Nine Years a Prisoner
Song choice: Little Toy Guns by Carrie Underwood
*bang* *thud* *screams* Tim's body dropped to the floor. Mama scrambled to his body while Maddie's little fists fought against my thigh as hard as they could. "Why Maya? Why did you hurt daddy?" She wailed. I looked down at the gun in my grasp without any remorse running through me.
"I had to little one. He was a monster." Mama stood up from her late husbands' body and struck me in the face.
"Ungrateful child! Now what do we do? Maddie, call the police!" Her piercing blue eyes bore into me as she turned her attention back to Tim. Mama's face was red with Tim's rage from earlier that night as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. Maddie showed no hesitation to call the police on me.
The sting of her hand grew numb on my jaw as I watched the red and blue lights flood the living room. I knew what I did was wrong, but he was a bad man. I was tired of the lies we had to tell neighbors about the screams they heard every night. I ran out of excuses to tell the teachers at school about my broken bones and Maddie's bruised cheeks. I could not stand to see my little sister being thrown across the room by her own father while Mama watched from the corner in fear.
The chief of police walked into our house, a frequent stop for his squad. His face failed to hide the lack of surprise he felt seeing me with a gun in my hand and Tim on the ground. "You know I have to take you in now baby girl." He sighed at me sadly. I said nothing but placed the pistol on the coffee table in reluctance. The chief whistled for his rookie officer to handcuff me, which he did shakily.
Mama and Maddie were knelt on the ground by Tim, wailing their emotions. I rolled my eyes as the rookie took me and walked me to his squad car. "I had to do it. He would kill us if given the chance." I remember whispering to the young man. His inexperience was showing on his face as he showed fear in his eyes. He was afraid of me.
His eyes held a level of understanding though as he whispered back to me so low that I barley heard his response. "His blood is literally on your hands now. We can't overlook that." I shot my head up at him in anger.
"Why not? You overlooked everything he ever did to us." I spat back. The rookie sighed and placed me in the squad car. He slammed the door loudly. *slam*
Maya woke with a start. Sweat glistened on her forehead as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. It had been three months since her last nightmare. This one seemed more detailed than the ones before. As the years went on, more details seemed to fill the gaps of that night. It's not like she had a whole lot of other things to do with her time. Her head throbbed from lack of sleep as she sat up from her chain linked bed frame. "Get out of my head." Maya mumbled, hitting her head softly. "Why are you back all of a sudden?" She whispered to herself. Ah. Julie.
Three months ago: The Visit
"Ms. Arena. There's visitor for you. Come now." The gravelly voice of the senior prison guard sounded from her open cell door. Maya said nothing, but surprise was evident on her face. She never got visitors; not surprising as she killed her step-father. Nevertheless, Maya followed the guard to the visitor's room. Maya recognized her old neighbor sitting behind the protective glass. Julie? What the hell is she doing here? The older woman sat straight up on the wooden chair provided, her wrinkled features colored slightly by red blush and red lipstick. Maya sat on the opposite side of the clear window and held the phone to her ear. The quiet voice of her former babysitter reached her as she fought back her emotions. "Hello Maya. You are looking well."
"Thank you Julie. I'm sorry for you to see me in here. Is everything okay?" Maya asked, worry etched in her country drawl. She hadn't had any visitors since the day she was sentenced to prison, so why now? Who died?
"I'm afraid not Maya. Your uncle is very sick and doesn't have much time left." Julie responded sharply, her no nonsense attitude shining through. Maya's heart stopped at the mention of her uncle. Maya and he had been very close before Maya had been arrested years ago. He had taught her so much after Maya's father left the family. Maya knew of his cancer before she was taken away, but the doctors had been treating it. That was nine years ago. God damn he was a survivor.
"I'm sorry to tell you this Maya, but I thought that you deserved to know despite everything. Your mother wouldn't tell you, Madeline either. I'm surprised they even told me." Maya stared at the counter in front of her and bit her lip. She wanted to say 'thank you; but she couldn't find her voice. Julie must have known this because she nodded her head and regained her feet. "Take care of yourself little one." And with that, she was gone.
