No Escape

It is five o'clock and the trial just ended. After saying my goodbyes to my family I was escorted by the officer to the county prison, until I was transferred elsewhere. How could this be happening to me? How could a case of being at the wrong place, at the wrong time turn into this? I feel so empty and alone. Although my family still cares about me, I feel as if I let them down. Nothing could be done now. While I sit in my cell, alone, I cannot stop the painful thoughts going through my head. Will I die in this forsaken place? Will my family visit me every Sunday, or will our meeting days fade to holidays and eventually to nothing? No matter how hard as I try I cannot bring myself to calm down and fall asleep.

Around six o'clock in the morning I heard the jail cell rattle. The guards came to take me to my new "home". As I rode to the prison, in the back of the police car my mind was blank. I felt numb. As soon as the car pulled up in front of the prison I felt my heart drop. After being handcuffed again I was escorted into the prison by two enormous guards. I was taken into a cell with five other prisoners already settled in. None of them struck me as friendly but I figured I would give it a shot. I asked them what time meals were served and when and if there was free time. Nobody responded. I waited a few minutes and then asked if we had phone privileges. A tall African American stepped forward and informed me that small talk will not make the days pass any faster.

Seconds later I heard a loud sound, like sliding metal across a cement floor. I looked up and saw a pair of freshly ironed pants and shiny black shoes standing in front of me. I turned to the clock cemented to my upper right wall. It read eleven o'clock a.m. It was all a dream. The next thing I knew, I was being handcuffed and dragged to a police car. "This one's getting life", I heard the correctional officer announce. I lowered my head and stepped into the police car. Off to trial.