Page 60 of Caged In

The list of stories goes on and on. He’s delighted to hear them. At least it takes his mind off how terrible he’s been doing in here. How depressed he’s been. This is the perfect medicine for him, exactly what he needed and hadn’t known it until it showed up—happy and smiling and chattering away like there isn’t a care in the world. Like she should be, without the worries and burdens of her illness.

Please God, don’t let the illness return. Don’t take this happiness away from her. She’s so young.

The visitation time eventually winds down, a guard giving him a wrap-it-up warning.

Izz utters his goodbyes—it’s tougher thanhe anticipates. He is not thrilledto be going back to his new life. This place is a death trap waiting to happen. Sooner or later he is going to be thrown into another fight-for-his-life situation, and he won’t have anyone close by to save him like the last time. Reni and Zidie can’t be with him 24/7, they have to worry about their own survival. Their schedules don’t revolve solelyaround Izz and protecting him from harm.

He knows he’s going to find himself trapped alone one of these days—it’s just a matter of time.

“Lucia, wait over by the door for a moment,” Izz’s mum speaks softly for the first time during the visiting period, “I’d like to talk to your brother for a sec.”

Luc frowns but doesn’t protest, wanderingoff to stand by the door. Her keen eyes tracking their movements as she waits.

Izz looks deep into his mum’s wise eyes. There are dark shadows under them, revealing the strain of the past few weeks. She’s exhausted and heartbroken.

“You’re staying safe? Not doing anything to get into more trouble?” his mum whispers, even with Luctoo far away to hear anything.

“I’m keeping my head down,” at least he’s trying to, “and I’m fine. I’ve made friends, we watch out for each other. It’s going to work out fine. I’ll be out of here before you know it.”

His mum’s concerned expression does not lift, “I hope so,” she softly replies. They say tender goodbyes and his mum goes to join his sister.

He watches them walk down the visitors’ corridor—lined with glass windows—all the way to the end. His family slipping out the door, back into the real world.

When Izz arrived, he’d been taken past the front entrance, around to a side door, he has no idea what the visitors seewhen they enter the prison for the first time. Maybe a bunch of fake plants, some inviting chairs with soft pillows, photos of beautifulscenes covering the walls—

“Move it, inmate.”

Izz rolls his eyes—he’s not facing the guard so he is free to express his disdain. What they don’t see won’t hurt them. And if it does, they kind of deserve it. He has yet to meet one who is actually nice or at the very least treats him like a human being and not some low life degenerate.

He follows the guard back out into the corridor heading to Gen-Pop and all its assholery—is that a word? Doesn’t sound like one. He’s going to use it regardless, it fits the bill perfectly—

“You can’t take that back with you,” the guard’s grating voice invades Izz’s ears like an unwanted parasite.

And there it is—reality—slapping him on the ass. His blissful bubble—created by his wonderful sister—not so much popping but exploding into a million pieces.

“What? Why?” Izz clutches the drawing closely to his chest, trying to protect it from the a’hole guard.

“It’s contraband,” the guard smiles, literally smiles.

What an asshole.

“No it’s not. It’s a picture drawn by a child.”

There is no way this is contraband. You are allowed photos of family members, he’s sure a drawing of your family is allowed too. This guard is waving their dick around, trying to get an ego boost.

“Do I look like I care? It can’t come with you,” the guard sneers, that messed-up smile not leaving his face.

Izz’s shocked. Stunned. Outraged. Is this guard serious? Are they going to enforce it and take away the drawing? They surely can’t do this—

What is he thinking, of course they can. Because no one cares about prisoners, no one will care if Izz put in a complaint. The only thing complaining will get him will be more notice from the guards’, and that is something he does not want. He does not want an entire prison of guards’ gunning for him.

The sinister smile spreads across the guard’s face, right before they snatch the image out of Izz’s hands. He releases his hold immediately so the paper doesn’t rip.

“Unless . . .” the guard drawls.

“Unless what?” Izz snaps, irritated by this guard abusing their powers.

“. . . you suck my dick.”

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