Breaking Free (Unnamed Series #1)

One (Katja)

The sun was beginning to rise, illuminating my cozy bedroom through the blinders. Out of habit, I reach for my cell phone on the bedside table to check my emails.

'You don't get them anymore,' the voice inside my head reminded me.

Letting out a weary sigh, I threw the phone back on the table and made my way to the bathroom. I paused in front of the mirror, taking in my reflection.

My black hair was a tangled mess, as always. My dull brown eyes were lifeless and red-rimmed.

Well, at least the bruises were gone.

'Wounds disappear, but the scars remain.'

I closed my eyes briefly and took deep breaths. If there is anything that I have mastered in the past few years of my turbulent life, it was taking deep breaths. I opened them slowly.

"You can do this," I say out loud.

I then proceeded to get ready for my first day at North Carolina Correctional Facility.

***

"Arms above the head, Ms.," the slightly chubby guard instructed, as per protocol. I did as I was told.

This was followed by two series of security checks, one of them involving the canine unit, before I was told to leave my personal belongings by the counter. I placed my cell phone, house keys, wallet, and other miscellaneous items on the plastic tray, and tried to force a smile to the man behind the counter. He was going to be handling my personal items after all. Once I was in the clear, I was ushered into the dimly lit corridor with two bulky men accompanying me. They led me through a confusing maze of passages before reaching my destination.

The Library.

"This door can only be accessed by staff. Inmates will only be able to enter through the main entrance, after receiving clearance. All you have to do is tap the ID that is on your shirt pocket on this space and look into the camera in the upper left corner. Should there be issues and you are denied entry with your ID, which happens more often than you think, you may enter a four-digit code here. The code is different for each staff member. Your code will be the last four digits of your ID number. Do report to operations when you do face issues with the ID as soon as you can to avoid further hassle. Any questions?" the guard explained, sounding slightly bored.

A prison isn't exactly the most stimulating work environments.

"No, Sir."

"Very well. Mr Stanley will arrive shortly to guide you through the rest. Good luck, Ms Singh. Something tells me you will need it." he nodded, before leaving me to face the large, metal sliding door in front of me.

Just as I was instructed, I tapped my ID card on the space and glanced at the camera. The tiny LED at the top of the door lit green, and the door slid open.

I entered and took a good look at the place I would be working for the next few months. It may even be more than that, depending on how things go.

The library was just like any other public library, and it was empty at this point. The rectangular-shaped room was spacious; its walls coated with an off-white shade of paint. On each side of the room stood rows of black shelves filled with books of all genres. At the centre of the room, for all to see, was the seating area. The area was littered with muted green desks that were surrounded by white, stiff chairs. Facing the seating area was the librarian's counter, that is, my so-called office. The counter was clean and empty, except for the small potted plant at the corner.