Maya was escorted back to her cell. The senior guard closed the door and met Maya's sad gaze. "I'm sorry Arena. Truly I am." Maya nodded and headed back to her chain-linked bed.
"He's probably dead by now if not close to death." Maya mumbled. Her head was still throbbing from her lack of sleep. She cursed herself for ruining her chances of getting pain medication ever again. Was it even worth it? Her plan didn't work and now the guards watch her like a damn hawk.
Flashback: Fighting. Six years ago.
"I don't understand you Maya. Why can't you just leave them alone?" Daniels, the senior guard asked Maya as he pushed her back to her cell. She was wiping blood from her mouth as she fell into the cell.
"I do! They start it! They want to fuck with me. So yell at them for once!" Maya responded. Daniels sighed and shook his head. "Don't believe me? Watch them next time you see a crowd form around in the yard. I ain't joking. They're stupid for even trying!"
"I know! That girl had to be dragged away with a broken arm and dislocated jaw because of you. All you got was a cut lip. C'mon Arena, why would they try if they know what you can do?"
"They want to look like champs that's why. I just happen to win all the time." Maya smirked. Feels kinda good. Maya liked fighting the girls, made her look untouchable and raised her reputation around the cell block. She always let the girls get a few licks in before she took them down, but the guards always blamed her for the fight because she always comes away with the fewest injuries if any at all.
"Try and make some friends then, you ain't got any here. Put away the claws and teeth. It's gonna be a lonely sentence for you all alone if you don't." Daniels retorted back and left the cell.
"Yeah. I know. It already is." Maya whispered once Daniels left. She regained her footing and sat on her bed. She counted the scratches on the wall behind her she made with a hand-made knife. "Happy birthday to me…." Maya hung her head and rubbed her forearm. She reached under the bed and found the knife. She inhaled and allowed herself to penetrate the fragile skin on the forearm. Three cuts lay on her arm; one for every year she was incarcerated. The pain was lessening each time she did it.
Once the blood had stopped, she hid the knife under the bed again and found her stash of pain medication she had been collecting over the past few months. She'd find stray pills all around the cell and hid them for a special occasion and today was the perfect day to celebrate. I'm done here.
She poured the pills out into her palm and took a deep breathe before she forced them down her throat. She lay back onto her bed, waiting for the blackness to overcome her. She lay back and allowed the memories of her life flash before her eyes; her mother, her sister, her father, the good times before all hell broke loose. Her little sisters' face popped up and she saw her mouth 'I love you sis' at her. That particular memory took control over Maya as she threw herself off of the bed and onto the cement. Maya forced her fingers down her throat and emptied her stomach of its contents on the floor. Daniels had passed by and figured out quickly what had just happened.
"Jesus Christ Arena. I thought you were stronger than that." His voice was barely audible over Maya's panting. She curled up into a ball near the corner of her cell and waited for nightfall. I can't believe I just tried that.
That night Maya came to terms with what she attempted to do to herself and screamed into her pillow as not to wake her cell mate. She didn't want to give up; she deserved more. She was going to live her life or what was left of her life. She wanted to live to show her family once she was released that she survived. I am strong.
Present Day
"Yeah. I am strong." Maya stood up and stretched herself out, rubbing her forearm gently as to erase the scars on it. Nine scars were now evident on her forearm. A lot had changed in the years after her suicide attempt. Her cell was empty now. Her cellmate had died weeks ago due to illness and they couldn't find a replacement that wasn't afraid of Maya.
One thing hadn't changed in the years after her suicide attempt though. Maya had built up a dangerous reputation in her time here. Maya smirked at the memories of past rumbles. In the yard, newly imprisoned girls would try to fight Maya to build up their own reputation like always. They'd taunt Maya, thinking that would get her to back down. However, Maya heard the fear in their empty threats and stood her ground. But she always waited for them to throw the first punch and for a passing guard so she couldn't be blamed for starting it anymore.
