Divas Prison Ch48

"This is the Florida State Police! There is nowhere for you to go. Put down your weapon and come out slowly with your hands above your head!"

Paige stared out the window at the small army of police officers standing there, guns drawn, ordering her to surrender. She could feel herself start to panic, and her breathing got faster. She looked around the room and saw faces familiar, but yet strangers to her. But that wasn't her focus. She looked again at the police cars, the officers and their guns, and then at the gun in her own hand. In her other hand she still held the bag of rings, but she put it down on the counter.

She stood still as a statue, feeling unable to move as she thought about everything. She had never done anything like this before, hoped things would never get to this point, but somehow she knew exactly what her future held now. She thought long and hard about the humiliation of getting arrested and taken away. The despair that came with a court appearance and receiving what she knew would be a very long time in prison. The fear of arriving there, being locked in a tiny cell, in what would be disgusting conditions, given very little considerations by people who were there just to make sure they stayed in those bad conditions and make the time she'd spend there as traumatic as possible. And she wouldn't be alone, there would be others there too, the worst of the worst. Addicts, killers, who knows what. And they'd hurt her, they'd try and get something from her, even when she had nothing to give. There might be some who weren't, but that would take an amount of luck she hadn't enjoyed for a long time.

The officers repeated their order for her to step outside and surrender. Paige knew she had no time left. She walked straight out of the door and stood facing the officer, but she had yet to comply fully.

"Drop the gun! Drop it now and put your hands on your head!" Paige looked at the gun in her hand. But she didn't see a gun, she saw another option. A way out. She asked herself if it was the better option. Anything seemed better than surrender for some reason. She looked at the officers, looking for a way past, and began to run, firing the gun at the same time. She barely got two steps before multiple bullets pierced her body. She fell to the ground in extreme pain. Very quickly everything went bright white, then all black, and the pain was gone.


Paige sat up in a flash then laid back down. The mat in the solitary cell was better than the cold concrete floor, but not by a whole lot. She looked around, unable to understand where she was. It had been nearly two weeks she had been left in the worst conditions the prison had to offer. Bad food, no human contact, unpleasant conditions, and worst of all, nearly no sleep for the entire period. Paige had found quickly that calling out had no impact. She had tried calling to Becky but had no reply as they had no way of hearing anything outside their own cell. She had tried to sleep, tired to find ways to occupy both her time and her mind, but had found it a near impossible task. Her thoughts had gone full circle and her mind was starting to suffer from the lack of sleep. She had imagined everything that happened at the jewellery store this time, but she found it impossible to comprehend that.

She looked around the dirty cell, recognising it for what it was, but could not understand how she got there, or recollect anything that happened between the two moments in her life. She went to the door and started pounding on it.

"Hello? Is there anyone there? I need help! Someone help me!" She called out but there was no sign of a response, not that she could see out of the door. She went back to the mat and laid down, hopeful of some rest as she felt very unwell.


Finally there was some noise from the door as the key turned in it and the door opened. Paige looked around, having no idea who would be there. She expected someone in a uniform, but there was nothing that could possible have prepared her for the face she found herself looking at.

"What? What are you doing here?"

"Hey yo, is that all the thanks I get for coming to visit you?" The cell door swung closed again and suddenly the mans mood and expression changed dramatically. Paige suddenly remembered the last conversation she had with this man, which just made her more confused, which scared her more.

"Scott, please, you didn't need to come here?"

"Like hell I didn't. You talked didn't you. All I did was try to help you solve your problems, it should have been easy, and you blew it."

"It wasn't my fault. I did what you told me. But you never told me how quick they would call the police."

"So it's my fault you got busted?" Paige was made distraught by this exchange, she found it hard to fight back.

"No, I mean, why didn't you tell me what I was risking. Look what happened to me!"

"Oh boo hoo, poor little rich girl runs away from home and ends up in jail. You couldn't take it could you. You told them about me, didn't you. Didn't you!"

