The air inside the prison was foul. Jason wondered sometimes how it was he could breath it and not end up dead. You could smell the scent of dead carcasses all over the place. Jason kicked his cell door and yelled through the opening hoping to get the attention of a guard. "YO! GUARD! It smells like a trash-crap-stack in here! Can't you do something about it?" He sat against the door, already knowing he wasn't going to get an answer from anybody. Sometimes he wondered how he ever got himself into this mess. He wasn't stupid, still though, he had made some very stupid choices, and even he would acknowledge that fact.
Jason had now been inside the prison for eight months or so. He had already kicked the hell out of most of the inmates that would bother him. Still though, he wasn't happy or content. But how can you be happy in prison? If you find an answer and your mentally stable let me know, Jason would think. But he could try to be content. Jason was trying to use his time in prison to razor his skills as a thief. He planned not to be a thief after his time in prison, but he certainly planned to make a life a living hell for the people that let him take the fall and let him land in prison.
Prison was supposed to break Jason, however some days it seemed like he was going to break the prison. Jason watched the wall as the sunlight crossed across his bed, and just as the light touched the wall he stood up and thought to himself, "Ah, dinner…." Jason heard the door unlocking and a guard was standing there when it was opened. "Dinner time Brent," came the words from the rather brutal looking guard. Jason stepped out into the corridor and walked to the mess hall. He got in line, grabbed a tray and waited for his meal to be served. It wasn't occasionally they were served something half decent, but once in a while, like today, they were. "Cheeseburgers! YES!" Jason said to himself. One of the other guards shoved him, "Yo kid, hurry it up dawg!"
Jason walked down the row of tables looking for a place to sit. As he walked an arm reached out and grabbed his precious cheeseburger. It was faster than normal, and before Jason could react it was gone into the gaping darkness of a closing mouth. Pissed off by his now missing cheeseburger he looked at the guy and said, "WHAT THE HELL MAN?" The man looked at him and said, "Hey, you loose what you don't keep your hands on kid." Jason looked at the guy's plate to see he hadn't eaten his own burger yet. Jason grinned and said, "Noted." Jason shoved his tray at the guy and as the guy blocked the tray Jason brought his leg up under the tray then landed his knee square in the guys jaw. Jason gave him a hard right punch, then knocked him out with his right elbow. Jason grabbed the burger, and shoved it into his 'special' pocket. The guards were on him fast enough.
"The HELL?" Jason shouted, "Get' off ME! HE STARTED IT!" Jason raged. One of the guards punched Jason in the gut, and then another guard punched him in the face. Jason stared back at the guards, his nose bleeding and the blood dripping down over his mouth and jaw, dripping, falling into small splotches on the ground. He made no effort to mask the rage in his eyes, or in his whole face for that matter. He wanted to beat the guards to a bloody pulp. It took four guards to escort Jason back to his cell, where they just threw him in and locked the door.
Jason got up and sat on the bed, smiling, then grabbed a rag to wipe the blood from his face. His cell was simple, it had a sink, there was a bed, and a toilet, and it had a small desk which he used to study at and draw, and a small lamp on it. He took great care to ensure he didn't have to share a cell with anyone, which just resulted in beating the snot out of anyone they tried to add into his cell. They gave up after the first two months, where twice a week they would have to take the inmate they tried to put in their to the ER. He never beat them fatally; just things he knew would get attention and need attention.
Jason lifted his left pant leg, and pulled out his cheeseburger from the special pocket he had made for various purposes. It was a small self-stitched pocket he had made using a small chicken bone and some thread from his own prison uniform. He took the semi-deformed cheeseburger and took a bite from it, then smiling lay back on his bed. It wasn't much, but it was something to make him smile. He semi-slowly ate it, enjoying each bite, then washed it down with some water from his small sink.
Jason sat at his desk, and opened a sketchbook. Inside were all kinds of drawings, and some comics he had made also. One of his favorites is where he had pretended on of the other prisoners turned out to be the Fearless Ferret. In the comic the Ferret died after teaching him all he had known about being a hero, and telling him where to go after he got out. In the end, after leaving prison the comic portrayed Jason as the Fearless Ferret, defending the city of Mathog, which was the they city the Ferret defended in the real comics. Jason sketched out an image of the Ferret in a new sketchbook, then closed the book and put it away, mumbling to himself, "I'll save that book for when I'm out of here."
Jason turned off his lamp and lay down on his bed, and slipped off into the world of dreams… He didn't dream about the Ferret, or what he had done to get into prison. He merely dreamt of his parents, and the thought of not seeing them for so long.
