Chapter Three
Back Round Check Part 2
. . . Yeah. Like it was yesterday. I was to spend two months in the county jail before my relocation. It's funny I remember being the timid scare scrawny little sixteen year-old trying adjust to my life as inmate '72267...' (I don't remember my entire booking number), but it was something like that and county jail isn't like what they display in the movies, from what I learn just by watching is you don't have to join a gang for protection. Only those who were already part of a gang 'join' a gang and side note you didn't join they force you to be apart their 'posse' or whatever. People like me, specifically me were call the 'other' we had no affiliation so we had no reason to be tested or 'bitched' because their would be no reason to. We even had our own table for the "Scaredy-Cats" a least that's what I figure they call us behind our backs and sometimes someone would insult you. It was your choice either ignore them or go full Samuel Jackson on they ass, there wasn't much they could do during 'feeding time' because this wasn't prison and if there was a way to guarantee a broken jaw, it was starting a fight in front of the guards, however understand you were must likely gonna get 'jumped' five minutes going into shower time.
As for me, people treated me like I was an entirely different animal, I wasn't sure if they thought my ink black hair was gonna jump off my head in search of a new host in the dark of night or they were just mesmerized by the slow angelic jellyfish like movement of my hair ,whatever the reason as you might imagine shower time was a little uncomfortable a least for me. Don't forget the fact that I didn't just have hair moving on my head so shower time was a little more than awkward, but as I learn county jail wasn't prison there were no rapist or murderers patrolling the surrounding area searching for their next victim and while there was 'surface' level gang activity they didn't run a criminal underground organization under the noses of county guards like the mafia or something. This place was pretty much clean compare to any other dramatic version I had seen in a movie and most of the people here were in this place literally for unpaid parking tickets and shit Like that. I had come to the conclusion I probably had the longest 'sentence' out of everybody in the entire jail due to the fact I was guilty by association, ain't that about a bitch.
If there was anything staler than the bread they gave us for breakfast, lunch and dinner it was the boring atmosphere made from constantly doing the same thing from day to day, eventuality I found the rec room which is basically a room fill with a bunch of inmates about my age who literally sit around and watch He-Man on this little television connected to a VCR. I gotten so used to watching He-man every time someone said "I have..." my brain would automatically finish their sentence with "the POWERRR!" So yeah jail life is sad.
Right about my third week in county jail I had gotten a bit of good information. My mom Donna Lansley came to visit telling me she found a lawyer who could possibly shorten my prison sentence from eight years to four which was fine ,however it didn't stop what I fear the most which was going to prison ,but I didn't voice my opinions to my mom in fact I gave her a hug both of us holding back tears as she left the visitation room. She was a strong woman, I wasn't strong not back then but I do know Officer Lansley wouldn't of wanted to see her son cry so I keep my emotions in check for her. She wave goodbye to me as she pass the window looking in on the room possibly holding back more tears then me, I wave back not knowing that was the last time I ever see my mom for at the end of the week was the day the Authority took me ,will actually everybody on cell block seven, I'll explain in detail.
The day pretty much started like any other day in jail, I woke up urinated, wash my hands and headed for the county jail cafeteria giving 'dap' to a few of the 'others' I associated with. I got in line 'Blah Blah Blah' took my seat at the usual table and started eating my green eggs and ham about a few minutes later I finally finish throwing my tray in the trash. Today some of the 'others' decided to play basketball till lunch so I headed outside deciding today I wasn't gonna play instead I watched. Unlike all the other groups we weren't one race nor did we represent anything. There were Blacks, Whites, Latino, Hispanic, Asian and just about any other race you could think of playing basketball on this hot day and at about three o'clock we headed for the cafeteria. Lucky I didn't play so while the others were smelling like bad decision I made my way for the line 'Blah Blah Blah' and sit down and ate my lunch (which was still better than High School cafeteria lunch I should add). Finally finish I made my way to the trash can throwing the tray away deciding this was a good time to go and watch He-Man with all the other knuckle heads, however when I got there someone had found a VHS version of She-ra and to be honest I was happy to see some 'female action' even if it wasn't the type I wanted, it was feasible. After that it was dinner time, I walk through the corridor giving 'dap' to the usual people as I made my way to the back of the line. Got my food 'Yada Yada Yada' I sit down and ate, however this dinner was special, never in my life had I swallow something and regretted living. Figuring I was better off starving I spit the food out and decided I was best hungry for the night and headed to my cell early getting there around eight fiftyish. I forget to mention I didn't share a cell a least not for long periods of time, when I did my cellmates would be in by night and out by morning. Grabbing my Sports Illustrated magazine from it's hiding place under my hard as stone like bed I read, will more like fantasize. If you know what a Sport Illustrated is you can guest I didn't keep it for the sports. I keep it for the naked woman but all I did was look nothing else, there wasn't enough privacy for anything else sadly.
