Sam carried herself with no expression.
They turned left, and into a hallway that reminded her of those in a hospital. Along the ceiling she saw a lengthened sign that read Living quarters. It was strange though, for the rooms had looked more like cells than anything else. It was a slow death for those who’d been cast from society.
The air was thick, and the lack of windows robbed the building of most light. Jack cleared his throat.
‘You’ll be sharing a room with eight other prisoners. There are scheduled restroom times, and you’ll be expected in the cafeteria at six–both in the mornings and in the evenings.’ He said. ‘You’ll be required to work daily shifts in either one of the three prisoner tasks: Construction, Restroom- and Ground maintenance.’ He flipped his passkey into his pocket, and flattened his vest. ‘Do everything as you’re told, or be punished.’
Sam gulped. Her head was spinning with information. She hadn’t expected any of this. Her lungs had felt vacuumed, and pins and needles crept along the tips of her fingers. It was as if her racing heart was about to leap from her chest.
‘Sir,’ the guards chanted. ‘She doesn’t look too good.’
Sam struggled to see. Within a sparkly cloud of dizziness, she caught the sight of a door signed restroom. Never before in her seventeen years of life, had she been so happy to see a bathroom. ‘I think I’m going to be sick–’ she held her stomach, and felt a rush of disgust rise up in her throat.
As one man the two guards hurried Sam into the bathroom, and seconds later, she was bent over the toilet, spewing out her guts. Jack Crowe entered the restroom, and groaned. He released a deep, disappointing sigh.
‘Ah, the post-portal nausea,’ He said. ‘I hadn’t pictured you to be one of the weak ones…but I guess I was wrong.’
Sam coughed.
She closed her eyes, and tried to picture the faces of her parents. She felt the awful feeling rising up again, and knew it wasn’t because of the post-portal nausea. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn’t recall their faces. Not even a single blurry image.
She’d forgotten them.
‘Don’t let her take too long!’ Jack Crowe barked. ‘I’ve got better things to do than to stand in a prison bathroom all day. I trust to leave her in both your capable hands.’ He ran his fingers through his short, spiky hair, and checked himself out in the mirror. He routinely pulled at his vest, and marched out.
‘Hurry up!’ Sam felt the two guards breathing down her neck. She used a rusty toilet paper holder for support, and got to her feet. The earth was still spinning. She slumped her way to the sink, and opened the tap. Her cuffed hands dove at the gush of cold water, and she splashed it across her face.
There was a scruffy mirror hanging above the sink, in which she met the eyes of a pale ghost. Her skin was as white as a sheet, and the previous night’s lack of sleep had left dark circles around her eyes. She hadn’t dared recognize herself. Had she made a mistake in coming here?
Sam looked beyond the figure of the pale ghost, and saw behind her the two guards pacing up and down, impatiently. They were both clutching at their belts; on it hanging a series of lethal weapons. They hadn’t looked much older than Sam herself, and she wondered how they both ended up in the wastelands at such a young age.
‘That’s enough!’ one of them yelled. ‘Get her, and let’s go!’
The other guard grabbed at Sam’s arm, and pulled her upright. She got to her feet and was shoved out into the hallway.
‘Move faster!’ They commanded, and Sam hadn’t dared make a sound. She saw that the people here were different than those in Emitton. They were more damaged, which made them more brutal.
The lights on the ceiling flickered, and Sam had to squint if not wanting to walk head first into a wall. She had almost tripped down an unexpected series of steps, and felt that if it wasn’t for the guards, she’d be lying on the floor.
It dawned on Sam that she hadn’t seen any of the other prisoners since she’d arrived, and found that it was rather peculiar. The rooms surrounding them had heavy steel doors, each with a small square window that merely provided a glimpse of light from within. She saw numerous pairs of curious eyes peeking through the small windows, and felt that their piercing stares were drilling holes in her backside.
‘Where is everyone?’ Sam dared to ask.
‘It’s protocol. The prisoners all retreat to their rooms whenever a new juvenile arrives. It makes the transition from the portal easier that way.’
‘Oh, okay.’ Sam felt relieved as she saw at least one of the guards was a bit more welcoming to the idea of her. The other had only remained in clenching her shoulders, and kept shoving her in the gut whenever she’d walk too slowly.
