[ WP ] You wake up in a maximum security prison where only the most vilest and violent are kept . You do n't know why you 're there but everyone is irrationally scared of you .

PART 1 
 
 I awake to the sound of a buzzer loudly sounding above my head. *God damn, my alarm clock was never* this *loud. * My eyes crawl open, my vision hazy. They struggle to adjust to the light as I sit up in my cot. 
 
 *My cot? * Something is n't right. My vision comes into focus and I find myself staring down at a grimy concrete floor, full of cracks and streaked with dirt. I look to my side and see a filthy, thin mattress atop a metal frame. A stench of body odor, urine, and god knows what else wafts into my nose and I nearly gag. This is n't right at all. *Where the hell am I? * 
 
 Still recoiling from the odor, I look up into the face of a large tattooed man in an orange jumpsuit sitting on a cot across from mine. He's staring me dead in the eyes and clutching a boot in one hand. On his face he wears a look of sheer terror. 
 
 `` Hey, what is this place?'' I attempt to ask him, but my voice is so hoarse I'm only able to grunt before bursting into a fit of coughing. The man starts at the sounds and inches farther onto his cot, the clutch on his boot tightening. I manage to clear my throat and ask, `` What is this place? Where am I?'' 
 
 `` You stay the hell away from me, alright?'' he stammers in a Southern drawl, sliding even farther away from me until his back is up against the wall. 
 
 `` Hey, what's the matter? What are you so afraid of?'' I'm growing ever more nervous by the second. *If this thug is so afraid of this place... afraid of me?... what the hell is going on?! * 
 
 `` Listen, I know what you've done, what you're capable of, and you're not taking me down, too. Just STAY AWAY FROM ME!'' his voice cracks as the fear on his face grows ever more intense. I notice deep bags under his eyes and realize he's probably spent the whole night cowering on that cot, brandishing a boot. 
 
 `` Buddy, I wish I knew what you were talking about,'' I reply, `` but honestly, I have no idea what's going on.'' 
 
 `` Oh, is that right?'' he spits back at me. `` No idea? Just like all those people last week had no idea? I mean, god damn, I've done some awful things in my life, and I'm doing my time, but you... you're a monster! You're a god damn monster!'' He's nearly screaming at this point, his face growing red with the exertion. `` There were kids there, man! Fuckin' kids!'' 
 
 `` Hey!'' I shout at him. His eyes grow wider and he curls into a ball, tears starting to stream down his face. `` Calm down, man, Jesus! There's been some mistake, I have no clue what you're talking about! Last thing I remember, I was at a bar downtown with two of my friends. I might have had a few too many drinks, but I was about to call a cab home when I blacked out. That's all I know, I swear to God. So please, just work with me here... where the fuck am I?'' 
 
 `` Take a wild guess, Sherlock,'' he says, gesturing to his left. I look where he's pointing, and for the first time notice the bars blocking the entrance to what I've finally realized is a cell. 
 
 `` I'm in jail?! Shit, what the hell happened? Is this the drunk tank, or what? Did I really have *that* much to drink?'' My mind is racing, trying to comprehend how I could have possibly wound up here. *This ca n't be the drunk tank. It's just the two of us in here. This is bad, this is really, really bad. * 
 
 My companion's gaze softens ever so slightly. `` I ca n't tell if you're serious or if you're really so deranged that you just ca n't help lyin' to people. Honestly it would n't surprise me, you fucking freak.'' 
 
 `` Come on! Why would I make this up? I seriously do n't know how I got here.'' 
 
 `` Well, you'll find out soon enough, shit-head!'' a gruff voice bellows from the hallway. `` Come on, it's breakfast! Get your asses up!'' 
 
 I look towards the bars and see a bald man dressed like a police officer unlocking the cell door and holding 2 pairs of handcuffs. 
 
 `` Officer! Thank god you're here, there's been a mistake! I do n't know-'' 
 
 `` Shut up!'' he interrupts with a shout. `` I'm no officer, son. I'm a guard, and as a guard, I have a different code of ethics. First thing you need to know about Hopkins is that you speak when you're spoken to here. You people are scum, and here, we treat you as such! Now stand up and come with me!'' He swings the door open and immediately slaps handcuffs on both our wrists. 
 
 `` I'm not going with him,'' my cellmate says in a hushed tone. 
 
 `` Too bad, Hornsby! It's 6:30 AM, which means it's breakfast, which means every second you waste sittin' on your lily ass, my coffee gets colder, and if I do n't get my coffee, you do n't get rec time! Do I make myself clear?!'' 
 
 Hornsby glances up at the guard, then back at me, then at the guard again. Finally, he sets down his boot, unclenches his hands, and stands up, staying as far away from me as possible. `` Yes, sir.'' 
 
 `` Good! Now get movin, pretty boy!'' He attaches a chain to both our cuffs and pulls hard, leading us into the corridor and toward the mess hall. 
 
