Chapter 7
Eight and a half years ago.
If losing your freedom was hell then there were definite degrees of agony. Buffy Summers had
just descended into the lowest rungs.
Her assigned cell at the Security Housing Unit was roughly 8 by 10 feet with glaring white
concrete walls and fluorescent lighting. There were no windows to the outside.
Buffy's sharp eyes took in the wall mounted bunk with its drab grey bedding laid out at the foot.
There was also a mounted table with a metal chair screwed into the floor. On a corner sat the
customary toilet/sink stainless steel combination.
The cell's entrance was sealed by a heavy metal door with a handcuff/tray slot. A narrow glass
and mesh covered window would allow the staff to look inside at all times.
Her new quarters were devoid of anything that could be construed as comfortable or humane. It
was cold and depressingly colorless. Buffy imagined spending her years within its walls , devoid
of sunshine and human contact until she would gradually go insane.
After her escorts sealed her inside she sat on the bare mattress and let her head drop. Inside her
a silent war was waged between conscience and spirit. The Slayer wanted to flee and forget all
about this. The woman knew that she had to stay because it would find her no matter how far
she ran. She deserved this no matter how awful it got. She knew that Katrina Silver's tomb was
colder and darker.
***
For some reason clocks were not allowed in the SHU so Buffy was never certain of the time that
the guards would come for her ½ hour "recreation period". Whenever it was, she would be
patted down, cuffed and led into the empty concrete yard. Her chains would be removed and she
would be allowed to walk about freely within sight of the guard. If it was sunny she would jog a
little and then sit down to bask in the only sunlight of her day. When it was raining she would
stand and let the drops course freely through her body. She always had the option of staying
indoors during bad weather but she could not deny herself the few minutes away from her
stifling cell. The only other time that she was let out was during her weekly shower as her
visitation rights had yet to be approved.
On her first appointed "shower day" in the SHU she was ordered to place her toiletries in a clear
plastic bag that she slid across the slot to be inspected by the guards. After the bag was searched
she was to maneuver her hands through the slot while facing into the cell so that the handcuffs
would be locked onto her wrists. When she was secured the door was opened and she was
patted and taken out of the cell while flanked by two male guards. One carried the plastic bag
that contained her shampoo, soap and allotted towel.
Unlike in General Population, the SHU did not have communal shower rooms but highly visible
shower cabinets in the middle of the officer pod.
When she saw this she refused to continue. The cabinets had glass doors with small frosted
panels in the middle that would conceal very little from the view of the 5 or so guards within the
pod.
It was too much. She had resigned herself to life in a cage, being chained and lead around like a
dangerous animal. But to lose the little dignity she had left by being made to display her body to
anyone that cared to look..
Her hands were restrained so she used her legs. The guards reacted immediately as she managed
to keep her balance through a series of well-placed kicks to the growing cadre of security staff.
The loud fog horn alarm was sounded and the cells were automatically sealed to avoid any
further insurrection. Through the deafening noise the Slayer leaped onto a metal table and
aimed a levered kick that knocked down three guards. Adrenaline coursed through her body.
The exhilaration of finally fighting back after repressing the urge for so long was heady. She felt
like herself again.
Suddenly a searing, tearing pain exploded in her lower back. Buffy turned around to face a tall,
towering guard with glistening eyes holding a buzzing electric prod. He smiled nonchalantly as
he tipped the instrument towards her chest and she knew no more.
***
She could not open her eyes for the next two days. The lids seemed to be weighed down and she
could not manage even a flutter. Her brain felt cocooned in a thick haze that kept awareness
away no matter how hard she tried. It was hours before she understood that she was lying across
a thin mattress with a loose spring that dug painfully into her left hip. She shifted slightly to
relieve the pressure and realized that her arms, legs and torso were strapped to the bed. Buffy
moaned weakly and tried to turn her head to the side but her neck muscles were frozen in place.
A sharp prick thrust into her upper right arm and felt a burning liquid invading her body. Within
seconds the haze had thickened even further and her thoughts simply faded into nothingness.
Helpless and completely ignorant of what was going on, she allowed herself to fall into the abyss
of deep sleep once more.
***
It was during this time that her dreams were at their vividness. She dreamt of her mother and
Giles. Dawn and her loyal friends. She relieved her most memorable fights and her more
challenging foes. She dreamt of her sixteenth birthday and Angel's touch. The pain and
remorse of losing Riley when she needed him the most. And him. She felt his cool fingers
coursing her skin. His sweetly invading presence firing all the cells of her body. The look in his
eyes when he understood that he could not save her from herself.
But dreams could not protect her from reality when she was allowed to come out of her
Trazadone induced stupor. What awaited her was truly the nightmare.
TBC.
Author's note: Thank you sooo much for all your kind reviews especially when my posting
habits leave a lot to be desired. As for your questions regarding the fact that our heroine seems
to have been abandoned by her friends. There is a reason that will become clearer in the next
few chapters. For one thing she doesn't have any visitation privileges at the moment and for the
other... lets just say things are about to get rougher for the Slayer. The guard that managed to
take her down during her recent insurrection will play a large part... On an unrelated matter Faith
will be making an appearance soon enough and she and B will be doing some bonding.
