Behind Bars - Scomiche

Chapter 4

 A/N dedicated to Andreakc500

Scott POV

I finally pluck up the courage to move and I plonk my tray opposite his. Mitch’s. He looks up at me, surprised, and stares at something. I look around me. He can’t be staring at me, can he? He becomes flustered when I ask and I smile, more inside than out, don’t want to seem keen. He thinks I’m cute! I try to keep my face neutral because I’ve heard what happens to gays like me in prison. No thank you. We are having a nice, if slightly awkward time, when I see a figure behind him. I am about to warn him when…

Crap.

Mitch looks up at me, at first in anger but when he sees the size of his opponent, it turns to fear and embarrassment. He runs out and I am left facing the bearded giant on my own.

“What was that for? He didn’t do anything to you!”

All noise stops in the canteen and all heads turn to face me. He gazes at me with what can only be described as a death stare.

“Did you just talk back to ME?”

His friends all egg him on; taunting me. I look him dead in the eyes.

“Yeah I did.”

An intake of breath is taken in by everyone watching. Why are they all so scared? You could literally hear a pin drop.

“Don’t you know who I am? What I can do?”

What can he do? If he hits me, big deal, I’ve been hit before, and anything he does will just land him in isolation. But still, I sound more confident than I feel.

“Bring. It. On.”

He brings a fist up and smacks me in the jaw. Wow, this guy packs a punch.my ears ring and I shake my head to clear the fogginess. He kicks my legs from under me and I fall painfully onto my back, winding myself.

“I will make your life hell.”

He kicks me in the head and it goes black.

Mitch POV

I tread the walk of shame into work. Will greets me with a cheerful (for him) greeting:

“Morning Potatohead”

I grimace as he laughs, not so quietly, to himself. He chuckles all the way to the office, where he just hands me the roll call papers. I grab them and walk off, towards Block 3. Every single guard I pass calls me Potatohead. Great. Original guys. Not really helping me to get over the whole traumatic ordeal but hopefully they get bored of the incredibly unfunny name soon. I arrive at Scott’s room- sorry, cell, and hesitantly open the slat between me and him.

“Scott?”

I can see him lying on his bed face-down and I wonder whether he’s asleep.

“SCOTT!”

He sits up slowly and faces me. I step back in shock. His face is black and blue and he winces when he moves. He attempts a smile.

“You’ll never guess what happened to me.”

I feel physically sick. Who would do such a thing?