E.D.I.T.E.D.
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It had been two hours since Mark left and Joanna was still waiting. The anticipation was killing her silently.
Why the hell did it take so long to get into prison? Was that a part of the punishment or something? It seemed fitting though.
Mark’s friend, the guard, Kevin, had already taken her to a room where they searched through her belongings; which were nothing but a few books and a blank notebook and a pen. The pen was confiscated, they had told her they’d get her another one and they used the words "appropriate" to describe it.
Yeah, because her pin was made with cobra poison, she mused sarcastically.
After that, she sat waiting. Then they did some paper work. Then waiting again.
She saw Kevin approaching with a few things in his hand. "Put this on, John. This is your new jumpsuit."
Kevin handed her a navy blue clothes. "It's winter now. But once it gets warm, you'll be switched for the two pieces clothes to accommodate the heat." He added gruffly.
"Thanks." Joanna said to him while eyeing the new clothes. They weren’t new, really. Some skinny fella probably had to wear it before her. At least it was clean.
"You can go inside now, change your clothes to these ones. Remove all your clothing. It'll be kept here until you are released." Kevin instructed her and Joanna panicked silently, only her widened eyes made Kevin glare at her.
Was she supposed to remove her special flannel shirt as well? Even with her built, one look at her tender area and everyone will know who she really is.
There were two guards other than Kevin. "Hurry up, kid" Kevin hollered, pointing with his thumb to the door behind him. Joanna shot up quickly and starting making her way toward the small changing room behind the other two guards. As she walked ever so slowly and while she passed by Kevin, he ever so sneakily stepped closer and breath a “Keep the shirt” to her.
She wasn’t sure he said anything because he was too quiet.
The jumpsuit was comfortable and cozy. It was good, to cover what’s left of her tiny curves.
Once she was ready, she was walked in the middle of two guards, one of them being Kevin. They passed through a long corridor until they reached a huge gate and halted. She could hear noises coming from the other side of the gate.
This was it, she thought, looking up the huge length of the metal, there was no way back. Her heart skipped a beat when a loud buzz came and the enormous gate slid opened, ever so slowly.
And then the shouting began.
It was probably lunch time or break time because Prisoners or inmates were all over the place. There was a big hall surrounded by cells that lined two long walls. These cells extended for three levels up.
Before coming in she thought she'd be the center of attention, being feminine looking and all. But seeing things right now, no one was giving a damn. She heard harsh laughing, yelling, grunting and… was that the sound of pounding wood against the metal bars?
She confirmed that thought when she saw one of the guards trying to restore order by pounding their baton against the bars. Little did that work, she thought as she turned her head to see someone about to punch someone right on the face.
The guard with her nudged her forward toward the metal stairs, which they soon claimed to the second level and walked until they reached one of the cells.
Cell number 204.
Joanna didn’t realize how much she was nervous until they stopped and she dragged in a calming breath as she took in what she thought was her new home for the next twelve months.
There were two story beds that were made mostly of cement. A small potty was behind the beds at the back of the cell. At the opposite side of the far back of the small cell was a small desk; this one also was made out of cement.
He eyes flickered once more toward the bed, the lower bed. There was someone laying down, his eyes piercing her as the man assisted her unsurely.
"Say hello to your new roommate, Cage." One of the big sized guards said, "behave yourselves, kids. We don't want to hear no troubles, got it, new guy?" He continued.
The man in the lower bed hopped up out of the bed and it was Joanna’s turn to asses his form.
He was too skinny and a little bit taller than her; bout five feet six or so. His hair was light brown and it was cut too short.
The bony, dark orbits around his eyes made them appear huge, they were wide and dark brown as they met hers. Now that she looked carefully she noticed that all his facial features were bony. His jaw was square and pronounced at the sides. the nose was slightly crooked, probably has been broken at some point.
He looked seriously malnourished. He looked weak.
Then it hit her, as she glanced at Kevin on her side. This wasn’t lucky, because she never had luck on her side, this guard probably made sure her cellmate wouldn’t be able to intimidate her.
Then again, she didn’t really know this new guy. For all she could know, he could be a serial killer.
"This is Hank Morales. Hank, this is John Cage. Show him around." Kevin deep voice was enough to shake someone’s bones, but this guy was apparently used to it. "And keep him out of troubles." He pressed, pointing his words to Hank but looking at her.
"Waking up hour is at six a.m., breakfast at seven, break time from eleven to one p.m.," the other guard recited, pausing to gesture with his hand around, “It’s break time now,” he elucidated, "lunch is served at 2 p.m., at the food hall," he looked at Hank, Obviously her cellmate was supposed to show her where that was.
