Surviving Fox River | Prison Break

Chapter 1

I fixed my long curly black hair, which was in a bun, and smoothed out my form fitting pantsuit.  A knock sounded on the bathroom door.

"You've been in there long enough. Let's go." The officer that was assigned to me called out and I looked at myself one more time before exiting the bathroom. He grabbed my arm and took me to the where I would be entering the courtroom.

"Melanie?" I turned around to see a woman in a suit walking towards me. My eyes lit up as I recognized her.

"Veronica!" I rushed to her and embraced her. She had her dark hair framing her shoulders and her green eyes were crinkled with worry. She hugged me back and gave me a once over.

"Mel, why?" She asked, tears clouding her eyes. I bit my lip and stepped back, suddenly ashamed. I grew up with Veronica and disappointing her was the last thing I wanted to do.

"You wouldn't understand, Ronnie. I, uh, I had to do it." I explained the best I could. She sighed and rubbed my arms.

"Good luck, hon." She said, kissing my cheek. I almost teared up as she walked away, but I pulled myself together because I couldn't show that I was weak. A man walked up to me with a brief case and smiled.

"Are you ready?" He asked and I frowned.

"Ready for what?"  I glanced at the officer beside me, but he didn't seem to be fazed by this stranger. He looked suspicious to me, but I didn't say anything.

"I'm going to be representing you today." He said, looking at his watch. I was taken aback.

"Um, no you aren't. I'm representing myself. I specifically told them that I didn't want a lawyer." I said, narrowing my eyes. He shrugged and looked at his watch again. "Who are you?"

"Paul Kellerman and that's what they told me. Now, let's go see what your sentencing is going to be." He led me into the court room and all eyes turned to me. The jury sat to the right and whispers floated across the room. I held my head up high and even smiled smugly at a few people. They looked away quickly, as if my gaze could kill them. I slid into the seat and my "lawyer" stayed standing.

"Melanie, you have been charged with the murder of Jackson Parker and a plethora of others." the judge started. I crossed my arms and laughed.

"A plethora is an understatement, your honor." I said snarkily. A gasp went through the courtroom and the judge frowned. She composed herself before continuing.

"Are you saying there are others that you have killed?" she asked.

"Don't answer that." Paul whispered. I decided to listen and just smiled. Of course there were more that I killed, but I did not want the death penalty. I liked being alive too much to die by the hand of the government. This went on for about an hour before she banged her gavel.

"The jury will make their decision and we will return in an hour. Court dismissed." She gave me a stare before leaving and I turned to Paul.

"I don't know who sent you or what you want with me, but you need to leave. Now." I ordered, standing up and walking out of the courtroom. He followed after me and grabbed my arm when we were out of earshot.

"We need you alive and frankly, you admitting to the countless murders you've committed is not a part of our plan, so if you--"

"We? Our?" I yanked my arm away and stepped back. "You're a part of them?" He opened his mouth to speak and a wave of anger washed over me. "It's you guys fault that he's dead! Because I wouldn't do one thing for you!" He tried to speak, but I wouldn't let him. "I would never murder somebody just for you to pin it on an innocent person!" I yelled, stabbing my finger on his chest.

"Well, you ended up becoming a murderer anyway." He said nonchalantly and that was what made me snap. I charged after him and my fist collided with his face. This caught him off guard because he stumbled back, clutching his face. I couldn't control the anger that took over my body as I kicked and scratched, even when the guards came and took me off of Paul.

"I will kill all of you!" I screamed, flailing against the guard. Another guard came and tasered me, a jolt of electricity going through my body. A metallic taste hit my tongue and I slumped against the guard, feeling paralyzed for a second.

"What's going on out here?" I heard someone ask.

"She attacked her lawyer. What do you want us to do with her?"

"Cuff her and keep an eye on her. She's volatile and unpredictable." The guard nodded and dragged me to a bench, slapping cuffs on my wrists.

"Move one inch and we won't hesitate to shoot." The guard told me.

"You've probably never handled a gun before." I commented lowly, chuckling. I saw his face turn red as he walked away. I leaned back and closed my eyes, just wanting the day to be over. I guess I dozed off because next thing I knew, I was being shaken awake.

"Get up. It's time." I opened my eyes slowly and Paul's face came into view. The left side of his face was swollen and it looked bad. Why was he back? His dark grey eyes rolled upward as he took in my reaction. "Yes, I'm still here even though you pummeled my face in. Now let's go." I sighed and stood up, hands still cuffed in front of me.

We walked into the courtroom and like last time, all eyes were on me. The jurors stared at me as if I were a monster, and to be honest, I probably was. I felt no remorse for what I did and I would have continued if I didn't get caught. And I wouldn't have gotten caught if it weren't for the betrayal.

"Melanie, you have been charged with first degree premeditated murder of twenty individuals. Because of the malice shown in the murders, you have been given life in prison, with no possibility of parole." The judge said. I started laughing, knowing this was going to happen. The judge frowned and Paul looked down at me, confused. "I know I am not supposed to say anything like this, but Melanie, you are a monster. Killing those people for no reason and laughing about it? You should feel--"

"How should I feel, huh? You think you know everything and because I've murdered insignificant people, you think I'm a monster." I said, standing up. "Let me tell you something. Every single one of them deserved what they got and if I had a choice, I would do it again and again and again. They deserved every stab, every bullet, and every punch I threw their way." I hissed.

"You will be serving your sentence at Grey Hound Penitentiary, a female maximum security prison." She continued as if I didn't speak. I started to get angry, knowing she was going to treat me like any other criminal that came in the courtroom. As if I wasn't human.

I slammed my hands on the table in front of me. "You can send me there all you want, but mark my words. The minute I step in there, I will kill every single person in sight. Starting with the guards, ending with the warden." I threatened. "I can add you to the list if you want." I added, smiling maliciously. She gasped and her hand flew to her chest. The courtroom was abuzz and the judge fainted.

"Melanie, you better hope they don't give you the death penalty after this." Paul murmured, running his hand over his low cut hair. I sat down and shrugged. Some guards came and took the judge away, carrying her gently. They should've knocked her head on the door on the way out, I thought.

"I don't care anymore. You guys have already taken away the most important people in my lives. What happens to me doesn't matter anymore." I said, staring up at the ceiling.

"Well it does to The Company. We have plans." He said and I snapped my head in his direction.

"What?" I asked, even though I heard him clearly. He turned to me and raised his eyebrows.

"We need you alive. That's all you need to know. Everything else will fall into place." He said, eyeing the new judge that walked in. The new judge was a male and he gave me a death stare when we made eye contact.

"Because of the threat Melanie poses to society AND to the women at Grey Hound Penitentiary, she will be serving her life sentence out at Fox River State Penitentiary, the all male maximum security facility. Thank you." He banged the gavel and my heart dropped to my butt.

This was not what I expected.