They stopped at door number 23, and while one of the guards held onto Sam, the other swiped his card over the panel beside it. The door clicked open, and there was an instant rush of footsteps as they entered.
Sam blinked vigorously.
The eight prisoners were one against the other plastered to the opposite wall. They wore giant grey overalls, and their faces showed the feeling of utter disgust. One of the guards removed Sam’s cuffs.
‘All right room 23.’ The other said. ‘Meet your new roommate, Samantha, um–’
‘–Cyrus. Samantha Cyrus.’ Sam corrected him.
‘Oh, and she’s a cocky one too, is she?’ The guard gritted his teeth, referring to her rude correction. He had a missing tooth, and a gingery buzz cut. ‘As you can see, she still has a lot to learn. But don’t you worry, Samantha Cyrus, we’ll have our fun with you!’ He turned around and walked to the door, dismissively rubbing his shoulder against his partner; a smug smirk dancing in his eyes.
‘You should change clothes. Your uniform is on your bed.’ The other guard said. His voice was stern, but at the same time soothing. He slowly backed up against the door, and leaned past Sam to check on the prisoners plastered to the wall.
‘Good luck with Viper!’ He said, clipping the cuffs to his belt, and before Sam could ask, he was out of the room.
He swiped his hand over the panel, and the door quickly slid shut.
‘Look at you,’ a guy slyly observed. His voice was in perfect harmony as he sat on the floor with his back against the wall. His dark brown hair was shaved into a buzz cut, and his grey sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He intently studied Sam from top to bottom, a guitar pick rolling around in his mouth. ‘It took you long enough to get here though, do you know how cold these floors are?’
Sam frowned. She opened her mouth, but not a single word managed to escape.
‘Suck it Eric! She’s not your toy–and nobody asked you to sit down!’ Melanie flicked at Eric’s head. ‘Don’t mind him, he’s quite retarded.’ Her foreign accent flew across the room in sharp pitches, and her silky white skin was almost blinding. She had long and wavy, scarlet hair, with green eyes that shined of her bubbling personality.
‘I’m Melanie.’ She said, kindly offering her hand, but Sam dismissed it.
‘Which bed is mine?’ Sam asked coldly.
Melanie seemed disappointed.
‘It’s the one in the corner.’ Luna said. She used the iron railings of the bunk bed to claw herself to the top, and flopped down on a rough fuzzy blanket. ‘Above Viper’s.’ The room fell to a deafening silence, and Luna gestured to a bleak, scrawny bed in the corner. The name Viper had made Sam cringe, and her muscles stiffened. Wasn’t it the same person the guard had warned her about before he left?’
‘SO, HOW COME THE OLD CROW WASN’T WITH YOU? HAD HE FINALLY CROAKED?’
Sam jumped as she heard the icy voice behind her. She swung around and saw a pale faced girl with ash white hair staring at her. She had intimidating eyes, and kept moving in closer as Sam backed away.
‘The…c…crow?’ Sam stuttered. The girl chuckled.
‘What’s the matter? Are you scared?’ She gave a rumbling step forward and flinched at Sam as if in an act of threat. Her eyes were
wide, and her ripped sleeves sailed across Sam’s startled face. ‘It’s a long way from the capital, Samantha Cyrus. What happened…was Auntie Cara unable to bail you out?’
Melanie seized the girl by her arm and pulled her back. ‘Cut it out Viper!’
Sam was shocked. That’s Viper?
‘Come on Mel! She was just having some fun, that’s all!’ Eric sighed.
Viper pulled away, and shoved past Sam. She high fived Eric as she walked by his bed.
‘All right newbie,’ she yearned. ‘You better stay out of my stuff!’ She flipped onto her bed, and retrieved an old piece of gum stuck to the wall. Smirking at Sam, she pressed both her feet against the top bed. ‘This one’s yours.’
Sam took a deep breath and looked around her.
The cell was much smaller than she’d imagined. The walls were made of dark concrete, and the floors were a pale yellow colour. She felt that the five bunk beds were obstructing the living space, and the lack of windows had made her head spin.
