Today's the day. I hadn't slept all night, the nap from yesterday only just holding me over. I focus extra hard on doing up the button's on my pants, my jittery hands making it hard to work them into the holes.
I take a deep breath as I smooth over my shirt and head into the kitchen.
"Morning mum" I greet as she twirls a spoon in a coffee cup.
"Morning honey" she looks over her shoulder at me "are you alright? You look ill, maybe you should call in sick" her face turns into a worried frown.
"Thanks mum" I snicker and roll my eyes.
"You know that's not what I meant" she says as she wraps her dressing gown tightly around her waist. "Don't push yourself, you can't be sick for tomorrow" she warns. Right, the wedding.
"I'll be fine mum, just had trouble sleeping" she accepts my answer as I chomp down a piece of toast.
I bid mum goodbye as I leave for Hellbound. Dad left for work earlier this morning, before either mum or I woke. I do a circle around my car, checking for any new damage. It's become a daily routine every time I go to get in my car. Nothing new today, it's one worry off my back.
Even though it's 9am when I walk through the doors of Hellbound, it's oddly quiet. I look back through the glass doors, the usual amount of car's fill the car park but the normal chatter of guard's that normally fills my ears can't be heard.
"Quiet today" I make the remark to the lady at the window as I sign in. She hums; her face almost solemn.
"Ah yes, it's death day today" she mutters.
"Death day?" I question. Had someone died over night? Had there been an incident?
She looks up at me as she hands me a pen "someone on Death Row's time is up" she explains.
"R-right" I stutter as I finish signing in and bid her a good day. The thought of Death Row had completely flown over my head. I had never been there, I don't even know where it is and I doubt anyone would willingly choose to work in there with those inmate's.
Even the inmate's are oddly quiet as I walk into the Rec Room, the usual hollering being swapped for quiet muttering. I wonder breifly if any of these inmate's had any contact with the death row inmate, is that why they're so filled with sorrow?
Josie and Colin greet me as I enter the tower.
"Ready for the big day?" Josie questions quietly. I look past her at Colin and note he has his headphones on.
"No" I shake my head as I scan through the computer, hoping to find something new about Hex's hearing but find nothing, only things I already knew.
"Want me to be there? I can get in the room somehow, say I'm security or something" she offers, I give her a grateful smile.
"No no, it's okay, you have other things to do. I'm sure everything will be fine" I reassure her. I double check Colin is still occupied by his computer as I lean closer to Josie. "On night shift the other night" I whisper to her, she nods for me to continue "I think Colin knows something is up" I admit.
"How?" she asks, her brow pulling together.
"I may have gone to see Hex and I think he saw on the cameras, they were open when I got back" I cringe, knowing I shouldn't have taken the risk while Josie wasn't here.
"Poppy!" she hisses and bumps my shoulder.
"I know, I know, I had to see him before the hearing" I say. She nods in understanding.
With each tick of the clock my nerves grow. I watch it from my peripheral, time going by far too quickly. Josie does her best to try and distract me but it doesn't work. Even Colin had sensed my nerves and reassured me, although I don't think he quite understands why I'm so nervous.
"You got this" Josie gives my hand a squeeze as I stand, figuring it's best to get Hex now, ten minutes before the hearing starts at eleven. It'll also give me some time with him beforehand.
I thank Josie as I leave. I walk at a fast pace as I feel the potential moments with Hex slipping away. It's eerily quiet in Solitary Confinement; I don't know how they found out about the Death Row inmate but they had somehow and the emotion's they feel float in the air, almost suffocatingly.
"I was waiting for you" Hex exclaims as he waits by the cell door as I push it open.
"How are you feeling?" I ask as I step inside, keeping my voice low as the other door is still open. He shrugs as he leans on the wall.
He lifts a finger and flicks it backwards wanting me to come closer. He pulls me in as I walk up to him. His hand weaves into my hair as he presses a harsh kiss to my lips, it's almost bruising. I feel the claim through it, the warning that no matter how this hearing ends I'd still be his.
He pulls back, leaving me breathless. I nod as I see the promise in his eyes. He presses a final kiss to my forehead.
"We better go" I mutter as I hold out the cuffs and shackles.
"It's death day huh?" Hex asks quietly as we walk through the quiet hallway of Solitary Confinement. The only noise being the chains of his shackles and cuffs.
"Yeah" I breathe as my tummy flutters with nerves.
"Hopefully I don't end up there" he mutters under his breath, I don't acknowledge it and I don't think he intended for me to hear it but I did and it makes me sick to my stomach.
"Remember the first time we did this?" Hex questions as we round a corner. Of course I remember, I thought I was nervous then but it's nothing compared to now.
