Hellbound

Chapter ThirtyNine

Today's the day. I hadn't slept all night, the nap from yesterday only just holding me over. I focus extra hard on doing up the button's on my pants, my jittery hands making it hard to work them into the holes.

I take a deep breath as I smooth over my shirt and head into the kitchen.

"Morning mum" I greet as she twirls a spoon in a coffee cup.

"Morning honey" she looks over her shoulder at me "are you alright? You look ill, maybe you should call in sick" her face turns into a worried frown.

"Thanks mum" I snicker and roll my eyes.

"You know that's not what I meant" she says as she wraps her dressing gown tightly around her waist. "Don't push yourself, you can't be sick for tomorrow" she warns. Right, the wedding.

"I'll be fine mum, just had trouble sleeping" she accepts my answer as I chomp down a piece of toast.

I bid mum goodbye as I leave for Hellbound. Dad left for work earlier this morning, before either mum or I woke. I do a circle around my car, checking for any new damage. It's become a daily routine every time I go to get in my car. Nothing new today, it's one worry off my back.

Even though it's 9am when I walk through the doors of Hellbound, it's oddly quiet. I look back through the glass doors, the usual amount of car's fill the car park but the normal chatter of guard's that normally fills my ears can't be heard.

"Quiet today" I make the remark to the lady at the window as I sign in. She hums; her face almost solemn.

"Ah yes, it's death day today" she mutters.

"Death day?" I question. Had someone died over night? Had there been an incident?

She looks up at me as she hands me a pen "someone on Death Row's time is up" she explains.

"R-right" I stutter as I finish signing in and bid her a good day. The thought of Death Row had completely flown over my head. I had never been there, I don't even know where it is and I doubt anyone would willingly choose to work in there with those inmate's.

Even the inmate's are oddly quiet as I walk into the Rec Room, the usual hollering being swapped for quiet muttering. I wonder breifly if any of these inmate's had any contact with the death row inmate, is that why they're so filled with sorrow?

Josie and Colin greet me as I enter the tower.

"Ready for the big day?" Josie questions quietly. I look past her at Colin and note he has his headphones on.

"No" I shake my head as I scan through the computer, hoping to find something new about Hex's hearing but find nothing, only things I already knew.

"Want me to be there? I can get in the room somehow, say I'm security or something" she offers, I give her a grateful smile.

"No no, it's okay, you have other things to do. I'm sure everything will be fine" I reassure her. I double check Colin is still occupied by his computer as I lean closer to Josie. "On night shift the other night" I whisper to her, she nods for me to continue "I think Colin knows something is up" I admit.

"How?" she asks, her brow pulling together.

"I may have gone to see Hex and I think he saw on the cameras, they were open when I got back" I cringe, knowing I shouldn't have taken the risk while Josie wasn't here.

"Poppy!" she hisses and bumps my shoulder.

"I know, I know, I had to see him before the hearing" I say. She nods in understanding.