Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Chapter 16

Rachael, because of the loud eruption from the gunshot, was caught and taken back into her facility. Two male officers carried her by her arms and dragged her back through the front doors of the building. Women in the cells cheered her on as if she won the Olympics. She gained harsh glares by the security that closed the front doors after she re-entered.

"You'll be here for the rest of your days if you're not careful!" One of the police said as they dragged her back to a cell.

It didn't matter to her though. Now that Porter was good and dead, she was free of a more torturous jail than this one. The officers just didn't see her accomplishments like the women did. None of them would understand how free her soul feels now that she didn't have a man bossing her around every moment of her life.

She was roughly pushed into a cell with another inmate. The officers assigned the inmate to make sure Rachael doesn't try to escape. The female they assigned nodded to them and they left. She then helped brush off the dust on Rachael's outfit.

"That was a brave stunt you just pulled, kid." The lady said.

Rachael smiled a little, feeling confident in her actions. Her tone was cocky and relaxed. "Yeah I guess you could call it that.."

"You know you're never leaving now, right?" The female questioned, turning her body to look at Rachael.

"I don't mind confinement." Rachael sat on the bench the officer's considered a bed.

Her relaxed attitude seemed to piss of the lady. She huffed out and turned away. Rachael saw the lady grip the cell bars as she spoke.

"I can't take it anymore." The female told Rachael. "I need to get out of this hell hole soon before I end up rotting in here."

Rachael understood the lady's pain and got up from the bed. She put her hand on the lady's shoulder and nodded. They said nothing yet communicated that they would be there for each other for as long as they were together in this god forsaken prison.

Rachael began looking around her new prison cell for any opportunities overlooked by the officers who put her there. The awful cell smelled like pain and suffering if it was a lingerie perfume. There were smudged lipstick marks on the mirror added into the cell. When Rachael poked the mirror, it wobbled. It wasn't even glass but thick plastic you could barely even see yourself in. She sighed and looked away to see the rest of the grimy cell. The "bunk bed" in the cell was just two metal boards with a blanket drilled down on the metal.

At least they gave us pillows, she shrugged acceptingly.

Finishing the look-around, she noticed a small ventilation hole on the ceiling. Rachael shuddered when the air turned on. It only blew out cold air and the feeling of a polar hell. The lady continued to watch guard while Rachael got used to her surroundings.

"Is this place always this cold?" Rachael chattered, shivering as she moved away from the ventilation hole.

"Almost always" the lady responded bluntly.

"How do you keep yourself warm in here?"

"I usually stuff my pillow into the vent and pray it doesn't freeze there during the night." The lady quickly shut up when a police officer walked towards the cell.

They looked Rachael up and down before bowing their head at the lady and walking back to his station at a side door.

"What is your name anyway?" Rachael asked, trying to make conversation with her so it's not awkward.

"My name is Michelle.."

They both smiled at each other before the cells automatically opened and an automated message spoke out through the speakers.

"Alright, ladies, time for lunch. Please head to the cafeteria. Any unauthorized access outside of the cafeteria will be punished with cleaning-"

Michelle cut off the automatic message while grabbing Rachael's wrist. "C'mon let's go eat."

They both walk to the cafeteria with the rest of the group. Once they got their food, they sat down with a few other girls.

"So what's your name?" Rachael asked one of them.

"Evelynne... and you-" they were cut off by one of them seeming to have an adrenaline rush.

"Wow a new person! I'm just so full of beans to see you!" She said, rapidly shaking Rachael's hand in a sweaty handshake.

"I um... it's nice to meet you too? What's your name?" Rachael hesitantly smiled at the exuberant girl in front of her.

"My name is Opal but everyone calls me Oppy.." she smiled wide, finally letting go of Rachael's hand.

As Rachael pulled her hand away from the exhilarated hand that had been holding it, she spoke with a small hint of relaxed hesitation."Oh well hi, Opal, it's nice to meet you. I bet we will all be good friends."

One of the girls she had overlooked tisked and got up to leave. They seemed to threaten Rachael as they walked away.

"Your days are numbered, dumb girl." They hissed, roughly pushing their chair into the table.

Something about the way she said it reminded her of Porter and his threats to her if she ever disobeyed. It didn't matter to her anymore as she shook her head to shake out the bad flashbacks.

He's dead now. He can't hurt me... she shakily reassured herself as the group sat in awkward- silence.

It would be a long sentence in these stone walls but, one day or another, she will be set free to be her own self again... and she couldn't wait.