In her nine years she had broken thirty girls' noses, sprained ten wrists, broken at least twenty arms and legs, and bruised almost every part of the human body. She kept a record on her cell wall to remind girls who she was and not to mess with her. A few girls found it easier to play nice with her than to gain a black eye, her former cell mate being one. These girls kept close to her for protection and Maya didn't mind that; company is company no matter the reasons.
Suddenly, screams filled the cell block. Maya watched the chaos unfold as guards were throwing keys down on the ground and running for their lives. The imprisoned girls took this time to reach their freedom and ran for the doors that lead to their escape. "What the hell is going on? What are they running from?" Maya asked to herself. Her answer was clear as she saw dead-looking creatures growling at the runners. One girl ran past Maya's cell but doubled back to throw her the keys to her cell. She was one of the girls Maya had been keeping an eye on. Turning the lock quickly, a creature lunged for Maya and tried to bite into her hand. Maya kicked it away quickly and took off towards the yard gates.
She saw the massacre unfolding. Guards were shooting at the creatures while the free girls ran from the scene. The contained prisoners screamed for help but their screams fell on deaf ears; no one was willing to let these prisoners out. These creatures seemed to be eating whatever they could catch. Maya pulled off a creature from a few girls but saw they already had bite marks on them, one girl happened to be who gave Maya the key to her cell. She couldn't waste time on emotions right now, Maya had to get out of the jail. She saw the light of the yard and tore for it.
The sunlight burned her eyes as Maya climbed out over the broken down perimeter fence. The screams behind her urged her forward as she took off down the barren country road towards town. She racked her brain trying to remember the direction of her old home when more creatures appeared. Maya picked up a rock nearby and tossed it at the creature; but it still continued. "Shit…how do you die? Do you die?" Maya looked around quickly for another weapon until she decided on a long stick. "This better do something." Maya stuck the stick into the heart of the creature but it continued attacking her. She retracted the stick and voted on the head. That time, the creature stopped moving. "Oh thank god. Okay…headshot." Maya mumbled and ran from the road towards her home.
Two hours and a handful of biters later, Maya finally found her old home. The formally beautifully kept lawn was now decorated with hydrangea bushes, daisies, a white picket fence, and numerous dead bodies. "Damn. Someone really needs to explain to me what the hell happened here." She mumbled, stepping up to the porch carefully. She opened the front door slowly, completely defenseless as she scanned the living room. A vile stench stung her eyes as she entered the house. "Oh shit." She whispered hearing loud growling from beside the couch. She carefully closed the door behind her to not startle what used to be her mother and sister lying on the carpet, blood splattered everywhere.
Their bodies were torn apart and moving slightly. "They're eating each other…" Maya mumbled to herself in disgust. She fought back vomit as she ran to the kitchen quickly. Grabbing the nearest knife, she started to approach her remaining family. Her sister gazed up at Maya with her glazed over eyes and snarled a rotten smile at her. Her mother now lay still while gnawing at Maddie's leg. Her mothers' once brilliant blue eyes were also glazed over with whatever disease had taken over them. Maya closed her hand around the knife and knelt to her family. She could think of no words to say to them. In her mind a small part of her felt they deserved this; for abandoning Maya all those years ago. But in her heart she knew that these people were once the only family she had. In her moral crossroads she dug the knife into her little sisters' head, followed by her mothers. Retracting the weapon, Maya retreated upstairs.
Carefully rounding the staircase, she held the knife in her hand. She followed the hallway to her old room, surprised to see everything still intact. "Half expected everything to be burned and thrown away…" Maya mumbled, noting the old pictures of herself and her mother years before. Bitterness rose in her throat as she remembered what she just did to her mom. "I need a damn shower."
