I woke long before the others, but the door to our open-air group cell was already opened an hour before they got us up. I stepped cautiously among the bodies sleeping contorted on the floor. A sliver of sunlight shone in my eyes and I walked across the yard. I saw her kneeling there, head bent, incense in hand praying to the solitary statue of Budha. And so I silently entered the temple, yet she heard me. Her old lined face stayed straight yet caught sight of my hopeful daring eyes, from the corner of hers.
'You should not enter here Alice sun.' she warned me.
Taking a deep breath of courage I spoke, 'I need to speak to the guard who forgot to lock the gate.'
Her eyes looked up and she turned her head towards me. Knowingly she nodded.
It was dark and I looked at Darlene, she just stared at me, and I knew it was time. I weaved my way through the silent bodies and approached the gate.
'Chan dtaawng gaan bpai suaam.' I said. The guard huffed at me but opened the gate and let me leave for the toilet.
I crouched behind a rock, waiting for Darlene, hoping she could persuade the guard. She crept quickly towards me. Silently we raced across the grounds behind trees and making sure not to be noticed. The bolt slid beneath my hands easily and the gate swung out. My heart skipped a beat and hope flickered through my eyes. We closed the gate behind us and ran for the next. In a matter of moments ducking and weaving we were out, sprinting from the entrance we suddenly stopped, skidding in the gravel.
'Where's the car?' I said. But not having time to think, headlights flashed in front of us framing us against the prison doors. 'Shit!' I screamed. The guards came rushing. Darlene dropped to her knees, her sobs auditable over the stampede of feet coming to imprison us again. I thought about hauling her up for a moment and trying to run.
'Alice?' she questioned me from her teary eyes.
I looked at her, fear in my eyes and knowing there was no way out.
'There was suppose to be a car!' I screamed in anger. As harsh hands dragged us back through the iron and oak doors. Darlene scrambled to get up next to me, the gravel tearing at her skin, her knees bleeding.
I saw her old lined face peering from the shadows, regret shadowed her face, but she was powerless now.
The pain seared through my spine as my back was lashed, and the water splashed out in droplets falling to the floor. I cried and yelled. I couldn't hold it in anymore. We sat curled up next to each other for the wrest of the night. She almost hated me for the pain she felt. But I hated me more, because we were so close.
I think that might have started it, her disbelief in me. I was always the reckless one, why wouldn't I risk our lives for some extra money? Darlene started to question me. 'Did I do it? If so, why?'
Her lack of trust in me ate away. And nothing I could say could convince her otherwise, and everything after that just piled on top of her fears, her distrust for me.