Day broke as the light shined into his window, waking him up. You could hear the guards rattling down the corridor, which also signified morning. Prisoners in Verticalton Prison woke at 5a.m. You got two hours of workout, then breakfast. Jason spent the first hour in his cell, even though the doors were opened at 5:30. He did basics, warm ups, stretching, few hundred pushups, few sit-ups, couple hundred pull-ups. For the most part all his strength gaining work was done without weights. So why go out into the yard to workout the second hour? Because it's fun.
Jason walked out into the prison yard to start phase two of his morning workout. It didn't take more than five minutes to find what he was looking for. Or rather for it to find him. Jason stepped out of the way of a punch coming in on his right side. "Stupid punk! I'm going to make you bleed for what you did ta' me at dinn'a yesterday!" said the jerk who had stolen his cheeseburger. Jason was aware that when you hit someone and don't make them scared of you, they WILL be back for more pain. Jason got loose with his movements and light on his feet. "Bring." was his only word to the mammoth so intent on flattening him.
The giant brute shoved his left foot towards Jason's crotch. Jason brought his right foot down on top of the brute's left and stepped up off it so he could plant his left foot into the side of the idiot's face. The guy didn't fall; still, Jason didn't want him to fall just yet. Infuriated by Jason's action, the monster charged Jason. Jason leapt up, planted both his palms on top the guy's head and pushed himself up, then slammed both his feet down on top of the idiot's head. They game came down hard, with Jason on his head all the way to when they guy's head was slammed clean into the pavement, knocking a few teeth loose. But Jason had applied JUST ENOUGH pressure, and they guy was getting back up, just like he wanted. He was a little wobbly now, but angrier than ever.
Jason looked at him for a second, and then said in all calmness, "I'm trying to decide if you're even worth knocking out." The criminal's eyes widened and rage bore it's nasty face in them. "What did you say…?" asked the idiot, his voice like that of an animal before it's kill. "Not smart enough to remember some simple words. Not worth knocking out, no longer worth my time even." Jason said as he began to walk away. "LOUSY $)#$()# )#$(#)$)#)$ PUNK!" screamed the guy as he ran at Jason, with every intent to kill him. Jason was swift, his move graceful. Ah hell, he turned around and kicked the guy in the face, then broke a rib or two with his fist, made his left eye nicely swollen with his left fist, broke his nose with his right fist, brought the guy to his knees with a left kick, and grabbed him buy the collar. Jason looked the idiot in the eyes, with a glare that would make fire turn to ice. The monster wanted to run, to scream, but nothing would come out, and for the first time in a long time, he tasted true fear, fear strong enough to bring even the toughest of monsters to their knees. "Your broken…" Jason said, "…and you'll stay broken simply by the memory of what happened to you. Get this in your head, you don't mess with me anymore, or I'll brake all you have left next time."
Young Brent's words cut into him like a knife. The idiot's fear was filtering out to the audience that had gathered. The jerk wasn't the only one that got the message. Jason shoved the guy to the ground. "Like I said, your not worth knocking out." he said as he walked towards the mess hall. The idiot fell to the ground, tears streaming down his face, and his fearful cry lodged in his throat unable to escape beyond his mouth. He had been broken, and he knew it. He had stared into the face of something far more monstrous than even he was. And he had no idea what to make of it, except that it scared this monstrous grown man so badly, that he felt like a small child who had been left alone in the dark for the first time in his life.
Jason walked into the mess hall followed by half the group that had watched his little display just minutes ago. They kept their distance. This wasn't the first time Jason had done something like this. And the other inmates knew, You kept you distance when he was pissed off. Jason couldn't care less about what they thought about him, he was just waiting for time to pass so he could be done in this hell.
Jason got his meal and sat down alone at a table near the back end of the mess hall. People never sat at his table, ever. They just passed him up as if he wasn't there. And frankly, it's how he wanted it.
He looked down at the food before him. Semi-mashed potatoes, partially cooked meatloaf, a wonderful fruit salad consisting of apples and bananas, and one soggy roll. Jason didn't waste time as he literally vacuumed up the not so wonderful meal. The fruit salad was the only true joy of all he had been given. And it didn't taste half bad either.
He took his small napkin and wiped a little residue off of his mouth. Jason grabbed his tray and took it to the nearest trash disposal. After dumping the trash, he stacked the tray
on top and walked out into the courtyard.
