2: Pretty Little Thief
That morning I sat alone in the crowded cafeteria, picking at the puny serving of brown crap on my tray. My other hand rested against my cheek, lazily keeping my head up as my eyes drooped in fatigue. I couldn’t even eat. I still felt sick from yesterday’s ordeal.
The guards had found the body in the hallway this morning. But they simply yelled at us for creating another mess and dragged it outside. None of them even asked who the killer was. I couldn’t believe it. After all, one of the rules was that you could fight just as long as it wasn’t the head or chief of the prison. So in a sense, I got off Scott free, which shocked me immensely.
But there was still the question of why. Why did that man just come into my cell trying to bash my head in with a pipe of all things? It didn’t make any sense. I did nothing wrong and didn’t even know him. Hell, I shouldn’t even be here.
I let out a halfhearted sigh. I poked my fork into my breakfast. A brown murky bubble bloated up and popped. I grimaced in disgust and shoved the tray away from me. Folding my arms, I lay my chin down on my forearms as I slumped on the table. Food was the last thing on my mind. I was hungry for answers.
“Hey, little girl, where do ya’ think you’re goin’?”
I glanced to the right of me when I heard a gruff prisoner. A girl that looked about my age, maybe younger, stood between two lunch tables. Her expression was fearful. Long, light brown hair came down over her shoulders. She wore a purple and white bracelet on her left wrist as she held a sandwich in her hands. A gorilla sized prisoner with black messy hair stood in front of her. He was so tall her head only went up to his chest. His orange jumpsuits sleeves were ripped at the seam, revealing tattoos traveling up and down his arms. He had scars all over his face and his lips were curled in a snarl. Definitely not someone to trifle with.
“Give it back, “The gorilla growled so fiercely it caused the girl to wince.
“I-I don’t know w-what you’re talking about, “She stuttered.
Gorilla jabbed a finger behind him, pointing to a guy lying lifeless, sprawled out on one of the lunch tables. Blood oozed from his disfigured beaten face. “You see him?! Wouldn’t wanna end up like him, would ya’? Now hand it over!” He said.
It wasn’t long before other prisoners were noticing the scene and began siding with him. They crowded around like a pack of lions about to pounce for their prey. I could only faintly see the girl amongst all the other monstrous prisoners as she backed up, trying to create distance from them.
I gulped when I realized what those guys could do to her. I looked over at the beaten guy on the lunch table then back to the crowd. The Gorilla raised his muscular arm up over his head, ready to pound the girls face in. She squeezed her eyes shut.
Before I knew what I was doing, I shot up on my feet and shouted, “Stop!”
Every head in the cafeteria turned to look at me. My heart pounded in my ears and my legs shook. The Gorilla gave me a nasty glare. “What did you just say to me?” He growled low and fierce.
Now I’ve really done it.
I took a step back. I balled my hands into fists and sucked in a breath before I said quietly, “I said stop.”
The Gorilla turned around to face me now. He cracked his neck as he stomped toward me, his posse following behind. I backed away until my back scraped against the brick wall. I glanced at the girl to see she had a surprised yet relieved look on her face.
