Corrupted Cops

Domino’s feet pushed against the dusty earth, arms hurtling forward while the hollering of police echoed behind her. Lain ahead of her was a dusty road that stretched for miles, briefly blanketed by a tunnel that was fast approaching. The heat of flames beat against her back and she could feel freedom dazzling in her eye. At last, she’d escaped! Laughter bubbled up in her mouth. After years upon years of grueling labor, torment, and boredom, she’d finally found a way out of prison. Although her escape was a blur, the adrenaline coursing through her fingertips told her all she needed to know. Behind her, a rupture of flames jumped from the prison which caused the cops, who were desperately fumbling to start their cars, to scream in a mix of anger and fear. The flames reached forward, their grasp aiming for the cops and their cars. She didn’t have time to look back to see anything else. Domino ran into the tunnel where even in the midst of safety, she refused to stop running. This time, her sprint was from sheer joy. She twirled on her heel, stride filled with giddy pride. Domino leapt onto a rock, the sound of her heels echoed throughout the tunnel with an obnoxious click. Suddenly, a warm presence filled up the tunnel, which caused Domino to pause. She heard something shimmering coming from deeper inside the tunnel. She turned her head to see a light at the end of the tunnel and three figures standing in front of the light. All she could make out was their silhouettes. The figure in the middle took a step forward, stretching a hand towards her. The shadow on the wall stretched all the way to where she was standing. The figure was waiting. Patient. While she couldn’t make out who they were, and despite her pursuit to escape, she felt drawn to them. Domino shook her head and turned to face the entrance in which she’d run in. The solid colors outside were a brief relief to her eyes.

“Eat my dust!” She yelled. Instead of an echo, the overwhelming shout of another voice echoed back.

“Get up, Get Up, GET UP!” Everything seemed to lurch forward in a twist of light before everything turned black. The voice became clear.

“Get up!” Domino jolted up from her cot, rapidly turning her head around until she found the source of the voice. In front of her stood a spry young woman in an officer’s uniform. Domino frowned when she realized her escape was only a dream. The officer smiled at her.

“Good morning,” The officer greeted, voice obnoxiously chipper. Domino couldn’t help but glare.

“Mornin’,” Domino’s said, full of vexation. The officer remained unphased.

“Get up, we've got a surprise for you today,” the officer practically yanked Domino out of bed in a whirl of the scratchy blanket and pillows. Domino stumbled for balance and couldn’t even begin to protest before she was grabbed by the arms and cuffed. As soon as the handcuffs clicked together, the officer began pushing Domino out of her cell. She pulled her arms and twisted against the officer before, after minimal struggle, gave into trudging along.

“I hate surprises,” Domino muttered. The officer chuckled and shook her head.

“Girl, you don’t like anything!” The two made their ways through the cement hallway lined up with prison cells. Everyone was still asleep. Domino threw her head back and groaned.

“What time is it?” She asked aloud. Domino’s voice boomed throughout the silent hallway, to which the officer shushed her before speaking softly.

“Four-thirty, I know it’s early but–”

“FOUR-THIRTY?” Domino shouted. Soon came the angry shouts and tired curses of prisoners. The officer shot Domino a stern glare and began pushing her even faster down the hall.

“Yes, quiet down, will ya? Everyone’s still sleeping!” Domino rolled her eye.

“Oh, but I don’t get to sleep,” she bitterly remarked. Domino quieted, albeit reluctantly. They continued their walk to the officer’s relief. Still groggy and missing the sweetness of her dreams, Domino barely noticed they had arrived at a large metal door with a shiny golden plate across the top. She squinted her eye to read it.

“Why am I at the warden’s office? I didn’t do ’nun this time,” Domino’s eye was as wide as a saucer as she watched the officer knock on the door.

“We know; like I said, we have a surprise for you,” the officer said.

“Well I said I–” Domino angrily began.

“We know, hun. You hate surprises,” the officer huffed. The door creaked open just wide enough to let them inside.

“Ladies first?” Domino offered with a sheepish grin. The officer met her with a deadpanned stare before she shoved Domino through the door. Domino fumbled through the door and shot a glare over her shoulder. The officer payed no mind. The warden’s office was as lugubrious as the rest of the building. Cement walls, floor, and ceiling with only a broad wooden desk and two chairs. In the nice padded chair sat the warden with a solemn look on his face. His arms rested on the table with his hands tightly folded together. Beside him in the wooden chair sat a girl, clearly ill and exhausted.

“Domino,” The warden cleared his throat. Domino stood up straighter.

“Ah?” She exclaimed. The warden’s mustache twitched in annoyance.

“Meet your new cellmate, Lucky Baunder.” The warden gestured with his hand to the girl in the chair beside him. The girl looked away and bit her cheek. Domino stared, quiet for several heartbeats before she laughed. She laughed right in their faces. Roaring laughter. The officer’s eyes widened in befuddlement.

