by KERRY BARNES
Vic slowly looked the officer up and down. ‘Barbara, listen to me. I like to be on me own in me own cell. It don’t mean, I don’t like me sister, so don’t go spreading dirt, all right?’
Barbara gave Vic a sneering look and stomped away.
‘Fucking no-good shit-stirring screw – I hate her. She’s the only screw we have to call by her first name. She hates her last name, it’s Pratt, but she is a prat an’ all. Ya wanna stay away from her. She loves a good ruck and stirs the shit spoon just to get the girls wound up. I swear to God, if I came across her in the street, I would cut her fucking pointed hooter clean off.’
For the first time, Kara found herself laughing, which spurred Vic on to make her laugh even more. ‘She walks around like she’s got a carrot shoved up her arse and talks like she’s chewing a fucking lemon.’
The interaction between Barbara and Vic intrigued Kara. She assumed that she would get into serious trouble if she so much as answered any of the officers back. ‘I can’t believe you got away with saying that stuff to an officer.’
‘Ahh, see, this is where you have a lot to learn. Firstly, I keep some kind of order on this wing, and they know it. Barb is one ’orrible screw, and even her own kind don’t like her. I won’t take any shit because they fucking know that throwing me in solitary does fuck-all other than leave the girls on the wing restless. The truth is, kiddo, I came from a big family, piss-poor, had me baby took from me, got beat near to death by me ol’ man, learned to fight to stay alive, and then I ended up in ’ere on an attempted murder charge. So, what do I have to lose? There ain’t much the prison can throw at me that I can’t handle.’
She sucked her back teeth and then winked. ‘But I ain’t no bully, and see, the likes of you, I know, don’t belong ’ere, so I’ll watch out for ya.’
The change in Vic when she was away from the others was remarkable. She had a softer side and a sense of humour, and she was obviously a good judge of character too.
Kara felt at ease. ‘Vic, I’m grateful you know, well, just to have some support. It must be nice having a sister. I was an only child, you see.’
‘A sister? More like bleedin’ three sisters and two brothers. Me mum was Catholic. Either that or she liked a good bunk-up. Yeah, Julie is a feisty bitch. She’s a few years younger than me. Got a baby. But she’s a bit handy with her fists and has a mouth on her. She reminds me a bit of meself, a few years back. I just wish she would keep a lid on her temper. I don’t want her in here on the same charges as well.’
They continued past the heavy painted doors and up the metal staircase to another row of cells. It was much like her own wing – dull, grey, and depressing. They stopped outside a cell six along from the staircase. Kara expected Vic to knock or something, but instead, she barged straight in. The room was the same size as hers, and yet there were pictures on the walls, a few books neatly lined up along the shelf, and a few knick-knacks – family photos, a pottery cat, and some lipsticks. The clothes were neatly folded on the opposite bed, and the sink and toilet looked immaculate, very different from Colette’s cell. It even smelled better.
Kara’s eyes settled on the older lady who was lying flat on her back with her hands over her face. She was roughly sixty years old, plump around the middle, and her ankles were swollen. Her toenails were yellow and in need of a serious pedicure.
Vic sat on the edge of the bed and slowly the older woman removed her hands. ‘Gawd, girl, how long you been sitting there? I was just dozing off. This bleeding headache, and my eyes, they’re killing me, Vic.’
As Vic looked up at Kara, her hard features softened, as if she was tending to a sick mother. ‘Can ya have a look, Posh?’
Deni tried to sit herself up but wobbled and needed aid from Vic. ‘Oh, my living. Is this what it’s like to get fucking old? Ain’t nuffin graceful about that, eh?’ She blinked, and her eyes streamed. That was when Kara noticed the tiny blisters. As she peered down to get a closer look, Vic got out of the way.
‘Posh wants to have a look.’
Finally, sitting up straight, Deni looked worn out. Her wiry grey hair was flat at the back from lying down. ‘I ain’t mutton, Vic, I can ’ear ya.’
As Kara sat down gently on the bed, she moved Deni’s hair away from her left eye and then she searched her head, like a monkey defleaing her baby.
‘’Ere, what ya doing?’
‘Is it your left eye that hurts and is the pain stabbing, shooting, or burning, by any chance?’
