The Music Box

Chapter Three

Before the mammoth, black steel doors open, I can hear the muffled sounds from within. A door buzzer unleashes the potent stench, heat, and noise upon my senses. Literally tasting the shit in my mouth that the captain had spoken of, I fight a deluge of vomit from escaping my lips. I'm forced to reswallow all the breakfast about to come up. Greasy bacon, fluffy egg whites, and creamed coffee make the round-trip back down for the second time this morning.

   Captain Thompson has a look of amusement on his face while awaiting they expected multicolored puke to expel from me like a demonic scene from the 'exorcist'. Not willing to give the bastard any satisfaction I fight it off, but still jump like a rookie when the door slams shut behind me. The natural light all but disappears as the darkness casts sinister shadows along stacked tiers of cells ascending into the ceiling like high-rises in the projects. Hundreds of voices piggyback one another in an attempt to reach out for contact, making it difficult to follow one conversation, let alone all of them. Yellow catwalks above have an ominous look about them, like individual yellow brick roads leading into an abyss of hell.

   Probably thinking they'll be other opportunities to embarrass myself as he introduces two, not intimidating looking men, "Dr. Reiser meet Officers Drohan and Harris." I cut short my curious rubbernecking and shake each of their hands. Drohan is a slight, older white male who's bald except for a patch of gray on the dome of his head. He reminds me of an an animated version of Mr. Magoo. Harris, a short, burly black man, looks ready to pounce on anyone who has the nerve to question his manhood because of being a vertically challenged. He sports a well groomed afro which might've been cool back in the 70s, but now looks ridiculous. Harris could've easily been a character from the 'boondocks'. "They're the regular officers during the week. Listen to them, they have a combined thirty-five years of experience. When any shit goes down, these two will get you out. Welcome to the 'castle',Dr. Reisler," he offers cavalierly, tipping his fingers in a half ass salute. Leaving me in the hands of two capable man, I hope. The only visual confidence I have in them thus far, are the yellow and black tasers waiting at their sides.

  "OK, Doc, listen up. One of us will escort you during rounds to the cells and bring any prisoners to your office. At no time will you open any cell door or pass anything to an inmate without an officer present. Do not deviate from these rules, Doc. This is not a game nor will the consequences be if you don't listen to what I'm telling you. The office next to yours belongs to a Counselor Crane. He got to lax with the rules and was nearly beaten to death for his mistakes. I doubt he'll be back!" Harris warns with all the theatrical drama of a Shakespearean play.

                               ****