"Yeah, couple of things have changed since then, huh?" I chuckle under my breath. I could've never imagined this would be my life a few months ago.
"My only thought that entire hearing was how I wanted to bend you over the judge's desk and fuck you" he confesses. I say nothing as my mouth gapes. He gives me a cheeky smirk. "One day I'll be able to fuck you stupid outside of Hellbound" the thought makes my heart flutter at the fact he too imagine's a life for the two of us outside the walls of Hellbound.
He had somehow managed to distract me but all the nerves come flying back as I see the door of the Hearing Room coming up. I take deep breathes to calm my anxiety. I look at Hex from the side of my eye and note he looks as calm as he does any other day.
"Good luck" I whisper between us as I push open the door. One hand holds Hex's cuffs and the other crosses in a quick fingers crossed for extra luck.
It's quiet inside but the room is filled with people that look far too professional to be working in a prison. Many of them seem to still be in university as they learn the in's and out's of law.
"Ah, Mr. Rose, back again" my hopes deflate when I set eyes on the same Judge Hex had last time. I had since learnt his name is Judge Simpsons. "You know I can't let you off this time, don't you?" he asks Hex.
"Yes sir" Hex answers as he stands straight, his side profile facing me with his hands cuffed in front of him.
"Assault again? Can't stay out of trouble, can you?" Judge Simpsons mutters as he goes over Hex's papers in front of him. My fingers clamp behind my back as I twiddle my thumbs, not being able to keep still.
Hex doesn't answer him.
Judge Simpsons keeps his face stoic the entire time he reads the rest of the papers while the room baths in silence except for the occasional typing or pages being turned by others in the room. My back straightens as Judge Simpsons sets the papers down with a sigh and starts writing with a pen.
"Alright, Mr. Rose" he gathers the papers and straightens them by hitting them on the desk in front of him. "I warned you last time that you wouldn't get a second chance and you abused that right, not only did you not take me serious, you did a significant amount of damage to Aaron Briggs".
I feel the last tiny bit of hope disappear from my body as I sag against the wall, not caring that anyone would be able to see me.
"Not only does that show me you still have issues to work through, it shows me that you are not ready for a life outside of Hellbound. Therefore, I must add two years to your sentence of twelve years, 7 months and 3 days". My legs buckle but I somehow manage to stay standing. Hex shows no emotion as he continues looking at Judge Simpsons.
"You may leave" the Judge slams the gavel down, bringing an end to the disciplinary hearing. It scares me out of my shock as Hex turns to look at me, waiting for me to collect him off the stand. There's no doubt he see's my pale face as I make my way to him on shaky legs.
"Holy fucking shit, Hex" I almost sob out as the door slams shut behind us. Tears well in my eyes. Two years? He only had two months left.
It's alright" he gives my hand a squeeze through the cuffs.
"No, no it's not alright!" I hiss as the first tear drops down my cheek. He see's it, pulling his gaze around as he clenches his teeth tightly together. The sight of me distressed, making him more upset then getting two years added to his sentence.
We walk in silence back to his cell as I try and gather my wits. It's still oddly quiet, the execution only half an hour away. The silence makes my head ring.
I shut the door and then Hex's cell door behind us.
"Two years, Hex" I whisper into the silence as he turns his back to me, his hands folding behind his head. I wipe my eyes with my sleeve as I take a seat on the desk, my feet on the seat.
Hex's breathing picks up as he walks over to the brick wall.
"Fuck!" he shouts and roughly kicks the wall, his hands still cuffed. He yanks at them so hard they split the skin on his wrists.
"Stop" I say as I stand up and grab the cuff key "stop!" I say louder as he continues pulling at them. He stops when I grab the cuffs, his heavy breathing fanning the hair off my forehead. He pulls his hands away as soon as the cuffs give way, the brick wall taking the brunt of his anger as he punches it.
"Fuck this fucking place!" he rawrs, making me take a step back. "Took away my twenties and now half of my thirties!" he punches the wall again as his knuckles start to bleed.
"Hex" I grab at his elbow, hoping to stop him. He pulls away and it makes me take a step back.
"Get out, Poppy" he seeths before turning and sitting on his bed with his head in his hands.
"Hex?" my voice breaks as tears swell in my eyes. My feet take me to him as I stand in front of him.
"Leave, Poppy" he says calmly. I sniffle and wipe my face clear of tears, deciding that it's probably best we each have time apart to process the hearing outcome.
I say nothing as I leave, closing the door softly behind me.
The sound of the bell tower ringing can be heard throughout the prison as the death of the Death Row inmate is announced.
I look up at the ceiling, hoping gravity stops the well of tears. It doesn't.