Night was long, the cell was cold and the unfamiliar surroundings and strange noises Carla heard kept her awake all night. The only positive had been that she had managed to offer her cell mate a little incite in why not to act all tough and try to mess with her. She wasn't going to let any youth petty criminal intimidate her or Michelle. They were grown women and they would stand their own in there, of that Carla was certain.
A few cells away Michelle was tossing and turning in her bunk, the sheet getting tangled in her limbs as she suddenly started to relive the events of the past. She envisaged herself struggling again with Frank. His laugh evil and callous as the roles were reversed and he pushed her down the stairs. Startled by the thud of her body landing in the nightmare Michelle bolted upright in her bed. She was dripping with sweat, scared by the vivid nature of her dreams and quickly patted herself down in some sort of reassuring movement. There was no way that bastard was going to haunt her inside, she wouldn't allow it he had caused enough trauma.
Michelle spent the rest of the night awake and shivering from the cold. The confines of the cell suddenly feeling very restricting as she came to terms with the fact this was her accommodation for the duration of her life sentence. It was an overwhelming realisation and was the first time since being sentenced that Michelle allowed herself to properly cry. She needed it and felt much better as morning finally came round and her tears started to dry up to nothing.
Carla woke feeling quite rested but only because a loud ringing bell disturbed her, which Jessica quickly explained was their wake up call. She confidently swanned about the cell getting dressed and ready for the day ahead as Carla sat up in her bunk and rubbed her eyes. In the mirror Jessica looked back to see Carla still sitting. As she scooped her hair back, slicking it down with heaps of grotty gel she continued to eye Carla. As she tided her long ponytail that was now neatly positioned on her head she managed to catch Carla's eye.
"I would get moving if I were you, screws are tight in this place. If you are not ready for breakfast you are going to get off on the wrong foot" she smiled at Carla. "Trust me you don't want that!"
Sitting down she smirked and giggled as Carla suddenly jumped around trying to get something to wear out of her bag of possessions. She hadn't been supplied with much and Peter hadn't brought any of her favourite garments in for her. Typical bloke she thought.
Carla was just zipping up her boots when their cell door came flying open and they were rather harshly ordered to get out. Tottering behind Jessica Carla followed hoping she would finally be reunited with Michelle but she was no where to be seen. There were hoards of unfamiliar faces instinctively staring at the new comers that they did not recognise. There weren't many newbies to be sussed out. Only Michelle, Carla and another girl had been bought onto this particular wing last night.
Looking around Carla began to realise that compared to everyone else she stuck out like a sore thumb. She looked much too important to be associated with most of the other inmates. The prison officers were still unlocking cells as they ushered out the girls into the dining area and shouted at them to form an orderly queue for breakfast. To Carla it smelt vile but in front of her Jessica seemed pleased with what was on offer for them all today.
At a table sat Michelle beside her, her timid and shy cell mate Amy. Carla noticed her straight away and wanted so much to call out to her but didn't fancy attracting attention to herself. Taking a tray she kept glancing over to make sure Michelle didn't disappear before she got a chance to catch her. She placed the plastic cup and plate she had been supplied with on the tray and watched as the grumpy looking server threw onto it one ladle worth of beans, two thin burnt slices of toast and a sausage. It looked as vile as it smelt and Carla had no intention of eating such muck. The next server sloshed some tea into the mug and sent her on her way.
She hurried to take her tray and get to Michelle, being careful to mind anyone else moving about quickly passed and round her. Michelle sat, digging at the stale cold food and pushing it around the plate with her flimsy plastic fork. She had completely lost her appetite.
"Tastes as good as it looks then" stated Carla as she placed her tray down on the table and quickly took a seat beside her friend.
The sudden appearance of her took Michelle by surprise and sent her heartbeat pounding. She hadn't expected to see Carla again so soon. She was glad though and gave her a friendly squeeze.
"I hate it in here 'Chelle" continued Carla before glancing across to see Amy and trying her best to give a weak smile.
"You and me both" replied Michelle glumly.
"This is Amy, how is your room mate?" she asked, introducing Amy realising it was rude not to.
Looking behind her Carla noted Jessica, she was sat at a table with a rather butch looking woman and seemed to be talking at rapid pace and kept eyeing over in Carla's direction. She stared for a minute and then returned to Michelle's question when the two of them caught her looking.
"Err yeah she was a bit full of herself but I made sure she knows who me and you are. Bigged you up a little bit, my best friend the murderer" whispered Carla.
"Cheers" stated Michelle.
Across the table Amy's eyes widened in shock. Michelle hadn't told her what she was in for and Amy like Jessica was only in for petty crimes. Despite looking innocent she had only stabbed someone unintentionally when trying to shop lift from her nearest shopping centre but she had only injured them and nothing more. Now she was sharing a cell with a murder and the news came as a shock to her.
Jessica and her friend noted Carla gossiping away with another rather posh looking prisoner and suspected this must be the 'murder' she had said about last night.
Jessica's pal suddenly got up and strode over to see if this woman she had just heard about from Jessica was worth all the hype. Suddenly appearing at the end of the table she stood with her arms folded and glared down at Carla and Michelle. Jessica hiding conveniently just behind.
"Can I help you?" snapped Michelle noticing her first.
"Yeah, you her mate?" said the butch woman sternly.
Carla's head flew round to notice Jessica straight away and she dared not say a thing. Michelle kept an intense gaze and stared at the woman. "Yeah, what of it" Stated Michelle as she rose from her seat preparing herself for further confrontation.
"You the murderer?" she asked loudly, looking around now aware that they had the attention of everyone in the room from creating a scene. Jessica's friend was clearly now having a go at asserting her authority. Her stature and demeanour somewhat menacing as she waited for Michelle to answer her .
There was a long pause of silence as Michelle looked around, slightly embarrassed that everyone was watching them and would have her pegged. There would be no blending into the background now. Michelle had never been one to back away from a fight and she knew how to stand up for herself. Looking quickly all around her she made sure everyone saw that she was a serious character and tried her best to keep a stern and threatening expression before looking back at Jessica and her mate.
"That's right, Michelle Connor." she stated firmly, making sure they all very clearly had heard.