Tears streamed down Paige's face as she tried to talk. "No, I didn't I swear. I'm here because I wouldn't talk to them, they asked me if there was anything else to tell them and I said no. I said no! You have to believe me!" Paige stared at the anger in Scotts face.

Scott stood over Paige, appearing as though he enjoyed the power he had over her. "Why should I believe you. One word from you to the wrong person and you'll bring me down with you. Maybe you need a reminder of what will happen to you if you ever say a word against me, or even about me."

Scott pulled his arm back and brought it down with intent, connecting with Paige's head around her left eye. If she wasn't already on the floor, she would have been from the force of the punch. He pulled her back up by the collar and punched her again. Then a third time. Paige laid on the floor, barely able to see straight. Scott, rather than bend down to her, put his steel tipped boot into her stomach as hard as he could, gaining a satisfactory cry out from his victim. He enjoyed it so much he did it again.

After a few more shots, Paige's breathing became short and very wheezy.

"I think I have made my point. I'm sure you'll remember that. And if you ever rat on me, you'll suffer to the point you wish you were dead."

Paige felt like she already wished it, and rolled over to look at him.


Nobody was there. The cell was completely empty except for herself. Paige put her hand to her eye to check it, and found nothing, no swelling, no pain, no anything. She went to the door to check it, scratching away at the edges of the door, finding nothing to get a grip on, and the door was locked tight.

Paige found tears falling still, and her breathing felt just as shallow as it did when she took the kicks, but she didn't hurt. Nothing hurt physically, but she felt more confused as to what was going on. Nothing felt real, and everything felt real all at the same time. She needed to get out of the cell. She starting banging on the door again, hoping for someone to come, not giving up hope for as long as she could, but nobody was interested, or they couldn't hear her. But she kept going, until another voice rang out.


"Pathetic. You're an embarrassment to all of us." Paige looked up and was struck dumb but the red headed woman standing over her. She did her best to stay calm, but knew she couldn't held it together.

"Look at the state of you. I can barely look at you. Do you have anything to say for yourself girl?" The disgusted look she was faced with made her feel more and more sick every second.

"M...mom?"

"Oh, so you do remember who I am? So good of you, I thought when you walked out on us, you didn't consider us family, or me as your mother any more."

"No, don't say that. I had to go, it was the best thing."

"The best thing? Look at you! Look around! This is best?"

"No, I mean, I didn't mean for this to happen."

"What? You accidentally shoved a gun in an old mans face?"

"Not that, I, please stop yelling at me." Paige struggled to keep herself together, falling to her knees and looking up at her mother, feeling like a child again as her mother continued to shout at her.

"What? You can't possibly have an excuse for it."

"It was a mistake, I'm sorry. Please, I'm sorry!"

"A mistake? You were a mistake. I was so happy to have a daughter. But you. A criminal, a thief. You deserve to be right where you are. I'm happy you didn't come to us for help. I'd have called the police on you myself!"

Paige struggled to talk through her anguish and being talked to this way. "But you're my mom. I love you."

"You didn't love anyone but yourself. You could have come back anytime, but you thought this was a better option. You chose prison over your family. I hope you're happy with it."

"Mom, please..." Paige tried to find her words, but wasn't given a chance.

"Don't call me that. Not anymore. I m not having an armed robber for a daughter. You'll never be a part of our family again. You chose your path and you live with it. You can spend your life in prison and I couldn't care less. In fact you probably will. You're not welcome back in our family, you clearly can't support yourself and you are a bad thief. What will you get arrested for trying to hold up next? An armoured car? A bank?"

"No! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

"Don't give me that. You're a disgrace, to me, to your father, to your brothers. None of us want to see, or hear from you again as long as we live. Do you understand?"

"Mom, no. Don't do this to me. Please!" Paige tried to grab her mother and hold her, but fell to the floor.


"Kev, take a look at this." One guard called to another as he did a routine check on the inmates in The Lock.

"What? It can't be that interesting." Owens responded as he looked opened the viewing hatch that was kept closed most of the time so inmates couldn't see out.