Eight and a half years ago.
If losing your freedom was hell then there were definite degrees of agony. Buffy Summers had
just descended into the lowest rungs.
Her assigned cell at the Security Housing Unit was roughly 8 by 10 feet with glaring white
concrete walls and fluorescent lighting. There were no windows to the outside.
Buffy's sharp eyes took in the wall mounted bunk with its drab grey bedding laid out at the foot.
There was also a mounted table with a metal chair screwed into the floor. On a corner sat the
customary toilet/sink stainless steel combination.
The cell's entrance was sealed by a heavy metal door with a handcuff/tray slot. A narrow glass
and mesh covered window would allow the staff to look inside at all times.
Her new quarters were devoid of anything that could be construed as comfortable or humane. It
was cold and depressingly colorless. Buffy imagined spending her years within its walls , devoid
of sunshine and human contact until she would gradually go insane.
After her escorts sealed her inside she sat on the bare mattress and let her head drop. Inside her
a silent war was waged between conscience and spirit. The Slayer wanted to flee and forget all
about this. The woman knew that she had to stay because it would find her no matter how far
she ran. She deserved this no matter how awful it got. She knew that Katrina Silver's tomb was
colder and darker.
***
For some reason clocks were not allowed in the SHU so Buffy was never certain of the time that
the guards would come for her ½ hour "recreation period". Whenever it was, she would be
patted down, cuffed and led into the empty concrete yard. Her chains would be removed and she
would be allowed to walk about freely within sight of the guard. If it was sunny she would jog a
little and then sit down to bask in the only sunlight of her day. When it was raining she would
stand and let the drops course freely through her body. She always had the option of staying
indoors during bad weather but she could not deny herself the few minutes away from her
stifling cell. The only other time that she was let out was during her weekly shower as her
visitation rights had yet to be approved.
On her first appointed "shower day" in the SHU she was ordered to place her toiletries in a clear
plastic bag that she slid across the slot to be inspected by the guards. After the bag was searched
she was to maneuver her hands through the slot while facing into the cell so that the handcuffs
would be locked onto her wrists. When she was secured the door was opened and she was
patted and taken out of the cell while flanked by two male guards. One carried the plastic bag
that contained her shampoo, soap and allotted towel.
Unlike in General Population, the SHU did not have communal shower rooms but highly visible
shower cabinets in the middle of the officer pod.
When she saw this she refused to continue. The cabinets had glass doors with small frosted
panels in the middle that would conceal very little from the view of the 5 or so guards within the
pod.
It was too much. She had resigned herself to life in a cage, being chained and lead around like a
dangerous animal. But to lose the little dignity she had left by being made to display her body to
anyone that cared to look..
Her hands were restrained so she used her legs. The guards reacted immediately as she managed
to keep her balance through a series of well-placed kicks to the growing cadre of security staff.
The loud fog horn alarm was sounded and the cells were automatically sealed to avoid any
further insurrection. Through the deafening noise the Slayer leaped onto a metal table and
aimed a levered kick that knocked down three guards. Adrenaline coursed through her body.
The exhilaration of finally fighting back after repressing the urge for so long was heady. She felt
like herself again.
Suddenly a searing, tearing pain exploded in her lower back. Buffy turned around to face a tall,
towering guard with glistening eyes holding a buzzing electric prod. He smiled nonchalantly as
he tipped the instrument towards her chest and she knew no more.
***
She could not open her eyes for the next two days. The lids seemed to be weighed down and she
could not manage even a flutter. Her brain felt cocooned in a thick haze that kept awareness
away no matter how hard she tried. It was hours before she understood that she was lying across
a thin mattress with a loose spring that dug painfully into her left hip. She shifted slightly to
relieve the pressure and realized that her arms, legs and torso were strapped to the bed. Buffy
moaned weakly and tried to turn her head to the side but her neck muscles were frozen in place.
A sharp prick thrust into her upper right arm and felt a burning liquid invading her body. Within
seconds the haze had thickened even further and her thoughts simply faded into nothingness.
Helpless and completely ignorant of what was going on, she allowed herself to fall into the abyss
of deep sleep once more.
***
It was during this time that her dreams were at their vividness. She dreamt of her mother and
Giles. Dawn and her loyal friends. She relieved her most memorable fights and her more
challenging foes. She dreamt of her sixteenth birthday and Angel's touch. The pain and
remorse of losing Riley when she needed him the most. And him. She felt his cool fingers
coursing her skin. His sweetly invading presence firing all the cells of her body. The look in his
eyes when he understood that he could not save her from herself.
But dreams could not protect her from reality when she was allowed to come out of her
Trazadone induced stupor. What awaited her was truly the nightmare.
TBC.
Author's note: Thank you sooo much for all your kind reviews especially when my posting
habits leave a lot to be desired. As for your questions regarding the fact that our heroine seems
to have been abandoned by her friends. There is a reason that will become clearer in the next
few chapters. For one thing she doesn't have any visitation privileges at the moment and for the
other... lets just say things are about to get rougher for the Slayer. The guard that managed to
take her down during her recent insurrection will play a large part... On an unrelated matter Faith
will be making an appearance soon enough and she and B will be doing some bonding.