Carla had been lurking in the shadows under the staircase and had watched Jessica enter Michelle's cell. She observed her to as she had left and had watched the entire time they had been inside as her mates had stood guard. Although Jessica had emerged looking as immaculate as she had when she had entered, Carla knew something had happened. She waited until Jessica had gone back to being surrounded by the gang and then crept out from where she was hiding. Then trying not to be seen crept over to the cell and slowly pushed the door open not knowing what she expected to find.

She was horrified to see Michelle, cowered in the corner some blood trailing from her nose and dripping onto her top and she had her arm wrapped around her stomach as if trying to compress some pain. Michelle hadn't noticed Carla come in until she gasped at the site of the state of her. Michelle's eyes were wide and wary as she slowly turned and looked up to see who had entered. She was relieved to see it was Carla and not Jessica back for more and started crying. Her vulnerability shining out like a beacon of warning.

Carla rushed over to her, crouched down on the floor and pulled Michelle into her arms. She let her weep and sob into her chest as she tried desperately to comfort her. She knew this was Jessica's doing and didn't need to ask but she vowed revenge, when they were alone later she was definitely going to teach the younger a lesson. How dare she do this to Michelle. Carla comforted Michelle until she began to calm down and slowly peeled herself away from Carla's chest to sit upright.

Michelle felt so embarrassed, she was such a mess and hoped no one else had seen her like this as they passed by. She didn't want people to think she wasn't as tough as she looked or came across. Carla reached up and wiped away the tears that were running down Michelle's cheeks as she smiled at her. Everything was going to be ok, they just had to stick together and watch each other's back, never leave one another alone. How hard could that be, they would make a pact.

Amy innocently came into the cell, not expecting to find Michelle and Carla huddled upon the floor. She too gasped at the sight of Michelle and the blood all over her face. Her eyes were wide and she suddenly seemed scared, but what of neither of them knew.

"What happened?" asked Amy her voice shaky and quiet.

"Jessica beat her" answered Carla in a sad voice as she looked to Michelle.

"Come here" stated Amy as she opened out her arms and wrapped them around Michelle. Just a gentle squeeze and then she got back up and hurried over to the basin where she grabbed a flannel and began to wet it. "We need to get you cleaned up before someone sees you in this state" explained Amy as she rushed back over and gently started to wash away the drying blood from Michelle's face. As she did she looked at Carla and advised further.

"They take fighting so seriously in here and they will make you tell if they notice you have been in a fight. You are powerless then, once branded a snitch the chances are you won't make it out alive"

That statement frightened both Carla and Michelle but they continued to listen to Amy as she explained further. Amy had been inside for a few years now and had learnt just to keep her mouth shut, head down and nose clean. No trouble meant no problems. She started to tell them both the tale of a girl who had been inside only a few months ago.

"So Lily, she was a nice girl, quiet like me. We were friends until one day that Jessica was looking for recruits for their 'gang'. For some reason they targeted her but she wasn't interested and she started getting bullied by them. One of the officers asked her one day how she got a cut on her cheek and she told them. We all thought it dead brave of her but Denzy took revenge on her..." explained Amy as her eyes widened and she got buzzing about telling the story.

"What happened?" asked Carla bravely, curious but not sure she was going to like what she heard.

"Well, she was out there one day when Denzy got her on her own. Denzy has a lot of mates in this place and managed to get a knife from the kitchens. She used that to murder Lily, dug the knife deep in her stomach and twisted it, leaving her to die in her cell. It was horrid and still upsets me" explained Amy as she started to weep.

"That's awful" gasped Carla.

"I know, she's so dangerous, please don't get involved with her" she cried as big blobs of tears ran down her cheeks.

"Think it might be a little too late for that" stated Michelle as she pulled herself up from the floor now that Amy had finished cleaning her up.

"Oh I hope not. Get some make up on that, no one will ever notice" she offered with a smile.

Michelle smiled back, she felt even more sorry for Amy now. No wonder she was so quiet. A silence fell between them all and they could all hear the officers coming round for lock up. Michelle darted into her bed, not wanting to be seen and Amy made herself busy tidying up and trying to wash the blooded flannel in the sink. The door to their cell opened and an officer glared at Carla.

"Lock up. Come on Connor. Out!" he yelled.

Carla smiled at Amy who mouthed 'be careful' to her as she left. Amy knew she was about to be locked in with Jessica for the night and didn't want to see her looking like Michelle come morning. The prison guard practically pushed Carla along to her own cell after slamming and locking the door to Michelle's. There was no going back now, she had to spend the night with Jessica who she now resented and try not to kill her or be killed herself. With a face like thunder Carla stood just outside the door and the guard had to literally push her inside.

The second the door slammed shut and she heard the key turn she felt panicked. Taking a deep breath she tried to calm down and went to sit on her bunk. Jessica was already on hers, chewing gum noisily and listening to what Carla could only describe as ghastly music on her little stereo. She took herself straight to bed and prayed Jessica wouldn't start talking to her because she didn't know how she would react. As she lay in her sheet, blocking out Jessica she couldn't shake what Amy had said. That poor girl and her mind started to run wild, what if that happened to Michelle now. As she started to imagine the worst and upset herself Jessica jumped of the top bunk and crouched menacingly at the side of Carla's mattress.

"Alright?" she snapped.

"Yes" replied Carla as sociably as she could.

"That friend of yours, not as tough as she looks is she?"

Carla shrugged, was that a question or a statement she wondered but she wasn't going to answer it.

"You tough n'all are ya?" quizzed Jessica, obviously fishing for information.

"Might be" stated Carla sarcastically as if challenging the girl.

"Lets see what ya got then" said Jessica as she made a grab for Carla and dragged her up out of her sheets.

Carla tried not to let the fear she was feeling overwhelm her, showing signs of weakness to Jessica would only confirm how vulnerable she was. Jessica practically dragged her from her bed and slammed her back into the far wall. She took a tight grip on Carla's face, spanning her hand across her chin and digging her fingers and nails painfully into Carla's cheeks. Anxious Carla didn't know what was going to happen but she feared she might come off with injuries similar to Michelle's. Jessica didn't have a plan, she was just feeling tough and brave and having taken on one of these two today she figured that taking both of them would get her no end of recognition where Denzy was concerned. She clenched her fist and hesitated for a second before delivering a blow to Carla's stomach.