"Shit, shit, shit!" I'm stood in the middle of the corridor, mentally debating with myself what I should do. A part of me just wants to get the hell out and return home to my family, but the other part of me is aware there are also people behind those metal doors that I care about and from the various sounds I'm hearing – they could be in a lot of danger right now.
"Fuck – I'm sorry Bridget, but I can't just leave them." I say out loud, to know one other than myself.
"Here goes nothing." I again say out loud. I start to make my way towards the set of large metal doors, key card in hand. I don't see anyone at all so far, I swipe the key card and let myself in to the restricted area, where all the cells are. I can hear yet more screams and people shouting – I can also start to smell smoke, which must be coming from the yard like Bridget said. As I turn the familiar corner on my way to H2, women I don't recognise run past me, heading in the direction of the yard. I approach my former cells and I feel instantly relieved when I see Liz and Boomer.
"Liz, Booms – what the hell is going on?" I ask them as I walk closer.
"Franky? What are you doing here? It's not safe!" Boomer yells at me.
"I know that Booms, I was in my office but heard screams, I couldn't just leave – is it true they've taken guards as hostages? Who's behind all this?"
"Apparently they have, not sure who though. Juice and her crew – she just made a surprise move on Bea, no one seen it coming – but it's gotten so far out of hand." Liz says to me.
"Shit – right okay, and where is Queen Bea then? She in the yard?"
"We don't know Franky; we didn't want involved this time around. Booms is up for parole and I'm getting too old for all this carry on!"
"Okay, okay – well I need to go help, try and do something at least – it's carnage in here! I think I'll check the yard – you guys either stay here or if a guard comes follow them outside to a safe area okay? Fire seems contained in the yard for now, but who knows how long that'll last."
"Be careful Franky." Boomer says, with a worried expression on her face.
"Yeah, you've got that wife of yours and that beautiful little girl to think about – don't go being the hero this time around!" Liz warns.
"I know, really I do – but they're my friends now as well – Vera and Will, even Red, I need to make sure they're okay." I say, beginning to walk away.
"Okay, watch yourself Franky." Boomer says as I disappear from sight.
As I near the yard, the smoke gets thicker in the corridors, it brings me back to that night with 'The Freak', where Bea and I saved Joshua, then subsequently Bea saved my life. I finally reach outside and there's really only one word to describe the scene – chaos. I was involved in many prison fights, and on occasion a couple of riots, but I've never seen anything on this scale before. The yard is much emptier now than it would have been earlier, most people have probably bailed to escape the flames. Trying to see through the thick smoke is hard – I can hear a chopper overhead – then suddenly, my eye catches a familiar figure in the distance, I spot Bea, it looks like she's kneeling next to someone, trying to lift them maybe.
"Red, Red! What the fuck is happening?" I scream as I run the best I can in her direction.
"Franky! Why are you here? The class finished ages ago!" I get closer, stepping over mattresses, shelving and other things that have been used to burn.
"I had a session to help with parole appeal-'" Holy shit.
"Red! What the fuck, is she okay? We need to get her out of here!" I scream at Bea when I realise the person on the ground is Vera.
"I'm trying Franky, have been for a while now but only make it so far – I think she's hit her head and probably has smoke inhalation as well." Bea says
"Shit! Right, I've got my key card, let's try and move her to one of the emergency exits over the other side of the yard, might be able to get out if we head through the admin block."
"You and Vinegar Tits friends now or something?" Bea asks, clearly surprised by the state I'm getting myself in to.
"Well, her and Will are practically god parents to Olivia, that's why, Bridget and I are really close friends with them Red."
"Huh, okay fair enough, come on then – you grab one side, I'll grab the other and let's move as fast as possible to that gate, okay? No messing around with these maniacs running around."
"Yeah, let's aim for that gate there, it's closest – if we at least get to the opposite side of the fence we'll be in the walkway – hopefully no one's breached that yet." We lift up Vera and run as fast as possible to the gate, I have my key card in hand, getting prepared for once we reach it. We are within about ten feet when I feel a searing pain in my side, I try to ignore it and focus on the task in hand, my legs start to wobble a bit, but we make it to the gate – I swipe the card – nothing happens. I repeat the process five more times until finally we hear the 'click' and are able to push through it. The gate shuts behind us and we drop down on to the ground of the walkway, that connects different parts of the prison – and on a good day should be prisoner free.
"Wow shit, I really didn't think we were gonna make it for a minute back there! I don't even know what all this crap is Franky, I wasn't prepared, none of my girls were – no one's made a move in so long, guess I got a bit complacent but shit that was intense, glad you turned up when you did, I must say!"
"Red-" I say through gritted teeth.
