Chapter Three

Cell Mates

It's been two weeks since Richard has arrived to Seablite. The days all have the same schedule. Be let out of the cell at eight after the beds are made. Breakfast is served right away. Meet up in the dive room at quarter after eight and suit up for panning. Dive into the water at eight-thirty. Pan for black pearls until quarter to twelve. Lunch is served. Try to get some sleep while on break. Dive back into the water to continue panning at quarter to one. Come back in at three thirty and take a shower in the medical showers. Rest until dinner is served at six. Be locked in the cell once again for the night at nine. Repeat cycle until released.

The only up sides to his stay here are the weekends. No work on either Saturday or Sunday. But the guards still expect them to learn. There is no schooling here. Richard is just fine with that he never really liked school to begin with. The guards patrol the hallways running along the cells as they keep the boys on track. Richard and Peter received two self-teaching books. The books are about learning sign language.

"What's the point of learning this again?" Peter asks and tosses his book aside.

"The guards already told us," Richard answers. "It's so we can understand what they are trying to say to us when we're panning."

"Because the Liquigen doesn't allow us to speak, right, I remember now."

"Give me the letter 'A.'" Peter lies down on his bed and holds up his first with the thumb on the side. "B." He unfurls all of his fingers and holds them up straight all of them together.

The cell door slides open, interrupting their little learning session. Richard looks up from his book and sees someone standing at the entrance of the cell. The guard shoves the boy into the cell and the bars slide closed after him.

The new boy is probably Peter's age. His unruly black hair is sticking up in odd places and a smile defines the dimples on either sides of his face.

"Looks like you guys are my cell mates," he says and steps away from the cell door. Richard stands up but Peter continues to lie on his bed.

"Name's Richard," he says and holds out his hand to the new boy.

"Eli," he says and shakes Richard's hand. He looks towards Peter. "What about you, pretty boy?" he asks.

Peter looks up at Eli and gives him an odd look. Richard answers for him. "That's Peter." He climbs back onto his bed and sets the open book on his lap once again. "You either get top bunk above Peter or lower bunk beneath me. Take your pick." Eli takes the bed above Peter. Peter rolls his eyes and passes his sign language learning book to Eli.

"We're learning sign language," Richard explains. "You'll understand why we're learning it soon enough. Just read over the words and try to memorize the alphabet."

"Gotcha."

"Peter, give me 'C.'" Peter raises his hand and curves his fingers to form the letter C. And so the lesson continues both ways. The alphabet is easy to master. Richard already has the alphabet memorized which means he'll be able to form words no problem. But that doesn't mean anything. Words still have their own sign. That's what the rest of the book contains, an endless supply of words and their actions.

Eventually the cell door slides open. It's dinner time and Richard is excited to get out of the cell. He may not like panning but it's better than being locked in a cramped cell all day long. His hands have formed multiple blisters which have long since popped and caused him a lot of pain. Eventually the blisters healed over, leaving his hands rough and calloused.

He sits down at his usual table spot and picks up his fork to tuck into the dinner of fish, potatoes, and vegetables. The same stupid meal he's always served at dinner. Peter and Eli arrive and take their places as well. He notices that there are more inmates in Seablite. Each table has at least one or two new inmates sitting there. The prison is growing.

"So what did they get you in for?" Richard asks and shoves a steamed carrot with his fork.

"Stealing," he answers proudly. "I stole lots of stuff and I don't regret any minute of it."

"What'd you steal?" Peter asks without looking up from his tray.

"Lots of things," he says. "Wallets, watches, rings, necklaces. You name it. What about you guys?"

"A lady screamed at me when I pulled out a knife in self defense," Peter says. "She screamed so loud it was like I actually stabbed her." Eli looks to Richard for an answer.

"I guess we're all a bunch of thieves then," he says and pokes the fish. "I stole space."

Eli nods, like he understands this whole situation. "I've heard of that. Apparently it's a big deal when you live in one of those Commonwealth boarding homes."

"You lived in one?"

Eli nods again. "Got no parents so yeah, I lived in one."

Peter leans over and whispers to Richard, "I think we can safely assume that everyone here is an orphan. I haven't met anyone who actually has parents."

Richard looks up at all the inmates. He has noticed that none of the boys seem devastatingly sad about coming here. He guesses that they've all been through too much to be shaken up about coming to a place like this. Maybe Peter is right. Maybe the inmates are all orphans.

"So what goes on in a fine prison like this?" Eli asks and scrapes off the remaining bits of food off his tray.

"Ever heard of black pearls?" Richard asks and Eli shakes his head. "Well we pan for them. Outside the prison there's this giant muck pit. You stand knee deep in that stuff for hours at a time, digging muck and sifting for black pearls," he says in a bitter tone.

"It's not fun if that's what you're asking," Peter adds.

