Magi_monk
Super-Earth
- Joined
- May 4, 2010
Guilty. The words rang in her ears even now, along with the hushed gasps that swept the court room, broken only by her mother's distinctive sob. Three sharp raps of the gavel and all fell still again, awaiting the Judge to hand down his sentence. She was only a girl, eighteen tender years of age, the security officers on either of her easily towered a good foot above her 5'4" frame. Those vivid blue eyes tore themselves from the floor to gaze up at the hard faced old man that sat high and above everyone else, cold eyes staring back at her.
He hadn't cared that her record had been pristine up to that point, nor that she had provided crucial information that had aided in the capture and imprisonment of her previous so-called partner in crime. There had been no allowances made for genuine remorse displayed or the honest of her testimony. The sentence was harsh, to set an example, and not only had Kesi's mother in hysterics but caused a number of the jury to call out in protest. It made no difference.
Three years in Harkin Penitentiary, the roughest and most infamous prison in the land. It had been designed as an impenetrable fortress, from inside or out. The reinforced concrete walls were six inches thick and seven meters high, casting a perpetual shadow over the grey prison blocks. Eight guard towers stretched even further above the walls, each fitted with a high powered spotlight and manned constantly by officers on a four hourly rotation. The facility was vast, stretched over two hundred and fifty acres and divided in two somewhat slightly unequal halves – the smaller of the two housing the female convicts and the larger, the men – the two kept distinctly separate.
It was suppose to be a facility of rehabilitation and punishment, a means through which to protect the greater community. Regardless of the intentions for which the prison was originally built, the reality has strayed far from the mark. Rather than being a deterrent to crime, Harkin has become a safe haven for it, a breeding ground for the lowest, coldest and meanest criminals in the land.
A shrill buzz sounded down the corridor, the metal gate springing free and sliding back to permit entrance to the two guards and the newest addition to Cell Block C. Wolf whistles and catcalls echoed down about her, faces peering through bars at the fresh meat, smirks and dark eyes set in hardened expressions. A firm hand fell upon the girl's shoulder, forcing movement from her reluctant feet as she was pushed across the threshold, sending Kesi into a light stumble before she caught her balance. Eyes remained cast down, cradling her few belongings against her chest as she was led down the line before being brought to a stop in front of a particular cell.
"Open on cell nine." Another buzz and the bars rattled back to produce a doorway into the cramped space. The blonde held back, wide frightened eyes skittering over the traditional bunk bed, sink and toilet before coming to rest upon her cell mate. Orange fabric hung about the girl's slender figure, perhaps a size or two higher than she really required, the material crisp and barely worn - brand new. Long golden strands were gathered back behind her head, secured in place with a plain hairband, a set of sky blue eyes staring out at everything with trepidation.
A firm shove sent her stumbling into the cramped space, metal grating against metal almost immediately after to bar any escape, trapping her within the small room. "Make nice, ladies." The clang of the lock snapping into place sent a chill down the girl's spine, swallowing back the nervousness that rose up to choke her.
He hadn't cared that her record had been pristine up to that point, nor that she had provided crucial information that had aided in the capture and imprisonment of her previous so-called partner in crime. There had been no allowances made for genuine remorse displayed or the honest of her testimony. The sentence was harsh, to set an example, and not only had Kesi's mother in hysterics but caused a number of the jury to call out in protest. It made no difference.
Three years in Harkin Penitentiary, the roughest and most infamous prison in the land. It had been designed as an impenetrable fortress, from inside or out. The reinforced concrete walls were six inches thick and seven meters high, casting a perpetual shadow over the grey prison blocks. Eight guard towers stretched even further above the walls, each fitted with a high powered spotlight and manned constantly by officers on a four hourly rotation. The facility was vast, stretched over two hundred and fifty acres and divided in two somewhat slightly unequal halves – the smaller of the two housing the female convicts and the larger, the men – the two kept distinctly separate.
It was suppose to be a facility of rehabilitation and punishment, a means through which to protect the greater community. Regardless of the intentions for which the prison was originally built, the reality has strayed far from the mark. Rather than being a deterrent to crime, Harkin has become a safe haven for it, a breeding ground for the lowest, coldest and meanest criminals in the land.
A shrill buzz sounded down the corridor, the metal gate springing free and sliding back to permit entrance to the two guards and the newest addition to Cell Block C. Wolf whistles and catcalls echoed down about her, faces peering through bars at the fresh meat, smirks and dark eyes set in hardened expressions. A firm hand fell upon the girl's shoulder, forcing movement from her reluctant feet as she was pushed across the threshold, sending Kesi into a light stumble before she caught her balance. Eyes remained cast down, cradling her few belongings against her chest as she was led down the line before being brought to a stop in front of a particular cell.
"Open on cell nine." Another buzz and the bars rattled back to produce a doorway into the cramped space. The blonde held back, wide frightened eyes skittering over the traditional bunk bed, sink and toilet before coming to rest upon her cell mate. Orange fabric hung about the girl's slender figure, perhaps a size or two higher than she really required, the material crisp and barely worn - brand new. Long golden strands were gathered back behind her head, secured in place with a plain hairband, a set of sky blue eyes staring out at everything with trepidation.
A firm shove sent her stumbling into the cramped space, metal grating against metal almost immediately after to bar any escape, trapping her within the small room. "Make nice, ladies." The clang of the lock snapping into place sent a chill down the girl's spine, swallowing back the nervousness that rose up to choke her.