After looking and seeing nobody around, Jason walked around the wall and just dropped back and leaned against the wall. Jason stared up into the sky. He didn't know what to do with himself sometimes. Yes he was brutal, but he was still only a teenager. He missed his mother, he missed his late-father, he missed home. Jason stayed here, just thinking, for quite some time, until the sky darkened. By now he was sitting down against the wall. His eyes were closed, and he was dwelling on his life up to now. "May I ask what troubles you?", came a voice.
Jason's eyes snapped open to see a small, kind of old man, standing before him. He had a small slouch, his body looked old and brittle. His weight rested on the cane in his hand. This man was in his late Seventies or early Eighties. Jason looked at the old man, not sure whether to answer him out of respect or just treat him like the other inmates. Jason, as brutal as he was, was still very respectful to close clearly Elderly, who had lived long lives. "Nothing," answered Jason, with a little less malice in his voice than he would otherwise have spoken with.
"Young man, I have been here for many years. Of all things I have learned, one thing is that a man clearly lies in this situation." The old man just gave a soft smile. Jason looked at him, raising an eyelid. "What situation?" he asked. The older man responded, "The one where he spends 4 hours sitting in the same spot staring into nowhere." "I see…" replied Jason. The old man motioned for Jason to follow him, and surprising to even himself, he followed. As the walked the old man started talking, "I am now nearing the end of my life young man. Any regrets I may have had I can't really worry much about now. I have done what I can to atone for my mistakes, but being in prison, I can only hope that God will have mercy on a this old man." "Why are you talking to me about God and atonement?" asked Jason. "That is besides the point," responded the older man. He looked at Jason and you could tell he was curious about something. "I have made many wrong choices young man, but I still feel I have much to do to make up for my mistakes"
"Now that is a feeling I can understand…" said Jason, staring at the ground. "So what IS a YOUNG man such as yourself doing in a place like this?" asked the old man.
Time passed, maybe an hour or so, and Jason related to the old man his small story about his mother and father. Everything he had done that had led to this point in his life. The old man just looked at him. "You know, I may have made some mistakes," he started, "but I do agree this world can be rotten sometimes. But you could have made other choices instead of the ones you did." "You don't need to tell me that sir…" Jason frowned. "You'll have to pardon my plainness, after all I am an old man, and these days I tell it like it is Jason." "That reminds me, what is your name sir?" "My name is….well….just call me Jack." Jack looked like he was maybe half African American and half Caucasian. He talked with an oriental accent though. "I spend many years in the orient. In fact, I was adopted by a couple when I was little more than a year old. I grew up in the orient in fact. China, Japan, Korea, I've seen it all. My mother was Japanese and my father was Chinese." Jason listed for maybe fifteen minutes as the old man talked of his past, a trait all old people seem to excel at, and boy did Jack ever.
"My young man, I have judged you." said Jack. "You WHAT?" said Jason kind of stunned. "Not negatively young man, not at all," replied Jack. "There was reason for my talk of atonement and such," continued Jack, "…I feel I can't possibly make up for my mistakes in my life time. But I feel you can help me." Jason was clearly confused. "I don't get what you mean sir," said Jason. "Jason, have you ever seen those old martial arts movies where a young man seeking vengeance meets an old martial arts master, and learns kung fu or something from him, and then gets his revenge?" Jason looked at Jack, feeling like he knew what was coming next. "Yes sir, I have…." Jack smiled, and said, "My young man, you've just met one, and now, you will become a master of many martial arts styles." "What if I don't want to?" asked Jason. "You don't have to, but if you don't then you and I both know, you'll pretty much be wasting your time in prison"
"Honestly, I was thinking that," said Jason.
"Jason, I feel in my life, I can't ever atone for my mistakes in full. But you are a remarkable young man, and maybe, just maybe, God will show some mercy on this old fool for passing on some useful knowledge to a young man I feel will make a difference with what he is taught." Jack just stood there and looked at Jason. "Are you that kind of young man?" he asked Jason. Jason stood there, and then, with a spark in his eye answered. "Yes sir, I am. Are their any special conditions for this though?" "Just one," answered Jack, "…you have to give me half your dinner." Jason frowned, and even hesitated for a moment, "Deal," he answered.
Over the next year and a half, Jason learned from Jack extensive martial arts training. During this year and a half Jason also made a few friends, some because they had been impressed with the things he was learning from Jack and others simply because they also wanted to pass on knowledge to someone whom they felt would use it. They didn't care if they would use it for good or bad, they just cared about someone flat out using it. From these Jason mastered skills such as escaping from crimes, to simple escapes from things like being tied up, to lock picking skills, informal combat skills, and of course Jack and his formal varieties of martial arts, including various stealth and Ninjitsu techniques.
