Chapter 2 #2
A male guard was standing by a locked door that opened onto a small concrete yard. There were bleachers all around and a large, horizontal, nautical-looking wheel raised on a pole, its four metal handles thick and long.
‘You four on the wheel, the rest on cannonballs,’ he ordered.
Scarlen stared blankly at the guard, clueless to what that meant, but Dionne guided her to the wheel and placed her between two handles.
‘Hold on with both hands and start pushing it around when the guard says.’
‘And the cannonball thing?’
‘Up there,’ said the guard flatly.
Scarlen noticed people sitting on the bleachers, passing a cannonball to each other. Each person only free from holding a ball for ten seconds before another was passed along.
‘You stay silent out here, Smithson, or it’s the dark cell for three days.’
She lifted one finger slightly, unsure if that much was allowed. ‘Erm, what if I need to go to the toilet chamber, sir?’
‘Raise a hand, but you won’t be allowed for the first hour, so always make sure you go on your way here.’
‘How long are we out here for?’
The guard, Mr Kane, frowned. ‘Didn’t you get a timetable?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Wherever it says jobs, you come here.’
She was still confused. ‘I don’t understand what the purpose of this is.’ She tapped the wheel, noticing pretty-boy was more interested in his fingernails than her.
‘It’s punishment, Smithson. In case you haven’t noticed, you’re in prison.’
‘But what does it teach us?’
‘Not to fuck up in the future,’ said the blond lad in front of her. He tugged the sleeve of his green t-shirt as though it irritated him. ‘And it’s not only fledglings they get doing this shit. Just another form of punishment.’
‘Yes, well explained, Temple. Perhaps next time you’ll think before trying to make your own mead in the kitchen.’ Mr Kane glanced around, making sure no one was talking, then bobbed his head at the wheel. ‘You lot can start.’
The wheel moved before Scarlen was ready, the handle behind shoving into the base of her back, shifting her forward. She gripped her own handle and started walking while staring at all the high grey walls surrounding them. If only she could remember how long jobs lasted.
An hour had passed of slow and boring steps round and around in silence until Mr Kane told them to stop.
At last, she’d get to sit for a while, at least have some water, but no.
All he did was reach for the middle of the wheel and tighten the black screw there with some sort of star-shaped key.
She figured it had loosened from all the pointless movement.
‘Start,’ he said, then went back to leaning against the side of the barred door while yawning.
The wheel was a little harder to turn, and Scarlen dug her heels into the hard ground to help her push, but still it remained stiff, so she raised a hand.
‘What, Smithson?’
‘It seems to be a bit stuck, sir.’
‘I know, that’s the point.’
‘You tightened the screw on purpose?’
He looked at her as though she bored him. ‘Keep pushing.’
She met Dionne’s gaze as Dionne glanced over and mouthed, ‘Screws.’
So that’s how the guards got their nickname.
Yard time came next, and what a relief it was to use the toilet chamber, have some water, and flop onto the bleachers in the recreation grounds, even though it was another concrete yard.
This one large with a corner for basketball, occupied by Flames, on first and only glance.
High mesh fences separated Green and Amber, with a narrow walkway in between, patrolled by a guard on occasion.
Some people were playing cards on the few tables dotted around, while others huddled in groups, no doubt catching up on their shitty day.
‘I think my shoulders have died.’ Dionne groaned as she rested her back on the bench above Scarlen.
‘We’ve got to do that again later.’
‘We’ll be on cannonballs then.’
‘Sounds better.’
‘Isn’t.’
A whistle shot through the air, followed by a warning from a guard, gathering attention for a moment, and that’s all it took to notice it was Bear who had placed his fingers in his mouth to make the noise at Scarlen.
Dionne put her head back against the bench. ‘That means he wants you.’
‘I know what it means, but he can fuck off.’
Dionne’s eyes were wide with concern as she straightened. ‘Look, I have no idea what you did to piss him off, but let me tell you, he’s not the type you piss off. So, go make some peace. Just be careful.’
‘I’m not doing what he tells me. I don’t even know him.’ She could hardly explain any more than that. ‘Anyway, look. Wynter is talking to him now. Perhaps he can claim her instead.’
‘She’s his little sister.’
Seriously! ‘I made friends with her.’
Dionne didn’t see the problem with that, but she wouldn’t, because she didn’t know the story. ‘Wynter’s nice. Not to mention cute.’
Wynter’s brother is a kidnapper of princesses.
She stole a glance at the siblings deep in conversation before turning away.
‘Bear, what are you doing?’ snapped Wynter through clenched teeth.
He gripped the fence, eyes across the yard at Scarlen. ‘Both Judd and V had their sights set on her.’
