Page 37 of Diamond in the Rough

“Something like that, and it needs to be hush-hush.”

Ernie squinted. “What are you suggesting?”

“If anything I say gets out, I’ll know who it’s come from.”

Ernie recoiled, then curled his finger for Maddox to lean forward. Maddox hesitated, then craned his neck. Ernie’s hand came up lightning fast and backhanded him across the face.

“The fuck? You really are a crazy old man.”

Ernie gritted his teeth. “No, you are, saying I’m a rat. You know all those bodies in Ashdown Forest weren’t just my handiwork, and I’ve never grassed you up. Even when they said they’d cut down my jail time, I never admitted you were involved.”

Maddox rubbed his stinging cheek. “Okay, so I deserved that.”

“Yes, you did. Now move out the way so I can get to the sink.”

The only way Maddox could be out of the way was when he was up on the bunk. He climbed up on the bed and watched Ernie brace himself over the sink. He retched, then cupped water in his shaking hand and threw it in his face.

“I’m not sure those pills do you any good.”

“They help me sleep.”

“After making you throw your guts up.”

“I’m dying, Maddox, that’s the reality. Pills, no pills, I don’t have long. They make me sick, but then I sleep. If you got a problem with that, ask to move cells.”

Maddox huffed and lay down. The lights stayed on until 21:30, and then they cut out, and the only source of light came from a faint glow around the bottom of the cell door. Maddox closed his eyes and waited for the hour to run down. Ernie retched, the toilet trickled, and the rest of the inmates howled and hooted out nonsense. Doors banged, feet stomped, and laughs cackled down the corridor.

“Will you stop that?!”

Ernie’s voice somehow broke through the building annoyance, and Maddox opened his eyes. He’d clamped his hands over his ears without realising it and slowly removed them.

“Stop what?”

“Grinding your teeth.”

Maddox rubbed his jaw, noticing the ache. A dull throb resonated in his gums. “I didn’t realize I was doing it.”

“You’ve done it every night you’ve been here.”

“It’s the noise.”

“What noise?”

“Everything. When I lie here, I hear it all, and it drives me crazy. I’m not supposed to be locked in a cage.”

“Misophonia.”

Maddox turned and propped his head up on his hand. “What?”

“An intolerance to sound. Some people can’t stand the sound of people eating or a baby crying.”

“Everyone hates the sound of babies screaming.”

Ernie’s thin lips stretched into a smile. There was no colour to them, like life had already been drained from them. Maddox averted his gaze.

“So what sounds get you all angry?” Ernie asked.

“All of them and knowing I can’t get them to stop. I have to endure the sounds of others, and I can’t get away because I’m trapped in this place.”

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