Tragedy ✔️

Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Six: Maximum Security
Sophia Crawford

SILVERBAY MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON was written on the gate when River stopped in front of it so one of the guards could open it for him—one of the million that were patrolling just the front area of the prison gates.

I frown. “I thought your dad got compassionate release seeing that he has stage-four cancer.”

I know his dad was still in prison, but he was getting sicker and sicker by the day. One would’ve thought that he would be resting in a hospice or something right now, not live his final moments in the same jail he rotted in for a while.

My stomach churns.

River doesn’t reply, his gaze was focused on the prison building itself. He was looking at the building as if it held the answers he needed, and I guess it did because the person he needed answers from was in that building right now.

Slowly dying.

The outside of the prison was covered with heavy duty fencing, and barbed wire was hooked to the windows so the inmates won’t try and escape. I don’t think they can, though, because the windows were completely barred with metal too thick to cut open with something.

There wasn’t a single patch of grass in sight and not just because it was snowing heavily outside that everything was covered in it, it simply was because there wasn’t a single patch other than the small field the inmates used to have a break outside to get some sunlight into their system, but even that field of grass was completely dry.

The guard tower was just outside the prison wherein a guard was on duty; watching the windows through a set of binoculars every so often. There was another booth right by the gates and a guard stepped out of it, walking towards the car we were currently in.

River rolls down his window when the guard stops in front of the window.

I see white smoke puff in front of the guard when he spoke. “What’s your reason for visitation?” He was clearly annoyed that he had to leave the comfort of the warm booth to ask us why were parked in front of a prison.

“I’m here for a party.” River answers dryly.

The guard doesn’t seem fazed by River’s reply, he only looked at River.

River sighs. “I’m here to visit my father. Jenkins.” River says, equally just as annoyed as the guard was. “Now are you going to let us inside or what?”

The guard eyes us sceptically. His gaze raked over me, and then over River again. I thought there was some sort of problem or something because he didn’t want to let us inside, but he finally nodded and beckoned toward another guard to open the gate.