It was clear Wynter wasn’t buying that. ‘Since when do you involve yourself with anyone in here? You know we have to stay focused now I’m in Two.’
‘We’ve still got a few months to go, sis.’
‘Oxley is due to hang in five months. We don’t have time for games.’
The fence almost bounced as a solid brown arm leaned against it. ‘Someone mention my name?’ Oxley raked a hand through his fine, bright purple hair, obsidian eyes sparkling with mischief.
‘Bear claimed a fledgling Green.’
Oxley turned to his friend. ‘I heard. Wanna talk about it, bro?’
‘Nope. Just felt sorry for her.’
Both Wynter and Oxley furrowed their brows, Oxley running his hand across the long scar on his right cheek.
‘Well, I think she hates you,’ said Wynter. ‘I know I would if someone claimed me.’
Raven came over, all smiles for his fiancée. ‘What’s with the scowl?’
‘Ask my brother.’
‘Oh, is this about the claim?’
Oxley tutted. ‘Can’t believe I missed it. That’s what I get for taking my time in the shower.’
Raven frowned, looking half amused. ‘You know you’re the only one allowed to take their time in the shower.’
One side of Oxley’s mouth quirked. ‘Mr Kane likes me to.’
Wynter clenched her fists. ‘Forget Mr Kane’s fascination with Ox’s ass, you need to talk Bear out of bringing people into our group.’
Raven peered over her head at Scarlen. ‘She’s tiny, like you. How much trouble can she be?’ His wink at Wynter was slow and seductive, causing her to narrow her eyes in a mock glare.
Oxley chuckled.
‘Be serious for a moment. We can’t have her hanging around.’ Wynter looked at her brother, but his gaze was still firmly on Scarlen.
‘You want me to feed her to the monsters, Wyn?’
‘Of course not.’
Sighing heavily, Bear met the concern in his sister’s expression. ‘She reminded me of you, that’s all, and I opened my mouth before thinking.’
‘You have never in your life opened your mouth before thinking.’
‘True,’ added Oxley, earning him a quick glare from Bear.
‘Does it matter? We’ll be gone soon, and by that time, Judd and V will have moved on to someone else.’ Bear tipped his chin up. ‘I’m pretty sure she’s not the type to want to join a gang, anyway.’
‘We’re known as Rebels. She’ll think we’re a gang, like everyone else does around here.’ Wynter huffed, folding her arms. ‘I wouldn’t mind, but it’s only us four in here they call that name.’
Bear flashed a roguish grin. ‘Looks good I’m expanding then, doesn’t it?’
Raven agreed. ‘He has a point. We don’t want to start looking weak.’
Wynter pulled down the neckline of her sweatshirt and tapped the white Ring hanging low around her neck. ‘We’re shapeshifters, and some think our kind are demons. We hardly come across as weak.’
‘I can’t undo it, and she’ll stay away. I saw nothing but pure hatred in her eyes, sis.’
Oxley dramatically cleared his throat. ‘And that’s exactly what’s marching this way.’
Bear watched Scarlen stomping towards him, her sage-green eyes narrowed, lips pursed, hands clenched. ‘Give us a minute, yeah?’
Oxley and Raven walked away, but Wynter dug her heels in, showing she wasn’t going anywhere.
‘I found out what claiming means,’ were the first words out of Scarlen’s mouth. ‘And you can fuck all the way off if you think you own me.’
‘Feisty.’
‘No one owns me. Get that through your thick head.’
Bear held the slightest grin. ‘But I’ve already booked family time for us, Scars.’
She stuck up two fingers at him and stormed off.
‘Bear,’ Wynter warned.
‘What? She wound me up. I’m doing her a favour, and she’s all …’ He cursed under his breath as he dismissively waved a hand her way.
Scarlen plonked herself next to Dionne. ‘What is family time?’
‘An hour on Sunday for family members to sit together in a room for a chat, give each other a cuddle, that sort of thing. We’re not allowed visitors in here, but if you have family here, even in Red, you can hang out like they do with visitors in the adult prisons.
’ She waggled her eyebrows. ‘And if you happened to be married, engaged, or in a serious relationship, you’re allowed to go into one of the side rooms for sex. ’
Scarlen quickly looked over at Amber yard, but Bear was gone from the fence. ‘Sex?’
‘Yep. Lucky bastards.’
‘Bear told me he booked family time for us.’
‘That’s because he claimed you. In his eyes, you’re his girlfriend now.’
Scarlen glared once more at Amber yard, her mouth gaping at the audacity while her heart beat erratically and a streak of sweat lined her neck.
She had never been so grateful that the general’s daughter had taught her how to fight, because Bear kidnapper Vyer was about to meet his match if he thought for one second she would fuck him.