"Squat and cough."
The words echoed the small room. If I didn't feel incredibly awkward already, then this sure put the icing on the cake. Stood naked with my back turned to the officer, I did as I was told and squat, a strong, forced cough following suit.
"Alright, you're clear. Now stand up, Hart. Unlike you, I came baring gifts" Standing up, I turn to see that Officer Bell had a pile of clothes and some shoes in her hands.
"Put these on." She said, her rough voice demanding. I complied, pulling on the god awful orange prison clothes and the shoes as I watched the officer potter around the room we were in, looking through the shelves for something or other. I stood there and watched her pick up a flimsy looking pillow and she threw it to me along with a blanket.
"These are yours. And this is yours," She handed me a temporary ID card. "Wear it at all times until your counsellor can arrange a permanent one. You'll be able to pick up other things you need during open hours of the commissary, now follow me." I barely nodded in understanding before my feet picked up, following Officer Bell's quick pace out of the room as I clung to my pillow and blanket. Walking down bleak and pale corridors, I was told to wait at the door for a moment while some other inmates were getting ready to transfer over to the main prison. My alert eyes followed all the movement around me as a few officers walked past, eyeing me up like I was fresh meat or something. Which, in this case, I most likely was. My anxiety was bubbling up inside me, making my stomach feel uneasy as I waited. It felt like 5, minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, when in reality it must have been merely seconds.
Officer Bell came back with two woman in the same orange clothes as me, both clinging to pillows and blanket like me. One woman was a short Hispanic girl, maybe in her late twenties, with long dark hair and a scar above her eyebrow. My eyes caught a brief glimpse of her ID badge; Gomez. The other woman was white, a little taller than me. Maybe 5ft 10, and she had short black hair and wore some thick framed glasses. I couldn't get a look at her ID badge hidden behind her pillow as she held it. She looked incredibly pissed off with the fact she was here, however, so I averted my eyes just in time to see Officer Bell open the door and make her way outside.
"This way to the 5 star hotel, Ladies." I could feel myself fighting the urge to roll my eyes as the three of us walked out onto the pavement to see a van parked up, door slide open.
"Climb in to your chariot, Morello here will drive you over. Hurry up"
I was the first to climb into the van, fidgeting to get comfy as the woman in front leant back to take a good, long look at me before holding her hand out.
"Morello, Nice to meet ya."
I reached out to shake her hand, but said nothing as I studied her face. Her bright red lipstick suited her.
"Silent one, huh? What's your name?" She said as she tried to catch a glimpse of my badge. "Ah, Hart. Well, its okay, we'll take real good care of you." As she settled back into her seat, the other two woman were climbing into their seats and making themselves comfortable. Completely ignoring the Hispanic woman, Morello turned with the biggest grin on her face to the other inmate.
"Vause! Good to see you back! How was your little... to-do out there?"
"Oh, you know, fucking wonderful as usual."
Morello turned to me before speaking again.
"It's like family in here; you'll be at home in no time. Right," She turned back to the wheel as the van door was slammed shut and she turned the engine on. "Let's go, shall we?"
The van creaking as Morello shifted it into gear, we began the drive.
To Litchfield we go.