Jason over a year and a half had changed, he was more physically built, stronger, and for a prison inmate surprisingly healthy. His mind was sharp now, like a razor, as were his skills. He had mastered many skills from the others, though not all of Jack's training.
Still he had come to be amazingly proficient with the things Jack had taught him. Jack would tell Jason he was a true prodigy of fighting often. Jason liked hearing it. But the facts were that it was true. Jason had a talent for these kinds of things. But he was still in prison, and now, he would have another reminder.
Two more months passed. Jason had now been in prison for 26 months. Jason had managed to get into solitary confinement some time ago. Purposely though, Jack was in the cell across from him. Jason was still let out into a small courtyard on the other side of the prison, where he would virtually only be able to interact with his own group of inmates, his teachers.
The prison still smelled as bad as ever, but this particular night the air seemed to burn also. Not with fire, but with rage. One of the guards came running down the corridor by Jason's cell. Fear was all over his face, and now he was against the wall, dead-ended. He clawed at the wall a second then turned around, tears streaming down his face. "What's wrong?" demanded Jason. The guard was too scared to respond. "HEY YOU, WHAT'S GOING ON?" shouted Jason louder. But it wasn't any good, he wasn't responding. "Calm yourself…" said Jack, now standing at his cell entrance. The old man's tone got the guards attention. Footsteps could be heard scampering towards the cell block now. Jason and Jack knew what was happening, it was a prison riot. Jack wasted no time. "Look at yourself, you have no place to go." The guard's eyes now met Jack's. "You will die," Jack continued, "..unless…" Jack paused to see if he still had the guards attention.
"Unless what?" asked the guard in horror. "Unless you let us out," said Jack.
"But your like them!" said the guard. "No, we're not," said Jason, who the guard heard this time. This guard had been Jason's overseer for some time now, and he was well aware Jason and Jack were both far more peaceable than the other inmates. "You have no other choice," said Jack. The guard opened the cell doors. Jack stood in front of the scared guard, and motioned Jason in front of him. "Do what you must…" said Jack to Jason. Jason dashed down the hall, and as he turned a corned, dodged an attack, and then….
Time passed, a lot of time, and as Jason walked back to the cell where he and Jack stayed, he looked around him. Rioters lay everywhere. They had been fighting with themselves as well as Jason. Guards where tending to the wounded, and many of the guards were wounded themselves. Jason looked up to see a guard carrying an old man
on his back. The guard carried the old man's cane in his hand. "JACK!" shouted Jason as he ran to the old man. "He's hurt badly said the guard. After you took out those inmates we started making our way towards the guard post, but more inmates attacked us. Jack defeated them, but was unable to escape injury." The guard and Jason lay Jack down against the wall. COUGH! COUGH! went Jack. "I fear age.." COUGH! "..has won this time." He said. Jason said, "C'mon Jack! You'll be ok." Jack looked at Jason, and said,
"My boy, we both know I will not be ok." Tears started to flow down Jason's thought to be emotionless eyes. "My boy, you are special, and I expect great things from you. Please, do not waste what I have taught you. In my life, I never had a son of my own, and though I doubt I am anything like your real father, I am honored to call you son. Not because of your ability to learn, but because your heart is pure, and you don't belong here. You never belonged in a hell like this. I know, son, you will not disappoint me. I may be an old prison inmate, but never doubt…I loved you, my…son…never doubt…it."
Jack's energy ended, and his lifeless hand fell to the ground. Jason couldn't help but cry, as he took Jack into his arms and quietly said, "Goodbye, father…"
--
A couple months later Jason found himself in a courtroom. "Due to your good behavior, and the fact that you helped calm a riot without killing anyone, your now free to go. Your still on probation though Mr. Brent, but we feel like we do not need to worry about you"
Jason hugged his mom, and she looked at her son, "Your so grown now, so grown. You look so much like your father." Jason just looked at her, happy to see his mother, and said, "Can we go home?" She looked at her son and said, "Yes, yes we can."
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Well I hope you like the LONG chapter 3. I wanted the entire prison story in one chapter. I feel I covered all the points I was after, and I apologize about speeding out the ending, but I am excited about the next couple of chapters, and I'm sure after this a few of you will be too, just by guessing and stuff... I promise they will be worth it the wait.
-Genko