They looked in and saw Paige lying on the floor, her head nearest the door.

"It looks like she's screaming, but I can't hear anything."

"That's the idea dummy." Was the response. "We don't want this inmates making a fuss. I know I'd raise hell if I got stuck in one of these cells for days on end. Can you tell what she's screaming?"

"It looks like she's screaming 'Mom'."

Owens head flew back in laughter. "Crying for Mommy is she? Good. That's the way it should be for them over here. It's not meant to be plain sailing. Maybe she'll fall in line now."

"But she looks in pain, do we need to get the doc over here."

"No chance, I'm not letting anyone on confinement thinking they can get out just because they aren't enjoying it. Let her suffer."

"Shouldn't she at least be going back soon? I mean, they sent the other one back already."

"Look Sami, that's not our call. If we are told to, we will take her back to her block, till then, as long as she's alive, we have done our job. Seth and Lana wanted her kept here longer, so that's what we will do. You can care about the inmates if you want, but that's not what we're paid for. We are here to keep them inside, and in line." Now come on, there's still others to check before our shifts over, if you like, I'll buy you a beer when we're done."

Paige had no idea about the conversation that took place right outside her door. It was unlikely that she would have been able to make sense of it. Nothing looked or sounded right to her. The room began to mean nothing as she laid there, nothing ever changing, or moving


.

Until she thought she saw something different. Something she had hoped to see. As always, the long orange hair was the first thing Paige noticed.

"Becky. Thank goodness. Are they letting us out of here? Please say they are." Paige sounded down, but hopeful."

"No, they aren't, not yet. They're letting me talk to you to say good bye."

Paige's mouth dropped in shock, but no words came out. "Goodbye? What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm not interested in having anything to do with you anymore. You can't do one thing I asked you to. I said I'd be by your side in anything, but only where it had to be done. And you brought a knife into our cell?"

"No. I didn't, I swear." Paige just got out, feeling like someone had a rope around her stomach and was pulling hard on it.

"Don't lie to me on top of everything. I didn't, and it had to get there somehow. I don't know what you were planning and I don't care. I tried so hard to trust you, but you couldn't do that one thing for me. I'm not having it anymore. We're..."

"No, Becky please." Paige pleaded with tears in her eyes. "Don't say it, I love you."

"Paige, we are through." Becky finished, with real disgust in her voice. "I wasted all that time on you. We wasted all that time on you."

"We?" Was all Paige could manage to get out at that moment.

"Yeah we, all the girls, Nattie, Emma, none of them. Even Summer isn't going to stand by you after this. I'll make sure of it. You have nothing left, and you deserve exactly nothing."

"Becky, why are you doing this? You said that you loved me. I love you more than anything. You're my reason to live, my everything." Paige knew she had to try the line that worked on Becky best, she was desperate to change her mind. But the expression on her face did not change.

"Well you're nothing to me now. I will be moving out of the cell as soon as I can, it better be before you get to come back. If not, and you say one word to any of us, you will regret it. I'm losing my temper just talking to you, so you know what that can mean if you make me angry when I see you next."

"You...you don't mean this. Becky, you're breaking my heart."

"Am I? Well, I can't say I care if I am or not. I'm going now, you won't ever come near me again. Do you understand." Paige couldn't speak by this point, her body going into a full panic and she struggled for breath.

"Answer me, or are you too stupid to grasp a simple instruction."

Paige could only nod as she now found it impossible to breathe. As she slumped to the floor again. Becky was gone.


"I told you she wasn't right." Guard Zayn told his partner, in annoyance as he sat Paige up and rubbed her back.

"Fine, here." Owens got a paper bag from his coat and passed it over. "It'll smell, I had a chicken salad sandwich in there."

Zayn put the bag to Paige's mouth and coached her breathing, without her doing anything to aid herself. Soon he had her breathing back, but she just laid on the floor, staring into space, tears in her eyes.