“Nice one! Good joke! Real FUNNY!” She roared. “You interrupted my sleep for a JOKE?” She snickered, anger slipping between her words. The officer nudged her.

“That girl’s your cellmate,” the officer said. Domino’s laughter died down into a stare.

“’xscuce me? You put a kid in jail?” Domino snapped.

"Prison," the officer corrected.

"Whatever." Domino looked at the warden. The warden nodded.

“Awful kid; this girl–” The warden turned in his chair to eye the kid like she was a mutant creature from another planet. “Has been causing all sorts of trouble for us. She crashed the car that was takin’ her to new custody, nearly killing the driver.” The girl had her eyes on her shoes while her face began to burn into a faint shade of pink.

“What about Juvie..? Can’t you send her there?” Domino asked.

“If a high-state mental ward couldn’t hold this girl, what makes you think some summer-camp for delinquents would?” The warden grumbled. Domino suddenly lunged forward and slammed her foot down on the desk, due to the binding of her arms.

“Oh yeah, so prison’s your best bet?!” she yelled. “That’s where you think a kid belongs, sicko?!” The officer ran up behind her and pulled Domino off by her waist. Domino turned on her heel and swung her wrists towards the officer in a fit of rage. The officer recoiled and her face twisted away once the metal made contact with her nose.

“And what ‘bout you?!” Domino bellowed. “You got somethin–” Domino was cut short by the officer drawing her baton and lashing it into Domino’s ribs. She yowled, knees buckling underneath her. The officer glared down at her, hand placed on her nose where blood began to spill out.

“You had that comin’, brat,” the officer hissed. “Now look at what you've done.” The warden sighed and stood up from his desk. His face showed more exhaustion than anger at the squabble.

“I better not hear any fights between you two,” the warden said, looking over Domino with apathy. “Now get outta my office,” he snarled. Domino was dragged up to her feet by the officer, who now had the girl in her grasp too. The girl stared at Domino and Domino could hear a whispered “sorry”. Domino gave the ghost of a nod, gritting her teeth together to hold back a whimper.

“G’day, warden,” the officer said.

“June,” the warden called. The officer, June, turned to face him. “See me after ya get them in their cells,” June nodded and grinned before starting the escort. After what seemed like an eternity made into a blur, they reached the end of the hallway where Domino's cell was. Domino's side was screaming at her.

“Don’t get into too much trouble, ladies.” June warned, specifically a stern eye on Domino while she spole. Domino scowled. The door opened up and the two stepped inside. The door slammed shut behind them. June’s footsteps faded away. The two faced each other. The girl looked at Domino with large, worried eyes. Domino sighed before she turned and began to limp towards her cot. The scratchy blanket felt like bliss and the hard-as-a-rock mattress was already lulling her to sleep.

“Hi,” the girl rasped. Domino rolled over on her cot, wincing and fighting back everything inside of her not to curse.

“Hey,” Domino groaned. The girl sat a few feet away. Domino sighed. “Do you need anythin’, kid?” The girl shrugged.

“Can we talk?” she asked shyly. Domino plastered a smile on her face to hide her growing irritation.

“Sure, kid. What’s your name?”

“Lucky,” she said. Domino nodded.

“Ironic, don’tchya think?” Domino sneered. Lucky nodded sullenly.

“I guess. What’s your name?” Lucky asked.

“Domino,” she said. “Nothin’ ironic ‘bout my name.” Lucky’s eyes drifted to Domino's side.

“You sure about that?” Lucky mumbled. Domino bristled.

“Yeah. Watch your mouth,” she snipped. Lucky nodded, finally growing quiet and turning to have her back against the wall. “Good riddance” Domino thought. Lucky stood up and began walking around the cell.

“Watchya doin’ psycho?” Domino asked. Lucky didn’t respond and Domino was too tired to even look. She brought her arm to her beaten ribs once again, bowing her head with a heavy sigh.

“Opal’s gonna kill me for this…” She murmured. Domino couldn't even count all the times where Opal had warned and chided her to stop picking fights with the guards and the warden. This time she just couldn’t help it. “If the cops don’t kill me first…” She gave herself a dry, bitter laugh. Domino felt a soft pressure on her side.

“Who’s Opal?” She whirled her head around to see Lucky gently placing a pillow on her. Domino stared at her, narrowing her eye.

“Ah? Where’d you get this?” She wondered.

“That lady that beat you slipped me a pillow before I got here. She said she felt bad and thought I was a good kid deep down,” Lucky said. “and you’re hurt, so I thought it’d help.” Domino’s expression softened as she took the pillow in her hand.

“Huh, thanks, kid.” She smiled a little. “Guess she was right, huh?” Lucky grinned. Domino watched as Lucky began to settle next to her cot on the floor.

“Hey, you can take the bed–” Domino offered. However, Lucky laid limp on the floor and it took Domino a moment to realize she dropped dead-asleep.

“Kid’s out like a light..” Domino moved to lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She tucked the pillow against her ribs and closed her eye. This wasn't the worst surprise.