?" 

D: "No. He means he aggressively poked someone." 

Sitting on the top bunk I swung my legs back and forth as the staff sorted through my bags and two security guards stood by the door. The male worker stood straight up and gestured for my to get off my bed and assume search position. After a very thorough search of my person and my things they all left the bedroom leaving me to put all my things away on the empty side of the room, now slowly becoming my side, making sure to keep the door wide open. This was definitely an upgrade from prison. And solitary. I shuddered at the thought of the past five years of my life that was wasted. Stuck staring at a cement wall. Only allowed fresh air for 1 hour a day. The same routine everyday. This was better than that. Anything was better than that.

As soon as I finish putting everything I sat on my bed and looked at the side of the room opposite to me. Set up in the exact same way; bed in the corner, bedside table, chest at the bottom of the bed and a wardrobe on the opposite wall on either side of the door. The only difference was the posters and nick knacks and the obvious appearance of someone living there. Though my roommate wasn't in I knew a lot about him already. He liked The Rolling Stones, Blink-182, Nirvana, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Queen. So many good bands, at least we like the same music. It'll make things that much more bearable.

"So you're the fucker that is taking my extra bed." I look up to see a beefy boy that stood about 5'9 in his work boots. He had a buzz cut and horridly designed tattoos poorly placed to cover dozens of scars running up and down his arms. I just stared at him.

"Well at least you ain't some whiner. The last time we had a kid in this halfway house he was crying every fucking night. Impossible to sleep. I'm Jackson by the way."

"Axe. And a halfway house is a lot nicer than solitary is." I reply monotonously. Jackson chuckled and nodded his head.

"Too true my man. Too true. How old are you anyway?" He asked.

"21."

"Nice, I'm 24, the oldest one in the house. Also been here the longest so if you got any questions stick with me, sound good?" I nodded and watched him buzz back and forth through the room. I watched him disappear and then reappear from the washroom a minute later changed into more comfortable clothes.

"Come on, dinner is being served and it should be good tonight." Jackson nodded his head to the door and I got up slipping my sneakers on as we walked down the stairs he told me all about the house.

"The boys are in the East wing and the girls in the West. This house holds 16 guys and 16 girls meaning we always have a minimum of 8 guards working and 8 staff workers at all times. Breakfast is at eight every morning, school at nine, lunch at noon. work from one until five-thirty, dinner at six, and free time where we can go out. Curfew is at ten, whether you're allowed off property is up to your probation worker, and lights out is eleven. Your probation officer will take you to any appointments you have. And there is a point system. Do good and you get rewarded points, fuck up and get points deducted. Too many fuck up and you end up back in the slammer. It is pretty easy going here though, just don't go picking fights." I look at Jackson for the first time since we started walking to dinner and nodded. As we sat down Jackson's friends greeted him and stared at me. I felt extremely outnumbered with five guys and three girls burning holes in my head with their eyes. 

"Everybody this is Axe. Axe this is Cameron, Alex, Tyler, Max, Andrew, Taylor, Grace, and Marissa." They all greeted me with hellos or waves and I just muttered a small hi studying all of their features trying to figure out who was who.