Aftermath

Chapter 3

During recreational hour, Mr. White and Mr. Pink could be seen together in the enclosed lot, sharing a smoke break as other prisoners roamed the area looking for things to do themselves. Most of them were scheduled for visiting the gym or educational courses to keep themselves busy but the ones who decided to hang around the lot instead were clearly just there to socialize. A few guards were perched about the area to keep an eye on all the inmates as they went about their business just in case a scene were to arise.

"It had somethin' inside of it — I saw it moving, man. It was black and whatever it was, it was still alive." Pink says to White with a look of disgust on his face. He was talking, of course, about the grotesque food they served at this establishment.

"You act like you're surprised. You're in a prison, Pink, not a five star restaurant." White retorts, taking a drag from his smoke.

"Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. I realize this is a prison and all but they can't serve us food like that. It's cruel and unusual and last I checked, that was an amendment that protected us criminals." He emphasizes that last part bitterly, folding his arms and leaning back against the brick wall of the building. His cigarette was hanging out the side of his mouth.

"Pink, we've been here for a good coupla months already an' we're gonna be here for a long ass time so whether ya like it or not, you gotta get used to the food they give ya." White tells him like it is with a roll of his eyes. "Either that or starve."

Pink grunts in acknowledgment to his words but says nothing more about the topic. He glances around, observing the officers who were supervising the lot of them.

"So..." Pink starts. "How d'ya feel about the fact that you were wrong?"

"What?"

"Ya know, about that kid you were so insistent on protecting." He goes on.

Larry eyes him and if looks could kill, Pink would drop dead in that very spot he currently stood. This was the last thing he wanted to be talking about in his free time.

"What made ya so sure he wasn't the rat in the first place? You pulled one hell of a stunt back there for that guy. What kinda lies did he feed you?"

Larry was silent as he was bombarded with questions he had expected to hear sooner or later, whether he liked it or not. He and Pink didn't talk often but even when they did, he hadn't brought up these specific questions. Larry thought about this shit on a daily basis - he didn't need someone else bugging him about it.

"You ask alotta questions, ya know that?" Larry finally says, smoke escaping his lips.

As much as he doesn't want to entertain these questions, he supposed that maybe talking about it would relieve him of some of the pent up anger he had held in for the past few months. It was exhausting constantly thinking about what could've happened. What should've happened. And would've happened if things didn't turn out the way they had. Letting it out didn't seem like all that bad of an idea.

Pinching his cigarette in between his fingers, his eyes stay fixed on it as he speaks.

"You ever heard the song 'Fool For Love'?" Larry asks.

Pink stares at the other man before a brow of his quirks in confusion. "What, are you queer or somethin? You're not about to debate with me the meaning of that song, are ya? Cause I really don't wanna—"

White gives him an annoyed stare as he continues, interrupting him mid-sentence. "It's a song about doin' things ya wouldn't normally do for someone ya care about." He states matter-of-factly.