‘It’s like red-hot needles digging in me. I swear to God, I think I’m dying. I can’t sleep, I can’t open me eyes. It’s something bad, I just know it is. I ain’t never felt anything like it.’
Vic was wide-eyed and looking at Kara for an answer. ‘Is it serious, Posh?’
‘Well, it is in as much that if she doesn’t get treatment soon, she could damage the eye. I think I know what it is, though. It’s unusual to get it on the face, but it does happen. It’s shingles.’ She moved Deni’s hair away from her temple. ‘Look, see those blisters? That’s the herpes blisters and the pain is herpetic neuralgia. It’s extremely painful and is certainly not a migraine.’
‘That fucking quack needs shooting. Right, I’ll call the senior officer and get Deni back over to the hospital wing. A fucking migraine, my arse,’ spat Vic.
A gentle smile crossed Deni’s lips. ‘I knew it weren’t no bleeding headache. Thanks, my gal. Now, what shall I tell the doc?’
‘Tell him that you have shingles of the face and you want suitable treatment, including the cream to put on right away. You may need to see an eye specialist to ensure you don’t lose the sight in that eye.’
Gripping Deni by the arm, Vic helped her off the bed. ‘Come on, Deni, let’s get you to the senior officer and get ya sorted, eh?’
As hard as Vic was underneath, Kara knew her new friend had a heart of gold.
Deni held on to Vic, whispering, ‘What would I do without ya, Vic, aye?’
‘Get yaself in fucking trouble, Deni.’
There and then, the damp depressing mood lifted. Kara knew there was hope. In among the hard, the tough, and the frightened, there was a sense of morals. There was a pecking order for those who wanted to fight for the top spot; some were natural leaders and others just liked to be the followers, the hangers-on. She was now gaining friends or allies, but, either way, she wasn’t alone or so terrified.
Kara returned to the exercise yard, and instead of lingering stares, she received a few nods, and surprisingly, some inmates even smiled her way. Teri, however, sneered but didn’t do much else. Kara, with her new-found confidence, glared back, which was enough to force Teri into lowering her gaze. Perhaps she had believed Vic when she said she would burn her in her bed.
Inside, Kara was laughing to herself. Exercise was over, and they returned to their wings, some to their allotted jobs. Kara, of course, was on remand and didn’t have a job right away. Just as she followed the last of the inmates back inside, Barbara, the tall officer, pulled her back. ‘Bannon, I have moved you to another cell.’
‘Oh, why is that?’ Her voice aired confidence.
Barbara looked her over. ‘We have turned over yours and found illegal substances, and I’m assuming they ain’t yours. Connor is down the block and you are in with Julie Meadows.’
‘The block?’ asked Kara with her head tilted to the side.
‘Solitary confinement, for now. We don’t like drugs in this prison. Oh, just so you know, she said they were yours. She tried to rat you out, she did.’
Taking a deep breath, Kara responded, ‘So how do you know they aren’t mine?’
‘Because you’ve only been here two days and you haven’t had a visit. You were also searched on arrival. We ain’t stupid, love!’
‘And Cole would have known that, so why would she even attempt to blame me? It makes no sense.’ Kara had sussed her out. Colette may be mouthy and hard-faced, but she wasn’t a grass. Vic was right: her personal officer was a real sh
it-stirrer.
Barbara shuffled uneasily. She wasn’t used to listening to a smarty-pants or being spoken to in such a manner. Normally, the prisoners were bolshie, brash, and foul-mouthed, but they didn’t have the intelligence to tie someone like her up in knots and make her look thick.
‘I dunno, but get a move on. Your transit box is in ya new cell and so is Julie Meadows,’ she jeered.
Her tone was ugly, like her face, and Kara sensed that the officer was trying to have the last laugh. Kara wondered who Julie Meadows was, apart from being Vic’s sister. Her heart sank, and she just hoped that Julie wasn’t about to throw her weight around as well. Begrudgingly, she followed Barbara along the corridor and past her previous cell, which was now completely bare, and on to the last cell on the left.
‘This is it, Bannon, your new home.’ She chuckled.
Gritting her teeth, Kara entered. She was mortified when she saw the woman sitting on the bed with a face like thunder. There was Julie. If it wasn’t for the fact that the young woman’s jaw was clenched so tightly and those eyes, which were narrowed to a furrowed frown, the girl would be very pretty. She was slim enough and had an attractive figure. But Kara could tell that despite being in her thirties, Julie had already lived a harder life than most women her age.
