[ WP ] Major prison sentences have become a choice between two pills . One just kills you . The other , well no one knows what that one does ...

Cockroaches scurried along the grotesque linoleum floor of the cafeteria, and took refuge inside trash that had piled over from neglect. Walls were smeared with filth in a mixture of unappealing colors -- brown being the most dominant -- and a horrendous stench of urine, and musk lingered inside the unventilated dining hall of the penitentiary. Horus staggered in traipse, and clasped his unsanitary, food encrusted tray to his chest as a child would a stuffed animal. This was a mistake. He was innocent, of course. But then again, his word had just as much value as any of the inmates here. 
 
 Horus gawked at the rows upon rows of cantankerous inmates that were huddled like sardines at the wonky, rectangle foldout tables while in queue for his supper. There was something *different* about this place, but he was n't quite sure *what* that difference was. 
 
 `` Next!'' A hoarse voice croaked from behind the plexiglass sneeze guard. Horus gazed into no mans land as he daydreamed about the nightmarish dreamscape of the cafeteria. 
 
 `` I said-'' *The short, stubby man wheezed a harsh, hacking cough while phlegm drooled out of his stoma* ``... next!'' And the mesh hair net on his bald, mole infested head fell into the food when he hunched over. `` Ai n't got-'' *wheeze* `` -all day!'' 
 
 Horus snapped out of his daze, and fumbled to the buffet line in front of him. He fixed his eyes on the chunky, amorphous gloop inside the rusted steel drum. Whatever it was, it was served by the ladle, and flies loved it. 
 
 `` W... what is it?'' he asked, timid and irresolute. 
 
 An inmate behind Horus grew impatient, and tapped his foot in restlessness against a sticky spot on the floor -- *shlick, shlick, shlick, shlick* -- then harrumphed when Horus glanced over. 
 
 The cafeteria server rolled his eyes, and replied, `` It's food,'' before he slopped it onto Horus's tray. He had never been in prison before, and did n't know what to expect. 
 
 *Was this traditional prison-style food? Is this what they always ate? * He thought to himself. 
 
 When he exited the line and looked for a place to sit, he gulped his confidence into his empty stomach that grumbled louder than his fearful heartbeats. 
 
 `` Psst. Hey, *kid! *'' a voice whispered. `` Psst. Over here. Hey!'' 
 
 Horus scanned the area around him to see who addressed him, and locked eyes with every inmate until he saw a man with a chiseled jaw and eye patch flag him down. Dissuaded, and unsure about making an acquaintance on the first day, Horus crept over to the uncanny man, and stood next to the only vacant spot available. 
 
 `` What do you want?'' Horus asked. 
 
 `` You fucked up, *kid*,'' the man whispered, and emitted a sinister chuckle. 
 
 `` Where am I? This does n't look like county.'' 
 
 The man's chuckle turned to spontaneous laughter with no attempt to hold it back. 
 
 `` You do n't remember, do you?'' he asked. 
 
 `` No. I ca n't remember anything.'' Horus lowered his arms, and slid the tray of food onto the wobbly table before seating himself. `` What happened? Where did they transfer me to if this is n't county?'' 
 
 `` You took life over death, *kid*, and now you're *here*.'' The man rolled his shoulders and slurped the last helpful of slop from his jagged, chipped spoon. `` The inmates call this place *'The Minotaur's Asylum'*.'' 
 
 `` Mino..wh- what?'' 
 
 `` Do n't worry, *kid*. Everyone here wishes they took the easy way out. And soon... *you will too. *'' 
 
 * * * 
 
 I can continue this if people are interested. 
 
 * * * 
 
 You can find more of my stories over at /r/EdenRenellaJones. Thanks for reading! 
 
 
 
 
 

