“I’m innocent¬, I swear, you’ve got the wrong guy!” Tyler cried out in a panic as the judge slammed his gavel down, declaring Joe guilty of manslaughter.
“Order in the court!” the judge shouted back at Tyler, who’s shouting elicited excitement from the crowd. Tyler’s face was hot with tears as he couldn’t control his emotions. He’d been at the wrong place at the wrong time, and now here he was, branded to the country as a criminal. “You are dismissed!” The judge exclaimed, gesturing for Tyler and his cohort to leave.
The guards grabbed Tyler with a lot of force, guiding him out of the courthouse, even if it could be described as more of a pull than guidance. Once they left the grand doors and were out of earshot of the crowd one of the guards leaned into Tylers ear and sneered. “You people make me fucking sick, lowlife like you is what made me become a cop in the first place.” Tyler couldn’t hold back his tears in response, which got him elbowed in the ribs by the other guard.
The next several days were very eventful for Tyler as he was held in police custody while paperwork was completed on his file to determine just what would be done with him. After a few days in a cramped cell at the local station, he got a visit from the sheriff of the department. As he saw the man approaching Tyler saw him and started to beg, “Please, sheriff, hear me out, I’m innocent. I didn’t do anything!”
But his plea fell on deaf ears. “Sorry son,” replied the officer, “Whether or not that’s true, you’ve been legally sentenced. We’re taking you to Thornback Prison, which is a high security area for the crimes you’ve legally committed.” Tyler’s heart sank at that response. There truly was nothing he could do. Resigned to his fate, he stepped forward as the officer opened the door and put him in handcuffs.
The ride to the prison was excruciating. The sheriff kept trying to make small talk, but Tyler was in no mood to entertain it, the gravity of his situation too much to handle. After what felt like a lifetime, they arrived at the compound, and Tyler was passed over to the authorities of Thornback. A pair of gruff security guards, much more stoic than those at the courtroom, were given Tyler to handle and take around the building.
“Alright, scum. This is where you’ll be living for the next forever, so you better get used to what we’re showing you.” Said the taller of the two, clearly annoyed that he was put on tour guide duty today. Tyler gulped, scared of his attitude.
They first led him to a meal hall, which looked like a high school cafeteria. “This is the cafeteria, three square meals a day. Food’s alright, you’ll never starve here.” There were a few inmates eating, but they paid the new guy no mind. Tyler looked at the portions that they were eating, these plates were absolutely loaded up. Would they force him to eat that much too? He looked around again at the inmates. These guys were huge and strong, looking like they could crush a man’s skull with their fists and go about their daily business after. Tyler wouldn’t have very much luck making friends if everyone here looked like this. Would he even want to, if it was all criminals other than him?
While Tyler’s thoughts ran rampant in his head, the guards brought him to the gym. Unlike the cafeteria, this place was busy. “Mandatory exercise sessions every day.” Said a guard, “We’ll figure out your schedule in the coming week, but there are no exemptions.” Tyler grimaced, the people in the gym were of the same caliber that the men in the cafeteria were – very strong. He’d stick out like a sore thumb. One of the guards noticed Tyler’s expression. “Cut it with the attitude, you’re here for rehabilitation. An unwillingness to cooperate will land you in a world of trouble.”
The rest of the tour was relatively quick. Communal bathrooms, outdoor area, classrooms, the like. The guards brought Tyler to the cell area, and opened an empty cell for him. There was one rather uncomfortable looking bed, a toilet, and basic necessities there. “This is your home for the next long time, better get used to it.” Said one of the guards, ushering him in, and locking him inside.
Tyler sat down on the bed and thought about what the hell had gotten him here. A crime he didn’t commit, and now he was in this prison, left to rot. Seeing all the other inmates had him certain that he was going to get beaten up, or worse. And it looked like being around everyone else wasn’t optional in the slightest. His eyes started to well up, and he lied down on the bed. If there was any justice in the world, he knew that something would come up and he’d be freed. He’d just have to put all of his faith in a miracle. He let out a pained laugh, thinking about how unlikely that was, as he failed to stop the tears from flowing into his eyes. Despite it still being midday, Tyler quickly fell into a deep sleep, his brain shutting down from being overstressed.