‘It’s almost six. You better get rid of your old clothes.’ Luna warned. She directed Sam’s attention to the uniform that neatly hung from the bed above Viper.
‘Oh, okay.’ Sam breathed. She cautiously slumped past Viper, and grabbed the grey bundle, clutching it tight in her hand. She looked around, but saw nowhere to change. Viper smiled as she tugged at Sam’s shirt.
‘Just strip down, there’s nothing to it!’
‘Here…In front of everyone?’ Sam scanned the room, and saw four guys present. ‘…In front of them?’
Eric gave a sly grin and nodded. ‘That’s prison life honey.’
The screeching sound of a siren sliced into Sam’s eardrums. She heard the murmuring voices of other prisoners drifting past the door, and saw those around her had fell into a neat line. She quickly slipped on her uniform, without anyone noticing, and zipped it up just in time for the door to slide open.
‘It’s time for dinner, room 23. Let’s get it moving!’ Two guards stood at the door. They seemed much older than those who first brought Sam; their appearance much staler. Their black uniforms were covered in badges, and their faces were wary; worn with years of experience, loss and hope. One of the guards did a quick roll call, and after checking everyone off, he stepped aside.
‘Well then, move!’ He used his clipboard as a baton to pilot the prisoners out the door. His arms seemed stiff inside his tight leather suit, but never the less had it failed to stop him from routinely marching onward.
Melanie shoved Sam in front of her.
‘Keep your head down.’ She said. They walked down the hallway, and up the crooked steps. When coming to the balcony, they connected with a roaring sea of other prisoners. For some reason, they had all urged shove and stare, never at the loss of sneering remarks:
‘LOOK, MANNY, FRESH MEAT!’
‘She wouldn’t last a day here.’
‘Capital girl, you better watch out!’
Sam felt as if the eyes of every passing person pierced onto her body as a series of sharp needles. ‘Why are they all staring at me?’
‘Well, if you haven’t noticed, we don’t get to see many new faces around here.’ Melanie whispered. She passed a scowling glance at a gawking prisoner next to her, and snorted.
‘I feel like they’re all judging me.’ Sam said. She felt utterly naked. The personal privacy she’d once known was long gone. It would all be worth it for Mike, she thought.
Then it struck her. Mike!
Her eyes scoured the crowds, but everywhere she looked, not a single face seemed familiar.
‘Shut up!’ One of the guards cried, ferociously. The entire line had come to a halt, and while digging for his stun gun, the guard shoved his way to the front to deal with the blockage. ‘Out of my way, you scum!’
‘I hope you like grub, newbie.’ Viper snorted. She intently studied her nails as she leaned back against the wall.
‘Her name is Samantha.’ Melanie snapped. She shot the words at Viper as if they were bullets being fired from a gun.
‘It’s just Sam!’ Sam rolled her head back, and stared at the pale ceiling. Her neck felt stiff, and she could sense the boiling of angst at the pit of her stomach.
Viper gasped in disbelief.
‘Look at you, finally standing up for yourself.’ She snickered.
‘I’m just tired of feeling like a zoo animal!’ Sam shielded herself from the judging crowd. She covered her face with her hands, ignoring the gossiping masses around her. It seemed everyone knew who she was, or at least, who her aunt was.
‘What are you all looking at? Just shove off!’ Viper barked. She swept her arms past the other prisoners’ faces. ‘Especially you, room 29! Don’t think we don’t see you slacking off in construction!’ Viper gave a final snort of warning, turned around, and faced Sam. ‘This doesn’t mean we’re friends.’ She awkwardly bopped her head, and turned around before Sam could thank her.
* * *
The air smelt faintly of rubber as they entered the cafeteria. Sam was handed a bright blue food tray, and as everyone else, she was served a double helping of slimy, brown goo.
‘What is this stuff?’ She asked as she sat down at table number 23. On her way there, she thoroughly searched the other tables, but failed to spot Mike anywhere.
‘We call it moon mud.’ Luna joked. She flicked a small piece off her fork, and sent it flying through the air.
Aaron chuckled. ‘Actually, we call it breakfast, lunch and dinner.’ He’d been a prisoner at the Keep for over four years now, and already it seemed as if he knew every square inch of the place. Sam could only imagine eating the exact same grub for four years straight.
