AFRAID OF NOTHING

(Thunder)

Through the small cell window at the top, he could see it. The fact that it was about to rain. Lightening moved around the sky scaring most people because they thought that there was going to be a huge storm. Many of their cells had become wet and damp because of it making them fall sick. The prison wardens didn't care at all. If they were sick or dying.

“ Aren't you not afraid? The thunderstorms are getting louder." One of the prisoners asked as they looked at him.

What did he have to be afraid of? He had been locked up away for 11 years. His heart had slowly turned into stone along with the time that had passed by. Scoffing at the prisoner had asked him, he knew that the same would happen to him very soon too.

“ Help! Someone is having an allergic reaction to the cold. Please bring us some blankets." He heard one of the prisoner from another cell yell on the top of his voice.

No one would come. No matter what hardship you were going through, no matter how many times you were going over the edge and almost falling, no one would ever ocome for you.

“ Help! He might actually die." The prisoner said trying to gain the attention of the prison warders.

“ Here. I don't know if it'll help you become warm but, its all I have. Don't bother yourself. They won't come here. They are most probably asleep by now so don't waste your strength. Does anyone have a diphenhydramine injection? Or an epinephrine injection please?” Jake asked as he placed his face out talking to the other prisoners.

They could only depend on themselves. No matter what crime you could have committed or no matter how evil you are in the morning, no one ignored an emergency call.

“ I have some epinephrine injections. My mother brings them for me so that I don't die in this crazy place.” One of the prisoners answered from the farthest hall.

Soon, they began to work together. Passing the injection across the room, they did it until it had gotten to the person that needed it. Watching them quickly remove the cover, Jake searched his bag while they administered the injection. He had given out his newly knitted blanket out but he didn't care. There was nothing he couldn't fight.

The next morning, the prisoners were let out of their cell. The duty roaster would be placed on the wall before they came out so all they had to do was to go and look at it to see what their duties were. Coming out of his prison cell, Jake went to where people were gathered. They immediately gave way for him because they knew him very well. He wasn't one to be messed with. Of course it didn't mean that he had anyone backing him, it just meant that his good deeds had paid off.

Hallway duty.

Getting his cleaning equipments out, he came to the hallway and dropped his bucket. Hallway duty was just as hard as doing the bathroom duty because of the rain. They knew the ceiling was leaking therefore, the entire place would be flooded. Luckily, there were seven people on the duty. They would be able to finish fast.

“ Can I have a word with you?" Jake heard one of the prisoners ask making his eyes narrow.

Following him into a dark corner, Jake looked around to make sure no one was following him. Sometimes, everything could be suspicious. You had to stay alert when you are alone and be vigilant when someone requests you to follow them.

“ What do you want? You have to be fast. I don't want the others to do all the work." Jake said as he looked around the corner they had come to talk.

It was where some people came to smoke when they didn't want to be caught by the guards. The entire place was full of cigarette butts and the smell of the place was stale.

“ Can you help me? I need help and I don't know who else to talk to. Alejandro and his men. They keep on harassing me and this time they even did this.” Jake heard the prisoner say as he turned around showing his back.

Many terrible things happened in prison. Some of them could be because you were better off than others, some could be because you are weak and don't want trouble. No matter what the reason is, you shouldn't fight back. Fighting back could cost you your life and anything more precious than that to you. Because of the people locked up here, had connections outside.

“ Alejandro? What did you do? No. No matter what you did, this is too much." Jake said as he looked at the long red line that was going from his neck to his waist.

His wound was surely caused by a cigarette. They had used a cigarette to draw a line down his back. The wound was not healing well and little boils were forming on the line making it look hideous.

“ I thought about telling the warders but, I know it won't help me. Will you help me? You're my last hope and I don't know what to do." Jake heard the prisoner say as he cleaned his tears.

“ Is this all they have done to you?" Jake asked as he clenched his hand into a fist.

Shaking his head, the prisoner removed his trousers showing the same thing down. From the inside of his thighs down to his feet had the exact same line.

Few seconds later, Jake came out heading down the hall. He wasn't heading to meet Alejandro. Opening the door at the right side, he entered inside the room closing it. The place was different from the other prison cells around. The walls had been painted nicely and the bed in the middle was nearly arranged. At the corner was a long grey chair and a small table matching it's color.

“ Figlio. What brings you here? You don't look very happy. It's been long since someone made you mad. That's very hard to achieve.” The old man asked.

“ Godfather, you are right. It's been very long since someone made me mad. It's Alejandro this time. You know I don't like looking for trouble. This time, trouble came to me." Jakr said in a serious tone making the old man sitting by the table stand up.

“ Tell me. What did he do?” He asked.