Kids in the Dark

Chapter 53

Adam's P.O.V

I woke up confused the next morning, pressed up against someone else; It took several moments for the memories of what happened last night to come back to me. I then twisted around to catch sight of Ryder dozing peacefully beside me, drooling slightly. My movements were careful and calculated to ensure that I didn't wake him up. I was just trying to extract my legs, which had become tangled with the bedsheet when a voice called from across the hall.

"Adam?" The voice caught me so off guard that I lost my balance and tumbled to the floor. With a hiss of pain and a string of curses I picked myself up and glanced across the hall for the source of the noise; It was Charlie. "Adam, how- why- care to explain?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but keep your voice down, the others are still sleeping," I whispered loudly, approaching the bars as Charlie did the same opposite. "Ryder had a huge panic attack in the middle of the night and Marc was struggling to keep him calm so he woke me up," I started, glancing over my shoulder as Ryder stirred slightly. "It was Darren on duty last night so I convinced him to let me across." I finished with a shrug.

"Why were you in Ryder's bed though?"

"The kid was still shaken after a super bad dream so he asked me to stay with him until he fell asleep, I guess I must have fallen asleep," I explained.

"Okay then," Charlie smiled. "Well, thanks for helping Marc out, and I'm sure Theo'd say the same about Ryder."
"It was nothing," I replied. Moments later a loud bell rang, signaling the wake-up call. I watched as Jace jolted awake, smacking his head on the bunk above him making me let out a laugh.

"Every morning Jace, every morning." Charlie sniggered as a pissed looking Jace got to his feet rubbing the back of his head in annoyance.

"Morning all." Marc yawned from behind me, moving to join me at the bars as Jace did the same on the other side of the hall.

"What're you doing over there Adam?" Jace then asked, his sleepy brain having taken a moment to realize what was going on.

"Ryder was having a panic attack so I woke him up. He managed to convince Darran to let him across and he sorta fixed things." Marc explained simply.

"Fair enough," Jace nodded. "Speaking of Ryder, you should probably get him up, its showers today." Jace nodded in Ryder's direction before he turned to make his bed, something he never failed to do every day. I turned as well, moving over to Ryder who was still sleeping blissfully.

"Sorry about this kid." I sighed before gently shaking him awake. It took a few moments for him to fully regain consciousness, but soon he was sat up, blinking the sleep out of his bloodshot eyes.

"Morning," He said in a groggy voice, clearing his throat as he stretched out, his spine cracking as he did so.

"Morning mate, did you sleep well?" I asked as Ryder got to his feet and stretched again.

"Surprisingly well." Ryder nodded, grabbing his prison orange from the end of his bed. "I guess I owe that to you." He shot me a smile which I gladly returned.

"Any time. Now, it's showers today." I said, twisting so that I was stood in front of the cell door. Hey, Charlie, could you grab my clothes for me?" I called across.

"Yeah, sure," Charlie replied as a small buzz signaled the release of the locks. We all exited our cells along with the inmates of 6 other cells. Everyone wore their underclothes, prison-issue clothes in their hands as we made our way to the showers.

At the entrance to the shower block, everyone deposited their orange clothes in the laundry before shuffling past a small counter to collect a bar of soap and a small bottle of shampoo. Then we were given towels before entering a large changing room like area.

I, much like the others, walked right past the benches of the changing area and headed directly towards our usual showers. Marc and Ryder followed us awkwardly, this being their first experience of the showers.

"You guys take these two," I said, indicating the showers in the room's corner, them being the most concealed.

"Thanks," Ryder nodded, pulling his shirt over his head, his scar standing out against his pale skin. He then reached out and turned on his shower, along with the rest of us, the scalding water producing enough steam to provide at least some cover. Once I was happy I took of my remaining clothes and jumped under the hot jet of water.

"Cool Tattoo." I heard Jace say as I lathered shampoo into my hair. Opening my eyes I saw that he was referring to Marc who, in raising his arm to wash his green hair, had revealed a star like tattoo imposed on his skin.

"You should tell them how you got it." Charlie laughed, running a bar of soap over his body.

"As I remember it," Marc began, pausing briefly to rinse his hair. "You Kurt and Drake jumped me after school, threw me in the back of Drake's jeep and drove me to Flint's tattoo shop. Then, correct me if I'm wrong, you guys held me down whilst Flint gave me a tattoo I had no decisions over." Marc laughed, jabbing his brother in the ribs.

"You really forced your own brother to get a tattoo?" Jace asked in disbelief.

"Oh, and I was 14 at the time," Marc added. "Charlie just got lucky that I liked the tattoo." I shook my head, laughing in amazement before washing the shampoo out of my own hair. I then glanced over at Ryder who was staring blankly at the wall as though he was trying to see through it.

"You okay mate?" I asked him. It took Ryder a few moments to realize I was trying to talk to him.

"Oh, uh, yeah." He shrugged.

"Are you sure?" I asked, unconvinced with his answer.

"What are you going to say to Theo?" Ryder then asked, catching me by surprise as I lathered the soap over my body.

"Is there anything you'd like me to say?"

"Um," Ryder paused, seeming to think for a moment. "Whatever it takes to get him to see sense I guess."

"Oh, that's the plan, I assure you. He's got another thing coming." I said with a hollow laugh, switching off my shower, wrapping my thin, ragged towel around my waist.

"Well, here's hoping it works." Ryder sighed, mimicking my actions.

"Oh, it will."

There's a longer chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy it - Flo