"Franky? What the? There's blood on your jumper, did you get hit?! Shit, let me take a look." With Bea's help I pull up my jumper and tank top up for her to inspect the wound. I hear her let out a small gasp.
"Shit, you've been shived, it looks quite deep, but judging from where it is – I don't think it'll cause major damage, you'll be fine okay?" Bea tears a part of her t-shirt off and uses it to hold against by side and instructs me to keep it there.
"I think it just looks worse Franky-" suddenly we hear my phone vibrate in my pocket, I signal for Bea to answer it, since I'm now trying to stop the blood loss myself.
"Hello – Franky's phone." Bea says upon answering, then puts the phone on speaker.
"Oh hello, this is Bridget – Franky's wife – who is this?"
"It's Bea, Bea Smith. I have you on speaker phone, Franky is right here, we just got caught up in a little something and we're taking care of that right now. We have Governor Bennet with us as well, she has a head injury and possible smoke inhalation, we'll be moving soon out of the yard walkway, towards the admin buildings and then hopefully through an exit there. Can you make sure there is medical assistance on standby Bridget?"
"Gidge, I'm okay – I should be able to help Bea carry Vera out of here, I'll be fine okay sweetie? I just have a little flesh wound, nothing I can't handle. Make sure you do what Bea has said, I love you but we need to go now." I hear her take a deep breath on the other end of the phone.
"Okay – yes, I will – I love you too, please be careful – all of you. I can't lose you Franky." I start to feel my emotions get the better of me as well.
"Bridget, I won't let that happen – you have my word, okay?"
"Thanks Bea, okay you all be safe, I'll be waiting for you Franky." Bea hangs up.
"Think you'll be able to help carry her? We need to get out of here and to medics asap." I pull myself up, it hurts a lot but to be fair, I've probably had worse.
"What's a little stab wound, eh?" I say, again clenching my teeth.
"Let's go then." We pick up Vera again, this time making our way towards the administration block, I swipe my card through each gate and metal door as we go, thankfully it still appears to work.
"Did you see Will at all?" I ask Bea as we walk.
"I saw him briefly just after it all kicked off, he was in the yard – think he was evacuating inmates or something, I'm not sure."
"Shit – well let's just focus on her right now, if he was doing that and went outside there's a chance he wouldn't be allowed back in to help." We're now nearing an emergency exit used by staff.
"Through that way Franky, look I think she's starting to come around." I watch as Vera's eyes start to open ever so slightly.
"Vera, can you hear me? It's Franky – we're getting you to safety, okay?" Her eyes find mine and I smile at her.
"Franky? What? Where?"
"Hey, try not to talk or move too much, we think you might have a concussion." Bea says, Vera looks at her – surprise on her face when she realises the person helping me.
"That's us almost there, after this door we should reach the external fence."
"Looks like both are already open for us." Bea points out. Not a minute later we emerge from the prison – immediately putting Vera down once clear of the building, both gasping for breath.
"Holy shit – why always us Red?" I say, panting and trying not to pass out from the increased amount of pain I'm now feeling.
"God knows Franky! Someone must think we make a pretty damn good team." I nod in agreement.
"Can we get help over here! Come on – we need medics now!" Bea yells – I look around for the first time and notice the hundreds of pairs of eyes that are now on us. Then I notice the familiar faces of Liz, Boomer, Doreen and Will.
"Will! Will, get over here!" I shout as loud as I can manage.
"Franky! We thought you left – oh god, what happened, Vera? Are you all okay?" Will crouches down next to us.
"Yes, Franky and Bea saved me, I'd be dead if it wasn't for them." Vera says, weakly.
"Thank you both so much, we didn't know who was still in – it's crazy right now, I'm just glad you're all okay." Will says, before leaning down and kissing Vera's forehead.
"Franky! Franky! Out of my way – I need to find my wife!" I hear this coming from somewhere behind me, just as the paramedics start to swarm us.
"Bridget – she's over here!" Bea calls out for me.
"Oh thank god! Don't scare me like that ever again Franky, I thought we were going to lose you." She is carrying Olivia, rather awkwardly in her arms as she tries to get close to me.
"Give Olivia to Bea for a minute baby, I want a proper hug from my wife after that." Bridget looks to Bea expectantly, she seems reluctant at first – but let's be honest, who could deny having a hold of my daughter?
"Okay, I've got her. Hi Olivia – well aren't you just as cute as the photo I saw of you." Bea says to the baby, as Bridget is now able to carefully wrap her arms around my waist, avoiding the injured area.
"I'm never leaving you, you're stuck with me forever Gidge, both of you are."
Okay, so this is the last chapter I have typed up for now. I'm in the process of moving house, but will try and get more out soon. Again, thanks for reading and the reviews, all much appreciated!