Chapter 1 Night 1
The trial was set against me from the very beginning, so I never had a chance. Even with a rock-solid alibi, I was still found guilty. Even though I’d never seen the victim a day in my life before the night of the game, I was still found guilty. Even though there were hundreds of other more likely culprits, I was still found guilty of the murder of Fay Ambrosia. She was just a little girl, a fox no older than 16. She was found dead after a high school football game against my school. We never talked, we didn’t know each other, we never said a word to one another, and yet after the trial was over I felt I knew everything there was to know about her. The court had one slither of evidence, an eye witness that claimed he saw the culprit running away from Fay’s dead body. The description was vague at best, but of course I fit the mold. Teen aged white Tiger wearing a school jacket. That’s all they needed to lock me away, and no matter how much evidence was found that could have and should have cleared my name, it seemed I was too deep in a hole to possibly climb out. In a small town when the community makes up their mind on something nothing can change it.
I was tried as an adult and sent away to a low security prison which I’m grateful for, but I must admit I found odd. They saved maximum security prisons for terrorists and criminals of unknown origin. Prisons with medium security held organized criminals or gangs. But that meant that rapists, murderers, and everything else could be and would be found in minimum security prisons. I was lucky enough not to have the death penalty put over my head, but it was February 16th 2014 when I officially started my life as a permanent member of the prison life. My name is Michael Read, and this is my life’s work. A journal starting from day one to my last in that prison.
Day one
I arrived on a bus late that evening and before being taken through processing which was invasive, cold, and crude. They stripped me down till I was naked holding my man hood between my legs trying to keep what little dignity I could. They searched my body in a way that said I was no longer a person rather I was an object. They searched my mouth making me open wide as they all but jammed their fingers down my throat to make me couch up anything I may have swallowed. They lifted my tail and searched my most private cavity. Starting with 3 fingers and going up to 5 they dug into me until I was ready to cry. My tears came, but they didn’t stop for a long time.
Next, they took me to a dark room, a wet room, with white painted brick walls. I stood waiting to find out what the purpose of that room was, I found out. It was abrupt and gave me no chance to gather myself, my tears were drowned out by high pressured water. It came at me like a cyclone forcing me up against the wall from my feet down to my knees until I was laying shivering in agony. But the end didn’t bring peace, it was after the water stopped that I felt the true cold. I could hardly open my eyes as the guards dragged me from that wet hell of a room.
They tossed me into a cell and threw my clothes on the floor near me. It took a long while just to sit up, getting back to my feet took longer. When I stood up I noticed I wasn’t alone.
He was a Rat, around my age if I wasn’t mistaken. He was so skinny he looked malnourished even while wearing that orange jumpsuit. He didn’t say a word, he just watched me with those green eyes. It took me a moment to realize he was staring at my crotch. When I looked him in his eyes, he looked to my crotch then to my clothes and back to my eyes again. He wanted me to get dressed.
I put on the jumpsuit and that’s when he stood up from the cot and stepped to me.
Frank- My name is frank
He offered me his hand and I offered mine back. Shaking hands was probably the first normal thing I was allowed to do since my arrival that morning.
Michael- I’m Michael
Frank- its nice to meet you Michael , welcome to cell block J
He had a sarcastic voice when he spoke to me for some reason. He went back to his cot and motioned for me to take a seat on the cot siting on the opposite side of the cell.
Frank- you’re my new roommate so I want to get a few things clear
Michael- alright
Frank- 1. I don’t give a shit why you’re here, feel free to tell me or don’t, either way you’re here so don’t be a bitch about it
2. This is my side of the cell, that is your side of the cell , this is my bed , that is your bed , if I catch you on my side I will make your life hell
3. If there is no respect anywhere else or at any other time there will be when either you or I are naked or taking a shit, that means we don’t speak unless clothed and especially not when on the can
And lastly, and probably the hardest thing but you’ll come to understand it quickly
4. I wont save you , I wont come to your rescue if the guards are beating you , I wont stop anyone from hurting you, we don’t have to be enemies but by no means am I looking for a friend
Before I could say a word I heard the call for lights out , the lights went out, and Frank had already turned his back to me to go to sleep.