She still had that same ugly tone as she had the day Kara met her on the estate when she’d screamed, ‘What are you fucking gawping at? Ya fucking snob!’ Kara had been scared of the woman then, and now, the mouthy madam was going to be sharing a cell with her.
‘Oi, I said I want to bunk in wiv me sister!’ she hollered at the officer, totally dismissing Kara.
‘Tough, Meadows. Ya sister don’t want ya, don’t like ya, so you’re on ya own. Get on with it.’
Before Julie had a chance to say another word, Barbara shot off.
‘What are you fucking looking at?’ spat Julie, in a temper.
Kara stared for a few more seconds. It was obvious that Julie didn’t recognise her, but then she was in prison issues, wearing a bruised nose and a fat lip.
It was a case of putting on a very brave front, so Kara replied, ‘Don’t take it out on me. And for the record, your sister, Vic, never said she didn’t like you at all. I was there. That screw is a shit-stirrer.’ She was even getting used to the lingo.
‘Know her, do ya?’
Kara nodded. ‘Yes, she’s a decent woman, your sister.’
‘Yeah, well, not decent enough to have me bunk in wiv her.’ Her pitch softened.
‘Look, I’m not so bad, honestly. I’ll keep myself to myself.’
‘So what ya in for?’
This was it. As soon as Kara told her, she would know who she was. But there was no point in lying. The word would go around soon enough. ‘I burned my house down and almost killed the neighbour.’ She was plagued with guilt every time those words left her mouth.
Julie put her hand to her mouth and cocked her head to the side. ‘Fuck me, I know you. You live up the road from me. I’ve seen ya walking about, on the bus, and …’
Kara overfilled her lungs with air. ‘Yes, you did.’
A sudden laugh almost made Kara jump. ‘Well, ya fell flat on ya fucking arse ending up in ’ere. That’ll teach ya for being such a snobby bitch.’
Kara sat tentatively on the bed opposite with her head down in shame. ‘Is that what I looked like to you, a snob?’
Julie nibbled her lip. ‘You are stuck-up, walking around with ya nose in the air, in all ya fucking designer clothes, not even saying hello to anyone. And me sister Angie cleans for ya. She said you and ya ol’ man think ya shit don’t stink.’
There was a long pause before Kara looked up and sighed. ‘I suppose to you and Angie, I did look like that, but you’ve formed the wrong impression of me, you know. I wasn’t stuck-up, I was scared.’
‘Of what?’ Julie sounded narky.
‘Of you and the people on the estate. You all seemed to shout at each other, and I saw a few nasty rows where people threw bricks at each other. I wasn’t looking down my nose at all, and as for Angie, I was never horrible to her, I just kept out of her way, usually with my head in a book. I was always busy studying. So, she thought I was stuck-up as well, then?’
Julie was taken aback; she thought perhaps she’d got the woman all wrong. ‘Yeah, well, I dunno about that. I remember the way you were looking at me on the bus, like I was dog turd.’
Kara waved her hands. ‘No, no, you’re mistaken. I wasn’t looking at you like that. It’s hard to explain … You are worlds apart from me. I was being nosy. Yes, I admit it, but I was thinking how hard you had it, jumping on the bus with no money. I wasn’t being a snob, I felt for you, that’s all. Oh, and I was looking at your beautiful baby, thinking how sweet she was.’
‘Um, well, we ain’t all got a good job and a posh house, ya know.’
‘I know, and by the way, neither have I now. I fucking burned it down. My boyfriend has gone off with another woman, I got fired from my job, and now I’m in prison for how long, I don’t even know.’ She laughed. ‘So, Julie Meadows, I’m in your shoes now, and I’m still bloody scared.’
Julie sat back, raised her eyebrows, and smiled. ‘Guess you are, then. So, what’s ya name? Karen or something, ain’t it?’
‘No, it’s Kara, but I seem to have been given the nickname Posh.’
Julie’s face turned from a harsh, tight-lipped expression to a young fresher-looking appearance. ‘Stands to reason. Posh, eh?’
‘May I ask what you’re in for?’