"That's what we do every day during the week. On the weekends we learn sign language. Other than that this prison sucks the life out of me." Richard rubs his forehead and pushes his tray away from him. "One piece of advice, kid, keep your head down and do as you're told. Life might not be great here but you can at least try to make the days go by a little faster." Richard looks up at Eli who brings his gaze down to the table. He sighs. He just broke the kid's spirit and he hasn't even been here for a day yet.

He dumps off his tray and walks back up to his cell for the night. He stares at the small picture of his little sister. How many times has he found himself staring at the picture? Too many times to count probably. It's the one thing that gets him through the days. He likes to think that his sister is doing well without him. She's a strong, courageous kid. She takes after him, of course. Maybe Ms. Spinner is being nicer to her now, with him being in prison and all. It's almost too good to hope for that Ms. Spinner would be nicer to Gemma.

After getting ready for bed, Richard hops up onto his bed and slips underneath the blankets. Peter turns off the light as Eli settles in his own bed for the first night he will spend in Seablite. Tomorrow is Monday. That means they'll be going back to the dull pattern of the prison. He looks at his hands in the dark. With the faint light coming in through the bars, he's able to make out where the blisters used to be. He rubs his hands, feeling how rough they've become. He's only been here for two weeks and already he wishes he took more precautions to prevent being caught by Ms. Spinner. He doesn't regret a moment he and Gemma spent in those quality time rooms. Those moments spent in those rooms are unforgettable and he won't trade them for anything in the world.

He can't sleep either. That's another thing he's noticed since he arrived here. He can't sleep at night. He doesn't know if it's the creaking prison, the feeling of impending doom, or the constantly sore back and hands but whatever it is, he can't sleep. He stares up at the ceiling for long periods of time, waiting for the exhaustion and sleep that will never come.

After lying in bed, he kicks off his blankets and climbs down from the top bunk. Peter and Eli have long since fallen asleep so they won't wake up any time soon. He stands near the bars and looks around for the guards. Only two are patrolling the cells and they don't seem very into their work either. They talk in hushed tones, leaning against the railings. He looks in the other direction and can't seem to find any more guards. He assumes that they are all back in their rooms for the night, taking it easy and enjoying themselves.

One man does appear though. From the looks of it, he's a doctor. He wears the traditional white coat of one. His dark hair is combed back and dark stubble of a forming beard hasn't yet been shaved. He walks up to the relaxing guards. They straighten up before his presence. Richard listens intently but he can't seem to make anything out. The guards speak to the doctor intently. The doctor seems disheartened with their news but he walks off, leaving the guards alone.

Richard retreats back into his cell where he stares out the viewport window. It's too dark to see anything out there but still it's better than looking at the endless expanse of stack cities. He rather likes it. Maybe he should live subsea after he leaves Seablite. It would be an interesting experience. A new life, a fresh start. He takes in a deep breath. We'll see when we get there, he thinks.

Two hours later, Richard still can't sleep. He knows he should try to sleep for panning tomorrow but he can't. Peter shifts in his sleep and rolls onto his side. Richard leans against his bed posts and closes his eyes.

"Richard?" he asks. "What are you doing up?"

"Can't sleep, Peter," he answers. "Can't sleep and I don't think I will tonight."

"Something bothering you."

Richard shakes his head. "Nothing is. I never really can sleep in this place. Go back to sleep. I'll be fine."

Peter rolls over again and faces the wall. Soon, he's fast asleep once again. Richard sighs and climbs back up to his bed. He closes his eyes, hoping that his body would take the hint and go to sleep already. Hopefully this not sleeping thing won't last long. He can't take much longer of it.

Eventually he does fall asleep even if it is for a few hours. It's better than nothing. Eli learns quickly to make his bed. Then Richard points out that the guards won't let them out of the cell if his corners aren't tucked in.

"Well if you don't want to go panning for black pearls," Eli says, "then just don't tuck in your corners. The guards will keep you in here and you won't have to be stuck in muck. Problem solved."

"You don't get it, Eli," Peter hisses and shoves him back towards his messy bed. "The guards have Tasers and harpoon guns. They'll make you make your bed one way or another." Eli frowns but reluctantly complies with the request and straightens out his sheets.

Peter is the first one out of the cell. Richard walks beside Eli. "Don't take it personal, kid," he says. "Peter's a little bitter about being here. Stay with me and I'll make sure you'll be fine." Eli smiles a little and nods.

After breakfast, Richard leads Eli to the dive room where his own locker is set up by all the others. Richard explains everything to Eli in detail just like the Warden explained to him on his first day. Eli understands everything perfectly and takes off his prison jumper to get his dive suit on. Richard does the same.

He stands on the edge of the moon pool and waits for the guard to lock the shackles around his ankles. Eli stands beside him with his dive helmet in hand.

"Remember what I said about the Liquigen?" he asks his new cell mate.

Eli nods. "What are you waiting for?"

"The guards," he answers. He stands there for a moment more until the guard arrives and locks the shackles around his ankles. Eli looks down and frowns. "Welcome to Seablite, kid," he says and bites down onto the tube and sucks in the Liquigen. He adjusts his helmet and jumps into the water.