‘Well it’s disgusting.’ Sam gawked. She scooped up a small piece, and raised it to her mouth. ‘I can’t do it.’ She dropped her spoon, and the brown goo splattered across the tray.
‘You’re going to have to eat it eventually. When you’re really hungry, you’ll see it as a cheeseburger.’ Eric said while closing his eyes. He shoved an entire spoonful into his mouth, and squeezed his nose shut. ‘Delicious.’ He forced a few chews, swallowed, and showed Sam his tongue.
Viper rolled her eyes, cringing at Eric’s joke. She was certain that one of these days, she’d snap, and wring his neck. Her fist slammed to the table top.
‘So Sam, what brought you down here?’
Sam swallowed nervously. ‘What do you mean?’
‘What’s your felony?’
‘I, um, stole government secrets.’
Viper grinned from ear to ear. Her pale blue eyes shined of deviousness. ‘I must say, I’m impressed princess! I might’ve pictured you as an innocent shoplifter, but national treason, never!’
‘Well, what did you do?’ Sam asked rather cheeky. She almost stuttered when asking. An uncomfortable silence lurked across the table, and no one dared to speak. Viper mechanically lifted her chin, and without blinking, stood up and walked to a different table. She banged her tray to the metal, and kept staring out in front of her; all without making a single sound.
Luna choked. She took a large gulp of water from her glass, and tried to hide her amused smile.
‘Did I, say something wrong?’ Sam asked.
‘No one knows what she did,’ Melanie whispered. She swung her fork in the air, and almost stabbed at Eric’s left eye. ‘Donny and Eric were caught for drug dealing. Luna for fraud, Aaron robbed a bank, and Luke killed an ECD officer.’ She said. ‘Jamie stole a car, and I…well let’s just say my stepfather moved on to a better place. But Viper, there’s no way of knowing!’
‘I bet whatever she did was way worse than we could imagine.’ Jamie said. She kept silent as a patrolling guard came marching by, then leaned in across the table. Her golden braid, which reached to her waist, fell across its surface. ‘I heard she was part of the last remaining few of the Italian mafia!’
Luna smirked.
‘Oh come on Jamie, the mafia doesn’t exist anymore.’ Luna’s voice dried up. ‘Ju
st like everything else in this world.’ She gazed up at Jack Crowe, towering out above them from the balcony. His face was fuming red, as usual. She scanned past the masses of juveniles–all seated around rusty metal tables, chatting away. Most of their faces seemed only vaguely familiar. It was generally known for every room to keep to themselves. What a way to make friends. Luna wished to have done more with her life, and not to have wasted it, as she did.
‘What happened to your face?’ Aaron asked. He reached out and grazed Sam’s scar. The skin on his fingers was rough, indicating the labour he’d done with his hands. It wouldn’t be long until Sam’s skin had felt the exact same way. Yet another thing she’d have to learn to live with.
‘Oh, that…just a small obstacle in my way.’ Sam said. She covered the scar with her hair, trying to hide the fact that she’d felt exposed. ‘Kind of like a necessary accident to have gotten what I wanted.’
‘Stealing government secrets?’ Melanie asked, humorously. She raised her eyebrow, and Sam nodded.
‘Don’t worry, scars are cool!’ Luna said. She rolled her sleeve up to her shoulder, and flashed a vague scar that reached all the way to her armpit. ‘I got this during an art auction three years ago–had to jump through a window to keep myself from being rampaged. Good times I tell you, good times.’ She leaned back in her chair, and sighed. Her pitch black pixie cut got flicked to one side, and revealed a deep purple streak at the core of her fringe.
‘I need to ask you guys something.’ Sam said, finally. As everyone at last seemed comfortable, she felt like she was free to open up.
‘Sure.’
Sam leaned in across the table, and lowered her voice. ‘Do any of you know where I can find my brother, Mike Cyrus?’
Aaron nearly choked. ‘Mike Cyrus?’ He frantically skimmed the room to ensure that no one was eavesdropping. ‘Here?’
‘Yes, have you seen him?’ Sam asked. Her hands were clenched together in anguish.
The Keep (A Renegades story Book 1) Page 3