 He leads us past other cells, empty of inmates, and joins a slow-moving group of men all clad in orange and led by other guards. I glance down at my chest and realize I'm wearing the same orange jumpsuit as the rest. On my left breast pocket is a patch bearing the ID: `` HSP-MS-I98045.'' *So, I'm in prison. Shit, last night went much worse than I thought. * 
 
 The guard attaches our chain to the chains of the mass ahead of us and steps to the side, keeping pace. I nudge an inmate ahead of me and whisper, `` Psst! Hey, man, what is this place?'' 
 
 The man turns around with anger in his eyes, and quietly says, `` Shut the fuck up! You tryin' to land in solitary?'' He turns forward and I nudge him again. `` Quit it, man! This is fuckin' Hopkins, they do n't play nice here!'' He looks in my eyes and suddenly, the anger turns to fear. He faces forward and quickens his pace, bumping into other inmates, trying to get through the crowd. *What the hell? This guy, too? * 
 
 `` Hey, watch it!'' someone ahead shouts as the man keeps pushing, throwing himself at the others, trying in vain to get as far away from me as possible. The other inmates are starting to get angry, and the guards, noticing the commotion, pull weapons from their belts and move forward to stop the mayhem from spreading. 
 
 `` Everybody, stop where you are! You have 3 seconds before everyone here gets sent back to their cells!'' 
 
 The writhing crowd freezes, save for the man still trying to get away. One of the inmates, an enormous bald man covered in swastika tattoos, pushes him over, and looks my way in fury, trying to determine what caused his panic. Once he sees my face, the same look of terror spreads across his, and he, too starts pulling at his chains and pushing people out of the way. 
 
 `` EVERYBODY FUCKING FREEZE!'' The guards have their weapons drawn now, firing tasers into the crowd, beating people in the sides with billy clubs. Their efforts are in vain, more and more people are noticing me, and every face that turns my way looks terrified. The thrashing mob is pulling me forward by the wrists and tugging me every which way, until finally... 
 
 The chain snaps. 
 
 *Um... okay. * 
 
 I turn around and make a run for it. *Now's my chance to get away, the guards are distracted and no one is paying attention to me. I'm going to find someone in charge and finally get this whole mess figured ou-* 
 
 My wrists are yanked backwards, as my whole body contorts and I fall to the ground, hard. *Shit, I forgot about Hornsby. * He's stayed frozen in place, his terrified gaze now looking as if it's permanently marred his features. 
 
 `` Hands up, maggot!'' The guard who opened our cell is heading towards me, taser drawn. His coffee is most certainly cold. 
 
 `` No, wait, please!'' I beg, `` this is all a mistake! I do n't know why I'm here, you have to-'' 
 
 My body convulses as 50,000 volts of electricity are pumped through me. As my vision fades to black, the last thing I hear is a frantic cry of, `` Please, I'll go to solitary, I'll clean latrines for a month, just get me away from him!'' 
 
... 
 
 *I'm standing in a narrow alleyway, rain pouring down around me. There's a single light overhead, flickering and buzzing. A dark figure stands at the other end, pointing a gun square at my chest. * 
 
 *'' This is it, Jack,'' he says. `` Give me the detonator and we can forget any of this ever happened. `` * 
 
 *I do n't know what to say... but apparently that is n't a problem. `` Fuck off, Donny,'' I find myself saying, my words slurred. `` This was bound to happen and you know it. `` * 
 
 *'' Jack,'' he's pleading, `` this is n't like you! I've known you for years, you've always been the kindest person I've ever known! Think of your family, Jack!'' He sounds on the verge of tears. `` Think of Sally, think of your kids! What are they going to think about you if you go through with this? Please, Jack... just give me the detonator. We can make this right, but you have to work with me. Just hand it over. Please...'' * 
 
 *He extends his other hand, slowly. * 
 
 *'' It's too late for that, Donny!'' I say, realizing my arm is bent at the elbow. I'm holding a tiny black box in my hand, with a single switch that says simply: `` ARM. `` * 
 
 *'' You knew it was too late when you decided to spread lies about me! `` * 
 
 *'' What are you talking about?! Come on, you're my best friend! I would never-'' * 
 
 *'' You slandered my name!'' I scream, `` You called me a thief and a coward! You made a fool of me in front of the whole board of directors! Well, now I'm going to make it right. `` * 
 
 *'' Jack, do n't do this! `` * 
 
 *'' The ends justify the means, Donny, you slimy fucker. This is where it ends. `` * 
 
 *'' Jack, no! `` * 
 
 *I flip the switch. The ground shakes below me as an earth-shattering blast nearly ruptures my eardrums. I lose my footing and start to fall, but then a second blast sounds off, much closer. There is a sharp pain in my forehead, and I hear myself scream as the world goes black. *
