Here is the next chapter. Let me know what you guys think. If you like I will keep writing with this story.

Chapter Two

Neal's first night in prison was long and sleep deprived. His mind raced with thoughts of what horrors awaited him in the days to follow. The sounds of the prison where mind numbing. Men calling out death threats to those who wronged them, cries of pain and fear from prisoners in distress from the violence they suffered, echoed through the hallways. There was a flood of emotions that resonated in the cold night air, anger, hate, betrayal, agony, torment. All emotions Neal feared. But in a place like this, they were emotions he knew he could not escape.

Morning came with more unpleasant experiences. The sound of the prison guards pacing the alleyway screaming while they beat their batons on the side of the cell bars. It would have served as a rude awakening had Neal gotten any sleep throughout the night.

Levi jumped from his top bunk onto the floor; his bitter face gave evidence that he was not a morning person. He grumbled out something to one of the guards just as he made his way passed their cell, just out of ear shot. He looked back at Neal who was still in bed consumed by his observation of what prison life was like. "Hey, Picasso! When the guards arrive, it's time to look alive. Got me?" He barked it out as if he was angry, but Neal understood it was him giving a prison tip.

Neal nodded his head and quickly stood to his feet beside Levi. Suddenly the cell doors all flung open simultaneously. Levi stepped outside of the cell and stood against the bars. Neal followed suit. He stood with his back firmly against the cold bars, his nerves were screaming inside of him, but he could not allow that to be seen. He slipped on a casual smile and then watched as all the other prisoners stepped outside of their cells and stood along the prison walls. Guards began walking up and down the aisles of criminals, their scrutinizing eyes poured over each individual man as they walked by. After the silent ritual was over, the guards began to lead them in a single file line into the dining hall for breakfast.

Neal followed behind Levi as he made his way to the breakfast bar. Levi was the only one he had met so far and he was pleased that the man seemed to be more tolerable that what he had envisioned. But Levi sensed Neal was tailing him, he quickly spun around and glared Neal in the eyes, "I'm not your savior kid, so don't expect any help from me. Scram!"

Neal was startled by the harsh tone, but he braced himself and slipped on his poised smile, "Don't flatter yourself. From the looks of your hand, you wouldn't be of much help to me anyhow."

Levi let a small growl of disapproval escape his lips. Neal stood tall to tower off the invisible threat, his bravery and boldness worn on his sleeve for the entire prison world to see. Levi huffed, and then turned his back to Neal as he proceeded toward the breakfast bar. Neal swallowed in relief that Levi backed off. But he knew his luck would eventually run out. If there was one person he knew best not to cross, it would be his cell mate, as that's the man he would spend the majority of his time with, without a guard present.

Neal managed to get through breakfast rather unnoticed. He had been assigned to work in laundry, thankfully there was not to many that seemed all that interested in him there. They all kept to themselves and served their time washing, drying, and ironing.

After the work day, they were escorted to the Rec. Yard. Neal looked around once outside and saw a group playing basketball to his right, the men looked rough, like those he knew not to tangle with. He then saw a man sitting on a bench by the fence, he looked to be younger than Neal, possibly early twenties. He did not have a threatening look about him however. Neal decided he would try to talk to him. Any information he could get out of him about anyone in the prison might give him an upper hand.

He walked over and casually sat down next to the kid. He smiled kindly, "I'm Neal."

The kid rolled his eyes, "Do I look like I care who you are?"

"Not really. But I figure I'd be nice and tell you."

"No thanks."

Neal sighed and looked back at the mean playing basketball. Another group playing cards at a table, it looked to be some kind of high stakes poker game. What they were betting was anyone guess, but Neal preferred to not know.

"Well hello Lovely." A man had approached the two. He was standing beside the kid looking down at them both.

The kid looked up and Neal saw him clench his teeth, "Just leave me alone Rocco."

"I wasn't talking to you my boy." The man slowly walked around the bench and placed his hand on Neal's shoulder, "I was talking to your friend here. The Fresh Meat." His smile was sinister. His dark hair was short and looked more like fuzz covering his head. His arms where littered with tattoos. His body was thick and strong looking. Neal cringed as the man dared to touch him. He felt his reflexes kick in and he bolted out from beneath the man's hand, "Never touch me again." Neal suddenly felt surprised himself at the forcefulness in his voice.

The man smiled largely, almost as if he were pleased about something, "Looks like we got ourselves a feisty one here boys." Three other men approached behind him, they stood still, the smiles on their faces almost looked uncomfortable.

"Name's Rocco. Listen up Lovely, with a face like that you need a certain amount of protection in a place like this. Now I can provide that for you." Rocco stepped closer to Neal, again raising his hand up to invade Neal's personal space; he gently tapped him on the cheek. "For a small price, that is."

Neal grabbed the man's hand and shoved it away from him. "No thanks. I can manage on my own."

Rocco licked his lips and smiled willfully, "Well, then, have it your way. But know this. I always get what I want. And now, I want you."

Neal took in a deep breath expanding his chest into the air. His body stance was unwavering. He was not week.

A loud horn blew in the distance, and Neal watched as the inmates rushed towards the fence. Neal turned and watched as the prison gates opened and a van drove through carrying other inmates. He stepped closer to the fence alongside the other men. Levi was beside Neal.

Four guards approached the vehicle and opened the back doors. Five men dressed in orange jumpers stepped out, their hands cuffed. Neal heard Rocco a few feet away issue out a disappointed grunt, "No fresh mean there, just new meat."

As the inmates began to return to their previous activities Neal looked at Levi, "Rocco called me Fresh Meat. What makes them New Meat?"

Levi turned and looked at Neal, his eyes trailed up and down him. "New Meat is someone who has been in prison before, just not this one. Usually a transfer. They're experienced. Fresh Meat, has never been in prison. A prison virgin."

Neal did not say a word. He turned and walked back to the young man who was still sitting on the bench. He sat down again beside him. "What can you tell me about this Rocco guy?"

The kid rolled his eyes and looked away from Neal, "Look out. Your on his radar."

"I take it that's not a good place to be?"

"Depends on the type of prison life you want."

"Where you ever on his radar?"

"Yeah. I was."

"How did you get off of it?"

He turned and looked at Neal and smiled, "You arrived." He stood up and started to walk away, then turned back around at Neal, "By the way, thanks for that. Names Ryder. Good luck, you're gonna need it."

That evening Neal laid in his bed again feeling lost in thoughts. He felt sleep evading him yet again. The ghostly sounds of the prison where back to haunt his imagination with unpleasant images. This would be yet another night that tormented his soul. He shifted in his bed, he pulled his flat pillow up around his ears trying to deafen the screams and yells of men that behaved like animals. But it only muffled the sounds, they were still bellowing through the halls of the prison.

"Picasso!"

Neal heard Levi call his name. He dropped the pillow and looked up at the bottom of the top bunk. "What?"

"What did Rocco say to you?"

Neal did not reply. He did not want to tell Levi what Rocco had said for fear that would make it real. Make it true. He just breathed through his thoughts trying to deaden the fear he wished away.

"That bad huh?" Levi's reply was spoken soft and it hinted with the slightest bit of concern.

"Yeah. That bad."

"You know. I thought you might have been able to skate by a little longer than this. But I think Rocco spotted you the day you got off that bus."

"You're probably right."

"You know, he wants you to be his puppet, right."

"Well he can keep on dreaming."

"You refuse him, it's not going to be pretty."

"I know."

"You prepared to face that music?"

"I have to pay my dues right?"

"Picasso, you got one crazy ride ahead of you."

"Any advice?"

"Yeah, don't cry."

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