JAKE'S PUNISHMENT

Chapter 51 - LAWFUL CUSTODY

Daylight came at last, it felt like the night had gone on forever. Jake and Danny both managed a few hours of sleep in the cells at the police station. When they were abruptly woken up and taken to the front desk it was so that the sergeant could inform them that they would both go to prison on remand for murder

''Man, you should let Jake go, he's been kept as a prisoner already. Just let him off on self-defense for goodness sake'' Danny protested ''The poor guy has suffered already''

''The decision is made, you must both go on remand until you go to trial, you are both charged with murder!'' came the terse reply. ''You are both in very serious trouble and both of you are looking at life sentences''

The sweatbox, that's what they called it. Inside the van which escorted prisoners to prison from court and police stations. Inside the van, there were tiny separate boxes with a seat and once the prisoner is inside this box they are locked in and all they can do is sit there while the van drives to the destination, sit and wait and think. There isn't much to do to distract yourself, the tiny blacked-out windows don't offer much of a view since it's very obscure. Anyway, it makes it worse when you can sit there and watch the outside world and know that you won't be part of it for a while. You see people going about their business as usual and there you are inside this wretched box. Freedom is right there, you can see it, it seems so close, and yet it's a million miles away at the same time.

Jake had spent months thinking of the time when he would escape from the Hawksworth prison, of course, he never ever imagined it would be like this. So here he was in one of the most bizarre situations. Sure he was finally free from Alex and Lorraine and Donald but he was still a prisoner. How can someone gain their freedom but still lose it again at the same time? It seemed to Jake like it was irony at its most twisted and in a way it was actually quite funny. Indeed Jake found himself laughing while he sat in the sweatbox on his way to prison. On his way to lawful custody. Danny was also on board in a separate box, they were both going to the same prison and they were both grateful for that at least, they wanted to stick together.

When they arrived at the prison they were taken into the reception area and Jake noticed the smell. A bit like the smell inside a hospital or a school. Any sort of institution where you get a ton of people crammed in together and you can smell the bleach or whatever they used to keep it clean. But nothing ever beats fresh air and you just don't get that inside an institution.

Jake and Danny were put on the remand wing and put in a cell together ''well I'm glad we're sharing at least'' Danny said ''Yeah same, I am glad we can stay together, we need to support each other now'' Jake told him ''I'm sorry this has happened to you'' Danny said sadly, it just doesn't seem fair somehow. You should be free today at last, not still a prisoner''

Jake smiled and decided to look at it positively ''Well at least this time I'm in lawful custody'' he said ''it has to be better than what I had before right? in here there are rules and we do have some rights and some protection. We get to see our families and we get to go in the yard and socialize and make friends. Not saying it will be fun or easy but compared to what I've come from it must be an improvement.....''

They were interrupted by a large bald-headed warden who stormed in and demanded they stand up at once ''you do not sit when you speak to me!'' he told them aggressively ''I am Officer Reynolds and I am a senior officer and I think all you prisoners are scum ok. I believe in punishment for prisoners, never make it too easy for them! you pair of scumbags will soon learn about the regime here and you will learn the rules very fast or else you suffer the consequences, do you two worthless scumbags understand all that?''

''Yes'' Jake replied

YES, WHAT?'' Officer Reynolds bellowed in his face

''yes Sir?''

''YES CORRECT, YOU MUST BOTH ADDRESS ME AS SIR AT ALL TIMES, YOU GOT THAT BOYS?''

''YES SIR!'' Jake and Danny both said together

''GOOD NOW GET YOUR LAZY STINKY BUTTS OUT INTO THE EXERCISE YARD ON THE DOUBLE, YOU WILL BOTH HAVE 1 HOUR OF PUNISHMENT EXERCISE SO THAT YOU WILL BOTH BE TOO TIRED TO CAUSE ANY TROUBLE LATER...GET MOVING ON THE DOUBLE!''

Jake and Danny ran to the exercise yard where they were given an hour of harsh punishment exercise by Officer Reynolds. For Jake it was just like being back with Alex at the house, being screamed at and made to suffer. Officer Reynolds was just as mean as Alex was, the only difference between them was that Reynolds was wearing a uniform and had permission to do it. Later on back in their cell, their muscles ached all over. They both lie on their beds and moaned in pain every time they had to move a muscle ''That Reynolds asshole is going to be a nightmare'' Jake said ''it will be just like being back with Alex again''

At dinner time the two of them went to the canteen and joined the queue. They felt very nervous now. A room full of male prisoners, many of which looked very mean and tough, and them the new boys, the new meat. They could see all the other inmates staring at them but were far too scared to look at them back, so they stood head bowed and avoided eye contact. A few of the prisoners were whispering and laughing, at them they assumed. Finally, they reached the front of the queue and got a meal. They went to sit down and started to eat something that looked vaguely like it was supposed to be pizza but it was tasteless ''this food is shit, even back at the house I was given food with more flavor than this'' Jake said ''it is really chewy too, this food is shit!''

Another prisoner. a young muscular guy with a shaved head and tattoos suddenly came and sat beside them. Danny looked at him and thought he recognized his face from somewhere.

The prisoner stared at Danny and Danny felt very uncomfortable, the prisoner looked very angry and hostile. ''You're Alex Hawksworth's brother Danny ain't ya?'' the prisoner said ''Yeah.....'' The prisoner smiled and showed a set of yellow teeth ''I thought so, well did you know that your asshole of a brother owes me money? He owes me £1k man!''

''No I didn't know'' Danny replied ''I am very sorry that he owes you money, my brother was always in trouble with people. I'm sorry to tell you that he died last night so it doesn't look like you will ever see your £1k again, I really am very sorry''

''He died?'' The prisoner looked delighted by the news ''I would say I was sorry but I'd prefer to dance over his grave, I hated him''

''Fair enough...'' Danny felt nothing for Alex now and wasn't about to get upset or defend him. He already knew he had a lot of enemies anyway ''all I can say is sorry about it, it's a shame you won't get the money he owed you''

''Well its no problem at all really'' the prisoner said with a cheerful smile ''I'll still get my money you see because now I'll take it from you instead''

''From me? but where will I get £1000 from, I don't have the money''

''You'll just have to find it then won't you or else I'll torture you. I have a lot of mates around here, they will help me''

''Where the fuck will I find £1000 from in here?''

''I don't know but you'll have to find it or else....I'll give you a bit of time, a few days and then I'll be coming for you and if you don't have the money then the punishment begins''

The prisoner stood up and walked away leaving them alone again. Danny looked very upset ''Can you fucking believe this?'' he said to Jake ''Alex is dead and he is still causing trouble. now I have to pay his damn debts for him or god knows what will happen to me. I hate Alex, I hate him so much''

''it will be ok, I'll help you. We'll figure out a way to pay him and get him off your back'' Jake told him but didn't actually have a clue how they would do it.