"This is crazy, I'm reporting this to Seth."

"Sami, he's on leave till Monday, you want to bother him at DisneyWorld with his family? Be my guest." Owens laughed at the accidental pun. "Look, Lana is heading the next shift, let her know, not that she'll care, and lets go already."

"All right, I'll meet you in the parking lot." Sami hurried back to report what he'd done.

"Get up." Owens returned days later, this time with Guard Langston.

"On your feet now inmate!" Paige barely moved, not wanting to acknowledge anyone else in the cell, she couldn't face it. This time however, there really was someone there.

"For crying out loud. Ok, cuff her first, then we'll pick her up." The guard found no resistance from their prisoner as they secured her. They stood her up, but she dropped to her knees again.

"Fine, if I could leave you here I would. Stand up or we will drag you." This threat of humiliation fell on deaf ears as Paige stayed on her knees.

"Have it your way, get her E."

"Me? Uh uh, this was your idea. You do it."

"Don't be a dick. Fine one arm each." They did just that and Paige was taken out of

The Lock at a far greater speed than she could cope with. Everything seemed a blur.

"Oh thank god." Natalya said, as she was the first person to see Paige come through the big doors that separated A block from the rest of the prison. Summer and Emma sat with her and turned.

Emma let out a relieved breath. "They should never have left her there so long. It wasn't right. Becky's been back nearly a week. Actually, where is she? I'm surprised she hasn't knocked half of us over to get to her."

"She went for a shower, I made her, she needed to stop staring at that door all day. I'm really going to be for it when she finds out she missed her coming back because of me."

"What's wrong with her?" Summer asked, getting them all to refocus on their friend, not wanting to stare while she went through the mandatory search. Paige had been freed from the guards custody and had taken a few steps through the block. She was clearly struggling, using tables to support herself, her legs wobbling like a newborn calf. The three watching didn't wait another second, heading over to her.

"Paige? What's wrong?" Summer asked, getting no response. Paige continued to make her way through the tables, making her way towards her cell on instincts alone. Summer tried to take her arm, but Paige pulled it away, nearly losing her balance in the process. Her head hung down, her black hair masking her face.

The final feet to her cell had no tables to lean on, but Paige tried to carry on. Natalya wasn't going to give her the chance to trip over her own feet. She put her arm round Paige to support her, but this only lasted a few steps, before Paige suddenly began to shake her off.

"It's ok Paige, let me help you." Natalya tightened her grip and got Paige into her cell and next to her bunk, but as soon as he released her grip Paige pushed herself away as best she could, which wasn't much. She rolled onto her bunk and faced away.

"No, you can't be here. She'll get mad, I don't want her to get mad. I don't want anyone to get mad." Paige talked into her sheet and towards the wall, which made her sound even less together than she already was.

"Paige, what are you talking about. It's me, it's Nattie."

"Nattie?"

"Yes, it me, it's ok."

"Nattie, why are you talking to me?"

"Why? Because I'm your friend, we are your friends."

"No, you can't. She'll hurt me, I can't take anymore pain."

"Paige, what are you talking about? Who hurt you?"

"Everyone. They all came and hurt me." Every sentence was a struggle for her It took her multiple breaths to get all the words out.

"Paige, you can't have had anyone hurt you. You've been on your own this whole time." Natalya looked back and saw worried expressions the same as her own.

"They all did. Friends. Family. Becky." The pain was evident in her Paige's voice, reaching a new high tone at the mention of Becky.

"What about Becky, Paige. She's been here with us. Listen to me, look at me, please." Natalya tried to get through, but Paige wasn't able to take it on board.

"She threatened me, said I wasn't to talk to you. Becky...she dumped me."

"What?!" Came the shriek from the door. Natalya turned to see Becky standing in the doorway, her mouth open in shock.

A/N: I hope this came across the way it was meant to. It all seemed real to poor Paige, but solitary confinement has played havoc with her mind.

Thanks for reading.

Whatever happens, #IStandWithPaige.