Iron Shore

Chapter 1

Marcella

The grey walls of my office were depressing. They lacked personality and comfort. Each time I leave I forget to buy a painting or picture to put on the walls. A big glass desk sat a few feet away from the back wall, it sported two large monitors, one keyboard, a mouse, a work phone, a file divider, and a pencil can. A black file cabinet stood to the far right beside the large window that overlooked the exercise yard of Ironshore Correctional. It was currently midday and a new set of prisoners would be getting ready to go through registration. I got up grabbed my key card and walkie and decided to take a walk to stretch my legs and interact with the women. 

"Lacey, hold my calls for me, will you. I'm gonna stretch my legs" 

I told my secretary as soon as I closed the door to my office. She nodded at me and went back to her computer screen. Lacey was an average height woman with short curly hair, a lean body, and an inviting smile. She was quiet and hardworking which was exactly what I liked the most about her. 

One of the wardens opened the grill with his key card and let me through. I walked the halls observing the teal-colored paint on the walls and the clean white floor; I smiled in approval. 

"Governor" A prisoner greeted me as I passed. She wore the white t-shirt with a dark blue prison jogger and her matching sweater tied around her waist. I paused and frowned at her. 

"Nicole please remove the jacket from around your waist" I took pride in knowing all my prisoner's name. All four hundred and fifty of them. I hate it when they wore the prison uniform so tacky, either wear the jacket on your shoulders or not at all. 

"Sorry Ma'am," she said and quickly pulled it off her waist. I continued along the hall greeted a couple more prisoners before passing through another grill. As I passed the counseling room the door swing open and a prisoner Frankie came out. Upon spotting me she smirks biting her lips and leaning up against the wall.

"The queen has finally left her castle. How does it feel to walk amongst the peasants?" She teased and I chuckled. Frankie was what you call a clown and she always tried to make me laugh. Referring to me as a queen because as she put it I'm the second prettiest woman in the world and I just look like I could fit the part in my "boujie suits" 

"How are you, Frankie?" She had been sentenced to 15 years for armed robbery and has only served 4 years out of it so far. 

"I'm good now that I've laid eyes on you beautiful" She pushed off the walls and motioned for me to walk with her. I rolled my eyes at her flirtatious comment but smiled nonetheless.

"How has your day been?" she reciprocated. I glanced her over through the corner of my eyes. She wore the prison white marina showing off the bright Blue straps of her bra and her full sleeve tattoos on both arms. She wore the prison joggers and white lace-free sneaker. Her shoulder-length straight black hair was pulled back into a ponytail; showing off her smooth brown complexion and brown eyes. She was slim-built but also lean from constantly working out in the prison gym. 

"It's been boring. Just a lot of paperwork. I'm going to the admission to see the new prisoners." I told her. 

"Fresh meat already, you treat me so well my queen. How could I ever repay your kindness" she grinned and again I rolled my eyes trying to hide the smile forming in my face. 

"Hmm let me think" I put my finger on the cleft of my double chin as I played along to her shenanigans. 

"How about losing those straps?" I asked already knowing the answer.

_It's my signature mark!_

"It's my signature mark!" She gasped holding her chest.

*Told you!*