Prison Chicks

Snitch

My first night in prison was uncomfortable, I miss my bed, the comfy one I could sleep in before I was arrested for something I didn't do. No one is awake as of yet, I'm left with my own thoughts. Crying silently to myself, the most painfully overwhelming kind of cry, because it's so difficult to remain silent when you just wish you could scream. Rage is still consuming me, and the mourning of my mother, my best friend. I can hear some movement near me so I wipe away my tears and hide my bloodshot eyes. *tap tap tap* Is someone tapping their bed? I look up half reluctant but more curious to see who, I catch a woman sat up staring at me. She catches my eyes and smiles. Right now I'm not sure whether to feel scared or comforted.

Once everyone is out of their bunks I make my way to the showers, I feel like a hot shower will be the one thing to give me the feeling of safety in this nightmare I live in. I found the bathroom for the C and D dorm, there was hardly a queue which I liked. I walk towards the bench where hooks hang above, I quickly strip and run into one of the curtained shower cubicles, feeling the heat touch my skin gives me a sense of security.

"Shhh if anyone finds out about this we're dead." I can hear a whispered conversation from behind the wall where the toilets are. I keep myself to myself and quietly turn off the shower before kneeling down and crawling out from under the curtain, I don't want to risk the curtain screech against the metal holding pole. I made it to the bench silently before I spotted a small hole in the wall just wide enough to peer through to the side of the toilets. The risk of them seeing me was greater now, but curiosity gained the better part of me, I stuck my eye close to the hole in the wall and within seconds turned back again.

I caught a glimpse of drugs being stashes in some toilet rolls and toothpaste tubes. My heart filled with a sinking feeling, flashbacks took over me once I heard heavy footsteps leave the bathroom. Remembering the way Kevin used to force my mum into taking drugs. My palms started sweating, my hands shaking, my heart pulsating, my breathing became more rapid, like I wasn't getting enough oxygen, I've never had a panic attack in my life, but It feels like I'm dying.

"Woah woah woah inmate are you ok?" The nice lady Officer McDonaldson found me and knelt down beside me. I can't speak, I shake my head still panicking. "Ok ok let me call for help." She drips at her radio and pleads "Assistance required in C and D dorm bathroom, inmate on the ground."

A male officer runs to my aid, "I'm officer Fletcher, we are going to get you to medical." He signals to Officer McDonaldson. They both wrap their arms around me and carry me through the halls to medical, I feel like I am going to faint from lack of breath.

"Inmate Faith, can you hear me?"

"W-what happened?"

"You fainted just as you reached medical. Officers Fletch and McDonaldson brough you in. It sounds like you had a panic attack."

"What's that?"

"When your body experiences a rush of intense mental and physical symptoms at one given time, it can be distressing."

"Oh. I'm feeling ok now."

"I can see that, do you remember what caused it?"

Flashbacks from seeing drugs... Wow my brain is mentally fucked. I know snitching in prison is bad, but right now I've experienced something more fearful than a beating. "Yes, but I need to see the Warden."

"Certainly."

Within 5 minutes of my request, the prison dr brought Warden Tony to me.

"You needed to see me?" The warden looks at me with a glare.

"Uh yes. I-I saw drugs. It triggered something inside me which made me end up panicking."

"Oh Camila Faith. You are a model prisoner. But I don't know how well this'll go down for you. Where did you see them?"

He was right... was it worth getting a beating now... "Nevermind. I might have seen something else."

"Now inmate, If you don't finish off your drug spotting story, I will send you down to the box to remember it."

"Th-the box?"

"Solitary confinement. I can assure you it is the least likely deal you want to take here." His glare lingered.

"Toilet rolls and toothpaste tubes.... They were shoved in... toilet rolls and toothpaste tubes." With that he left, I heard the speakers above me shout,

"An early count will commence in 5 minutes. Return to your bunks immediately."

Followed by a trail of big scary looking sniffer dogs. What have I done....

((Camila is returned to her dorm for count.))

The atmosphere in here is intense. Sniffer dogs come pounding in barking near a tough girls locker. The officers demand her to open her locker, when she doesn't comply she is removed and taken to the box. As she leaves I catch a glimpse of her face, It's Maralee... She points at me, three other girls turn their eyes on me. I watch as an officer pounds open her locker with a crowbar, emptying out these white pills from the many tubes of toothpaste she seems to have stashed.

The sniffer dogs don't pick up on any more drugs in our dorm. But what I can only assume is Maralee's gang, sure sniff me out like a dog's bone.

"Is this yours?" A tall buff girl holds my labelled bra in my face.

"Y-yes." Sounding less scared is basically impossible right now.

"You were at the showers this morning. Weren't you?"

"Yes. I needed to wa-"

"Sh sh shhh. I don't need your fucking stories. Maralee is wasting away in the box because someone... snitched her out." She fixes her dagger eyes on my weak teary ones.

"I don't know anything abo-"

"LIES. You KNOW you were there, I SAW you look through the wee peephole in the wall."

"I'm s-sorry."

"No. I am." Just like that she snaps her fingers and two more tough women flood over to me, throwing punches, until I am knocked down to the floor whimpering. They kicked me in the stomach, over and over. My tears fell, but no sound came out. I was used to this from Kevin. Under the legs of the women kicking me, I could see the same girl who smiled at me this morning, frowning sympathetically at me, mouthing the words 'I'll call for help' I shook my head, she slumped down as if disappointed in my response. The three women left me on the floor, beaten. So I've taken my first prison beating, and it's only day 2 of my sentence.