‘I stabbed me sister, the lying, cheating cunt. I knew she was ’aving it away with me ol’ man, the lazy fat bastard, he is.’ Kara gathered this was the fourth sister she hadn’t met, rather than Angie.
Kara noticed Julie’s eyes fill up, but she instantly sniffed back the tears.
‘But he was my lazy fat bastard, not hers. Me own frigging sister, what a fucking skank. I should have stabbed her in the face instead of her leg. Then, she might think twice about going after my ol’ man again. S’pose it don’t matter now. I’m in ’ere and they are out there, probably fucking as we speak.’
‘I doubt that, if you stabbed her in the leg.’ Kara smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
With an unexpected childish giggle, Julie went on, ‘Yeah, I should have knifed her in the fanny. That would have well and truly fucked her up, eh?’
After an hour or so, Kara found her tongue and they spoke for England. Julie’s foul language had muted, and in some ways, Kara’s words had rubbed off on her. She had nothing to prove – no axes to grind, just relaxed conversation. And Kara found she was using some of Julie’s terminology and had ventured into throwing in the odd swear word. Their discussion around cheating husbands was halted when Vic arrived. ‘Fucking cosy, this, eh?’ she commented.
‘All right, Sis?’ responded Julie.
Kara had half expected them to hug, but they just eyed each other over and gave approving nods.
‘So, ya silly bitch, what ya gone an’ done now?’
Lowering her gaze, Julie said, ‘I stabbed our Sharon in the leg.’
‘You what?’ Vic’s voice was bold and gruff. Kara then knew why people feared her; just her tone alone was frightening enough.
‘All right, all right, keep ya fucking hair on. I ain’t killed her, the no-good muggy cunt!’
‘What the fuck did you do that for? She’s ya sister. We stick together, remember, or ’ave ya gone mental in ya old age?’
‘She’s ’aving it away with Billy, my Billy.’
Vic shifted Kara over and sat down on the bed. She was a good foot taller than Julie, but there was an obvious family resemblance; their almost olive skin, high cheekbones, and black hair, were similar, but it was their eyes that narrowed and cast doom; that was their striking trait.
‘Aw, don’t tell me you are still with that fat fucker? Ain’t you learned ya lesson by now? He’s shagging half the estate … Gawd knows what they see in him, ’cos it ain’t his good
looks and sophisticated ways. Jue, he is a nasty no-good pain in the arse, and you need to woman up and kick his lard-arse to the kerb. As for rucking with our Sharon, I’m ashamed of ya.’
Julie took a deep breath. ‘You wouldn’t understand, but it’s not that she was shagging Billy. It’s not like a jealous thing. I’m just sick of her taking the piss outta me.’
A chuckle left Vic’s lips. ‘You sure about that? Only, didn’t you punch that kid at the end of your road, all ’cos Billy whistled at her?’
‘Oh, whatever, anyway, it ain’t the point. Sharon pushed me too far, laughing in me face like that, telling me she was better in the sack and said she would do it again. She laughed at me baby an’ all, saying she looked like a French bulldog.’
Kara watched and listened; somewhere in there was a moral code.
‘She called the baby names, did she? Well, then, she deserved it. Poor little Harper. She’s a dear sweet thing. Fancy her own aunt calling her a French bulldog. What a cunt.’
Kara’s hunch was spot-on and she was learning fast. There was the moral code. Calling the baby names was a no-no in their way of life, and although Julie’s actions seemed over the top, almost laughable in a gruesome way, in fact, Kara could see why Julie and Vic were on the same page. The Meadows were a big family and probably tighter than a fat guy in spandex. Fighting among themselves might be tolerated under exceptional circumstances but calling the baby a bulldog had crossed a line.
Sensing she was in the way, Kara got to her feet and was quickly pulled back down. ‘It’s all right, mate, you can stay. It’s your cell, so don’t mind me.’
Very pointedly, Julie studied Kara and then her sister. ‘Mates then, eh?’
‘Yep, Jue, so you treat her nice. She knows how ta fix ya up, so she will know how to bring ya down. Lotions, potions, and poisons.’
With a curled lip and a raised eyebrow, Julie looked the epitome of confused.
‘Gawd, Jue, Posh is a doctor, right? She knows how to make ya better, so she will know how ta kill ya.’