Turning the tap of the shower onto full heat, she stepped out of her nasty jumpsuit and into her shower. She was wiping off the sweat, grime, and blood of her family off her body, but it still seemed as if she could never be clean. She stepped out the shower and wiped the steam from the mirror. Staring back at her, Maya could not help but notice the similarities between herself and her mother. Same hair, same face shape, even her smile. She felt her face and broke her gaze with the mirror.
Frustration and anger urged Maya out of the bathroom and into her sisters' room. "Let's hope I can fit into your clothes. Mine are a little small." Maya said to herself, raking through Maddie's wardrobe. A black tank with combat boots and black skinny jean seemed to fit the bill nicely. A thought popped into Maya's head as she returned back to her old room. She reached into the table drawer next to her bed and felt what she was looking for. "Oh thank god." Her semi-automatic pistols lay in their casing with four hundred rounds of ammo still in the drawer as well as her uncles' hunting knife. She strapped the pistols around her thighs and hooked her knife under her belt, ready for any attack. Then she noted a silver chain on the edge of the tabletop.
"She kept this? After all these years?" Maya whispered, picking up the chain carefully as if it were to break. The heart shaped locket had Mama's Angel engraved on it. Maya smiled weakly at the memory of her fifteenth birthday present. She latched around her neck and held it to her chest for a moment. Despite everything, they were still her family and she did love them. This was the last thing she had of her mother, and she was determined to keep it safe.
Stepping outside, she rummaged through the garage for any camping equipment and supplies to store in her mothers' truck. Four tents and a portable cooker found a nice place in the trunk along with blankets, canned goods, six gallons of water and a few flashlights. She ravaged the kitchen of everything edible as well and stuck them in a cooler. Only when the truck was full of supplies did she realize that there was less than a quarter of gas left in the tank. "Fuck…how do they do that siphoning thing in the movies?" Maya asked herself, eyeing the garden hose nearby and a BMW. "Might as well learn now."
She detached the hose from the drain pipe and stuck one end into the BMW and the other end in the truck. Grabbing at the hose she began to suck her breath in through the hose for about five minutes until she tasted gasoline. Spitting out the excess, she felt the liquid flow through the hose. "That's disgusting, and not easy. Movies fucking lie." Maya spat more gasoline tasting saliva onto the sidewalk in disgust. A few minutes went by until the gasoline stopped flowing. "Alright lets' get going."
Pulling out of her neighborhood, she found driving to be more difficult than she had thought. "Well shit. It has been near a decade since you've driven you idiot." She mumbled to herself, testing her brakes. Thankfully there weren't any one around to judge her shaky driving skills.
She stopped abruptly at Julie's old house. She debated whether to go into the house to see if her neighbor was still alive. The windows were shattered, the door was broken into, and Maya seriously doubted that the older woman survived. "Thank you Julie, I'll see you again someday." Maya said, nodding towards the house. She eased off the brakes and gently pushed the throttle.
After a few miles she finally got the hang of driving again. "It's like riding a bike." She smiled to herself, pulling on her sunglasses. Freedom felt amazing and she loved feeling the wind through her open windows. She gazed at the passing houses and saw her old high school. It looked untouched. "Typical. The one place I wish burned to the damn ground is still fucking standing." Maya spat, remembering the torment she received every damn day from kids because they asked about her bruises and cuts. She pressed down harder on the gas, speeding away from those awful memories.
A few hours had passed by and the sun was beginning to set on the Georgia horizon. Maya was starting to feel tired due to the events that had played out so quickly that day, but she was in the middle of nowhere. She didn't know this area well, and felt unsafe on these roads. She was now in the real rural part of Georgia…redneck country some girls at the jail had told her about.
"I got to get out of here before I fall asleep at the wheel. Fucking red neck region." She mumbled, searching for a sign to help her exit the area. No such luck. So she pulled off to the side of the road and locked her truck doors. "Maybe I can catch a few hours of sleep, then I'll try to find out where the hell I am." She closed her eyes slightly, aware that her nightmares were going to reveal their ugly head again.