I lay there 'looking' at my nudie book till I heard loud footsteps coming down the hallway. I saw the other inmates of cell block seven stand, holding onto the bars of their cells as they got a better look at the commotion. The sound of footsteps turn to a 'parade' of footsteps as they stop in front of my cell. I slowly drop the magazine (ok I'm lying I throw that off to the side a long time ago), but that's not the point what was the point was the commotion in front of my cell. I say about eight to ten guards were trying to restrain one guy who had to be but a few years older then me. This guy wasn't buff ,but he sure was elusive, eventuality they manage to hold him down and get him into a straitjacket throwing the guy into my cell like he was a sack of potatoes. I heard one guard shout out from behind the others "fine. If you don't want to talk your gonna stand in here with the freak but, the next time you try and escape were gonna put you in solitary confinement so whoever trying to find you, has an easy time at it". The guy spring to his feet running to the bars like they had just thrown him in with the rancor from Star Wars. I'd never been call a freak before ,but I knew I didn't look that threatening this guy was over reacting. I will admit my afro was more like a mop which was due to there being no barbershop in county jail, but that reaction was uncalled for.
The guy spoke tears coming out of his eyes "wait please. If you don't take me outta this cell I'm going to die, I'll talk please just come back." The guard listening did not give a fuck apparently responding with "Look. you could've told us the truth a long time ago. Shit, the cops already gave you time to speak and you beat two within an inch of they lives right in the lobby, sorry buddy your problems aren't mine." He said while walking away.
Another guard walking next to him said aloud "do you really think there going to try and kill you in a government protected facility surrounded by cops?" The smirks on the faces of guard's predominate. At this point I wasn't worried for the safety of this man more so my own. Why would they put this guy in here with me, like I wanted die because of someone else's mistakes. Now I highly doubted someone was gonna run in guns a blazing because of one guy, but as we all known I was wrong.
At about twelve o'clock I was awakened by the rustling of straps and chains. Openings my eyes to see straitjacket guy had escape his straitjacket and was trying to escape the cell with a toothpick and a quarter with little to no success than it 'hit' me. The smell of blood and gunfire rape my sensory organ with deadly efficiency. Clutching my noes I gag a loud "oh god". My cellmate spoke catching my attention "they're here. We must escape, kid give me some help over here!" I jump out of my make shift bed figuring it was better to escape a living convict than die in jail. I got to the bars helping him pull watching the cell door give way somewhat noticing me and escape straitjacket guy were the only inmates trying to escape. Every other inmate was either huddle in their corner or hiding underneath their blankets. I could feel the vibration of gun fire and the popping of joints as people ran, as for the smell of carnage came from the dead bodies of guards and police. I felt another chill go across my body as a another bullet was release from it's metallic chamber, pulling harder on the bars of our confinement I asked with a stress voice "why are none of the inmates dead?". He responded while giving me a sign to let go "They're not in the way, these people are looking for me. I Manage to hide under your bed because of the longer sheets you have. "He pass me his toothpick while I try to figure out the situation. "If they find us in here they'll kill us both, believing I told you Intel" he said while twisting the bolt that interlock the outside of the bars. I felt a tickle in my spine as something big approach us. I try to give the warning only to watch the cell doors be rip from it's concrete frame. I Immediately jump from the floor too the bed in 2.5 seconds which was probably the worst course of action when the thing that rip the bars off was a behemoth red man lizard, basically I had a better chance 'bolting'. My cellmate stole my idea slipping right pass the behemoth with quick speed, but his escape was short live. I watch confuse as he slowly made his way back to the cell walking backwards, now realizing he had a gun pointed to head. The lights of cell block seven glaring off the silent pistol. The man holding the firearm