All was silent in the court as the verdict for both Carla and Michelle was about to be revealed. Carla felt sick as she waited and Michelle wasn't feeling much better in the other dock. This was all getting very serious now, their futures were at stake. All of the evidence had been given, discussed and their lawyer had tried his best to destroy it but in light of everything the outcome looked bleak.
Nervously they glanced at each other as the judge asked for the first verdict.
"Could you please let us know the verdict, for the charges against Miss Michelle Connor? Please read these aloud to the court"
"Guilty"There were no gasps and it had been expected, what they were all waiting for was the result of Carla's convictions. There was no telling how it would go and so impatiently everyone waited for the verdict to be delivered.
"Could you please let us know the verdict, for the charges against Ms Carla Connor? Please read these aloud to the court" addressed the judge to the head of the jury.
After an agonising pause the head of the jury cleared his throat and looked the judge squarely in the eye.
"Guilty" was his answer and it rang loud and clear through the court. The gallery erupted in gasps and a shocked Peter who had been waiting to see if he would finally be reunited with his precious girlfriend couldn't breathe.
It was over both Michelle and Carla were guilty, the judge sentenced them to life imprisonment. Michelle charged with Frank's murder and Carla as an accessory. There was nothing either of them could do as the officer's minding them re-cuffed them and went to take them down. Carla looked up desperately to Peter, tears in her eyes and it just destroyed him.
When morning came they were moved. It wasn't a long journey to the prison and as they waited in the queue to be allocated onto a wing and although now separated by only a few people they prayed they'd be on the same wing. Neither of them had been to prison before but they had heard stories and knew it was not a friendly place to be. You needed someone to watch your back and together they could do this for one another.
A surly warden was stood behind the desk, robbing them of any banned possessions and issuing them with what they could keep of their belongings. It was a long process and it was hours later that Michelle and Carla finally found out where they would be accommodated for the foreseeable future. It wasn't long before they discovered they weren't going to be sharing a cell together or having one each of their own. Instead they were thrust in with others and they were not accustomed to such treatment.
Carla's cellmate was a chavvy girl with a long dark ponytail, she was tall and thin and in fact looked just like a trashy version of her in a tracksuit jacket and skinny jeans. She stared at Carla, posing with her hand on her hip and twirling the end of her long hair in her fingertips whilst her over glossed pink lips chewed on some gum to the point it made Carla cringe. She didn't look friendly and her eyes followed Carla as the warden forced her further inside and slammed the door shut behind her.
She jumped in shock at the noise created and then span round to try and stop it from happening but her reaction was delayed somewhat as it had already happened. It gave her cellmate the opportune moment to judge Carla's character and she smirked smugly as a frightened Carla turned back around and pressed her back up against the door protectively. She felt intimidated by the girl and didn't know what to do now.
In Michelle's cell it was a very different story, she just got on with it strode in, let the door slam behind her and stood her ground confidently. Her cellmate was nothing like Carla's, she seemed timid and shy but welcomed Michelle like they were old friends. Michelle was tired and looked it, bags under her eyes and a harsh expression on her face. Not friendly looking at all. She plonked herself down on her assigned bed and kept quiet. She wasn't much in a talking mood.
A few cells away Carla was officially in hell. Dressed in boots, tight black leggings and a long tunic with a fancy jacket she looked as business like as she seemed. Jessica, her new roomy was sure she'd been landed with a rich bitch and from her experience they were usually easily intimidated and easy to manipulate. This one looked just like the kind she could eat alive. Stepping forward she approached Carla and offered out her hand. Carla took it hesitantly foolishly mistaking it for a welcome and found herself snatched forward and pulled in close to Jessica.
"I'm in charge in here, get that" she stated firmly.
Carla nodded and kept quiet, she wasn't about to go arguing with a stranger that she knew nothing about, especially not a criminal one. It was going to be a long night she thought as Jessica let go of her hand and hopped onto the top bunk, lay back comfortably and looked directly at her.
"Well don't just stand there, make yourself at home" snapped Jessica rudely.
Carla snapped to and walked to sit on the bottom bunk. It wasn't comfy like her bed but she supposed it was going to have to do. The cell was small and cold and she felt very claustrophobic trapped inside with this awful girl but just because she was quiet and shy tonight didn't mean she was going to stay that way. She was boss and no twenty something tart was going to put her in her place for long. Just when Carla thought they were done and she'd finally get some peace there was the loud sound of heeled boots slamming down on the concrete floor as Jessica jumped down and appeared at the side of Carla's bed.
"So, what's ya story?" she inquired with a twinkle in her eye.
"Accessory to murder" stated Carla coolly and with some pride wanting to show the girl she had guts.
It wasn't what Jessica had expected to hear, that was a serious crime unlike her own. Her new cellmate was obviously a dangerous one. She herself was only in for petty crimes of shoplifting and assault. Jessica liked to act tough but Carla could see she was shocked. Now was time to reverse their roles.
"My best friend was the murderer" Carla whispered, sitting up and leaning in close to Jessica. She saw the fright in the young girls eyes and widened her own to deliver her punch line. "and…she's in here too"