"After lunch everyone must go outside to the yard until four thirty, showers open three days a week from two to five.”
Joanna shivered at the thought. She knew showering would be her biggest challenge here.
“And there will be name check up for each cell every morning and every night. Lights are off at eight thirty." The guard finished and Kevin turned to her, "is everything clear? Any questions?" Joanna shook her head. "Good" Kevin barked.
He gave her one last pointed look and Joanna nodded. They had to keep their precious secret hidden. He signaled for the other guard to follow him, it was obvious that he was the one with all the power and that send a relieved spark up Joanna’s chest.
She watched the three buffalo men's back fade away as they disappeared through the crowd.
"The lower bed is mine!" Joanna heard the other man, her cellmate, barking at her from behind. She tore her gaze away from the noisy crowd downstairs, and turned to look impassively at Hank.
"Alright" She shrugged carelessly and squeezed past him to get inside the cell.
Her cell.
Man, this was overwhelming, she thought as she took in her surrounding once more. Through all the things she had been through in her life, she never thought she'd end up in prison.
But here she was. And a male prison nonetheless.
How ironic, all her life she felt like a man because of her shut-off emotions. She never thought she'd actually have to pretend to be one.
"You think you are tough, newbie?" the annoying, shivery voice of Hank cut through her thoughts. "Look at me when I’m talking to you, shit-head." He tried, and failed, to sound intimidating.
Without turning around, she hummed absent-mindly and continued observing the cell.
No windows in the cell, she noted.
A shockingly strong hand grabbed her shoulder, yanking her backward forcefully. "I said look here you..."
Before Hank could continue his obviously boring sentence, Joanna ever so swiftly whirled around, sneaking her hand skillfully to grab the back of his head and pushed him forward until his head made a sick sound as it hit the wall. She used her other hand to twist his right arm behind his back, immobilizing him effectively as she pinned him harshly on the wall with her body.
She was tiny, but she also was fierce.
Her breathing was already rugged. It was dangerous how she could get once someone provoked her. "What. The-fuck. Do you want, skinny shit?" She hissed the word harshly against his ear.
"O.. Okay okay okay, a.. I’m sorry, damn it!" Hank surprised her by shrieking like a girl before she let him go. He turned around while rubbing his abused arm and stared at her, a wide grin creeping on his face.
It was frightening, because she expected a scared man not a happily-grinning freak. She couldn’t help but cringe inside.
"You are good!" Hank whispered. "I did not see that coming." he chuckled.
Joanna wasn't sure how to respond to that, so she simply nodded. " Don't ever miss with me, and I won’t miss with you." Joanna stated, laying down her famous rule, which people usually decided to ignore, but she had to lay it down nonetheless.
Hank nodded, his grin only growing as he surprised her again by saying, "I think we should be friends!" He beamed, protruding his hand toward her. Joanna cringed visibly; touching was not her thing. Ignoring him, she started claiming the metal ladder to her new bed.
"I don't want friends, don’t need them, really.” She muttered. “I just want to finish my sentence and get the hell out." She stated coolly once she sat on her bed and started laying down her things atop of the mattress.
Hank scratched the side of his long neck uncertainly before he said, "You'll need one here, you can't survive alone, you know." He looked up at her expectantly but she didn’t look back. "I can show you around and get you settled." He said in an almost pleading voice.
Joanna thought about it for a minute. She didn't find it a bad idea. She did need someone around here, and he was offering. "Fine!" She said, "But no funny business. You respect my privacy. I respect yours!"
"Yes, sure!" Hank beamed like a happy puppy, a big smile forming once more on that face of his. "People here call me Slinky." He extended his hands upward for her to shake. She stared at it for a moment before she took it tentatively, retrieving it as soon as she gave it.
"I’m John Cage," she tried her new name, "Call me Jo. No pet name, though." Except for cranky-gal, and G.I.Joanna. But that was the Joanna version. Now she was John, a new person. And John didn't have a nickname. But she had a feeling he'd get many in here.
"It's almost one o'clock," Hank said, snapping her out of her reverie; he seemed to do that a lot already. "We need to get ready for lunch!" He told her as he slid inside his bed and started putting on his shoes.
"What do you mean: get ready?"
A loud buzz sound came from above answering her question. All the noises around them were hushed down for a tiny moment before it roared up again, and people started heading downstairs. Hank jumped and went to the entrance of the cell.
"Come on, you don't want to be late!" He called back over his shoulders to her enthusiastically. Joanna hopped down her bed and started following him. She was thrilled to see what's next. It was a rush, a new feeling for sure. But she had to admit, it was thrillingly exciting.
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Red