Caged Ivy | Prison Romance

III

INMATE

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Chapter 3

Whisps of hair had feathered across her face. They fluttered with each fleeting breath she took in her sleep. Ivy's head leant across the window of the prison bus as the gates of the facility screeched wide open - welcoming their arrival.

Her eyes peeked open as if sensing her destination was near. It was evening, the sun threatening to part ways for the moon, the sky was a wildfire of burnt oranges and fiery reds.

Ivy glimpsed the closing of the gates, the tall stone walls with razor wires blanketing the tops of each and the domineering building that would be her home for the next year - if she could even call it home.

It certainly fits the cliche look of a prison. Barred windows, mesh fencing, bland grey walls that were infested with dark Ivy that clung to each brick possessively. 

Just over the boundaries, Ivy herself couldn't see any signs of the city they came from. It was only the view of a far cry mountain range and an expanse of woody terrain. The treetops of which could barely reach the top of the secure, prison walls.

The occasional group of armed guards scouting the facility could be seen from the bus as it rounded the immense building and carpark to some sort of side entrance made for arrivals.

The prison itself wasn't desolate, it was well-kept and almost modern in technology, finger scanners opened each door - the occasional swipe for a staff card meant that escape would be difficult.

One by one, each prisoner was uncuffed from their seat and herded off the bus like a group of sheep. So far, Ivy had received the same treatment as any other prisoner. Which was what she expected.

The guard stopped by her seat, unlocking her cuffs to pull her up, roughly leading her down the steps and onto the paving in a lineup with the others. This was where she confirmed that she was, in fact, the sole female among the prison. Not even the guards were female.

They trailed behind each other in a straight line as they were led inside. Luckily for Ivy, she was at the back of the line. It was a small comfort she appreciated, knowing that to her back were no immediate threats. 

She met eyes with one guard in particular as she entered the building through a set of double doors - made with reinforced steel.

He was holding the door open, yet something in Ivy told her something was wrong with this guard. He had striking blue eyes, almost entrancing as he broke eye contact first, turning to walk out away from where everyone else was congregated. 

Soon enough, both were out of sight from each other as Ivy was led to be processed.

He was out and she was in.

The clothing they had given her were oversized, to say the least. It was obvious that they hadn't catered to women before, the smallest size still being too big for her petite frame.

But Ivy made do with what she was given, rolling up the sleeves so that they wouldn't overhang and the legs of her trousers, trying her very best to keep an eye on the folds as they came loose every so often.

The lucky thing was that there was a drawstring to cinch the trousers securely to her waist, the string had to be tied to get rid of the excess length but it still worked out in the end.

The result was her looking like a walking, orange carrier bag rather than an actual inmate with an orange jumpsuit. The white trainers had come in her size, much to her delight. A plain white t-shirt underneath the jumpsuit was more like a mini dress, though it didn't bother her too much.