look at me and than back to straitjacket guy and spoke "we're disappointed Wrath, you let us down and now you paid the consequence." Feeling the dread build in my stomach I though about escaping looking toward the exit, my escape path block by the red lizard. It felt my sight starring into my eyes with yellow slits. "but I didn't tell the cops anything, I...". My cellmate's statement cut off by a smack to the jaw. "You told the syndicate and that's all that matters!" the other guy scream. "Good bye Wrath" he raise the silent pistol only to have it smack towards my direction clanking as it land on the flat stone floor. They fought will more like disappear, I know now that these guys were throwing kicks and punches so quickly that my untrained eye couldn't keep up with them and the only reason I even manage to figure out they were fighting was the fact I could feel the wave of force made by a punch when it connected with someone's chin or the devastating blow smashing into it's intended target. To someone else without my abilities you might have thought this battle a heavy up drift made by the wind.
At some point the guy manage to pin Wrath to the ground holding him by his neck with one arm. The man pull another silent pistol from behind his waist band pointing the gun toward my cellmates face, even than wrath continue to fight and kick violently a least until the man on the top scream to the top of his lungs "STOP!" His bellow echoing across cell block seven. To my surprise my temporary cellmate wrath actually did, his scratches and grunts of escape replace with whimpering and hyperventilating breathes of certain death. The gun still press to his head he spoke "I don't wanted die." To my somewhat surprise the man relinquish his hand from around the others neck and spoke barley loud enough for me to hear " The Authority isn't something you can quit once a member always a member even after death. You should take pride in knowing even when you pass the light of oblivion you will continue to shine in the heart of your brothers, do not let fear sway you for we shall keep your story bright." You know that was kinda deep ,but 'I rather just continue living' I thought.
I doubted the other guy 'Wrath' was buying this shit until the movement of his chest slow. His hyperventilating didn't completely stop until the guy on top him spoke "breath". I watch Wrath go from frantic (earlier) to deadly calm (now). Eyes close you would of thought he was asleep, I watch the gunman cock the pistol a resounding 'click' echo throughout the room. I didn't anticipate what happen next, you know I had been around a few firearms due to the fact my father was a marine but seeing and hearing isn't the same as feeling the vibration of a ballistic firearm as it's projected is launch at greater speeds than the eye can see, it was more than frightening it was feeling fear itself as a physical force. As the man spoke "sorry my brother" I brought my knees closer hiding behind them. What's weird is silent firearms don't make a loud Bang! Alerting your senses. So when I randomly heard the ping as the bullet flew out of the chamber it made the situation all that more disturbing.
I just witness a man go gently into the night like that shit was cool (Damn Sophomore English classes). I had turn my head avoiding what I knew was true even the lizard guy seem upset. Out the corner of my eye I saw the gunman stand facing me, I turn my head slowly facing him flinching as he rise the gun aiming it between my eyes. Humbling situation indeed. I remember thinking 'I'll never get into car with someone else again' if God let me survive this moment and no my whole life didn't flash before me just the the importance things. God must've listen to my silent prayer because the the exhausted guy simple turn walking out the cell, funny thing is I didn't feel I deserve that blessing I was never a religious kid.
Shaking I stood my jumpsuit drench in sweat from head to toe practically trembling as I stuck my head out the cell into the hallway. The lizard guy and the gunmen stood in the center of cell block seven observing the other inmates. I didn't know what they were gonna do to us ,however I come to the conclusion they weren't going to kill us a least not here. I felt the vibrations of mental sliding against concrete as the cells opened. The gunmen spoke "You have two choices either join the Authority or you die tonight in your government provided cells." You can guest I wasn't the only one to jump abroad this 'Authority' thing.
Random update, usual updates every Sunday.