Pennsatucky is in a huddled pile, her blood smattered across the newly fallen snow. Piper's prison uniform is streaked, her hands sticky. A dull ache takes over Piper's body. Her hands, now dumb at her sides, unclench the screwdriver. The soft crunch as the tool hit the ground is replaced by the deafening thunder of panic. Piper's head begins to swim; her chest tightens.
Then, the swing of the metal door, followed by a stream of hurried steps and yells. "Inmate, get on the ground!" Piper, frozen, was still trying to make sense of what happened. Bennett came up from behind her, "I said, get on the ground! What don't you understand, inmate?!". Bennett pushes his knees behind Piper's, forcing her to oblige. Now cuffed and splayed on the ground, Piper tries to raise her head to catch a glimpse of Pennsatucky through the gaggle of guards.
Piper is pulled to her feet and forced away from the scene. Despite the chaos that has ensued, the prison remains quiet; thankfully most everyone is attending the Christmas pageant. As Piper is pushed along the hallways, however, she did catch a glimpse of some onlookers pressed against the glass pane in one of the assembly hall doors. Thankfully, she didn't lock eyes with a familiar face.
Piper knew where she was headed – the SHU. Relieved to hear the door slam behind her, Piper crumpled to the ground, awash in tears.
No one is coming for me. This time I am going to pay – really pay – for what I have done. I am such. an. idiot! I've damaged my career, hurt my friends, my family. Larry, oh, God, Larry. I can' even be upset with him anymore. He deserves someone that will appreciate him. Not a homicidal convict. Nausea set in. Piper ran to the toilet, dry heaving nothing more than spittle. As her head lolled across the metal rim, the words reverberated in her head, over and over - "Did I kill Pennsatucky?".
Piper awoke to a startle from the spring of the cell lock. "Get up, Caputo wants to see you."
Faced with daylight's grimace, Piper made her way down the halls to Caputo's office. Compared to the previous night, her arms and legs felt like rubber. She imagined her words would be thick and slow to emerge from her parched throat.
When she arrived, Caputo was rocking back and forth in his chair. "Please, have a seat," he said, as he gestured to his gust chairs. Piper perched on the edge, and started – "Mister Cap"— Caputo held up his hand. "Ah, ah, ah, Ms. Chapman, we understand the horrendous events that unfolded before you last evening. I hope you understand your night in the SHU was merely for your protection as, we, uh, sorted the details out."