As hard as I had tried not to I must have fell asleep eventually, because all of a sudden I found myself getting of the bed to accept the tray of breakfast that was being pushed through the hatch.
I took the tray, went back to the bed and stared at the food before me. A couple of pieces of lukewarm toast, a bowl of soggy cornflakes and a warm mug of coffee was what constituted breakfast and, although it looked terrible, I was that hungry that I devoured everything in less than five minutes.
As I picked up the tray to take back to the hatch the bowl fell to the floor, and then was when I first saw the note that had been hidden under it. Picking the paper up I unfolded it and stared at the words before me.
GOOD JOB YOU DID WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF YOU LAST NIGHT. WILL BE SEEING YOU LATER FOR MORE OF THE SAME. DON'T LET ME DOWN OR ELSE.
Screwing the piece of paper up I went to drop it into the small toilet but, just as I was about to let go, I changed my mind. Thinking before I acted, for once, I realized that this note could help get me out of solitary, and maybe even the prison, before I was due to be released and all I needed to do was get it to someone on the outside who could take it to the authorities.
Taking the note back over to the bed I smoothed it out as best as I could, before slipping it under my mattress. As soon as I got out of solitary, and was allowed to send letters, I would send the note to my ex, he would know just who to take it to.
For the first time since being put in solitary I allowed myself the briefest of smiles and banged on the hatch.
"What the fuck are you banging for?" someone said from the other side of the door, eventually.
"Finished that muck you call breakfast," I replied. "Thought you might want the plate, bowl and cup back."
The hatch was opened angrily and, as I held the tray near to it, I saw the first face since being locked in the cell, I just hoped he wasn't the owner of one of the cocks that I had been made to suck the night before. Judging by what bit of his face I saw he looked like he didn't take too much pride in his appearance, his face was unshaven, his teeth yellow and cracked and as or his hair, well that looked like it hadn't seen a brush or a comb in years.
Instantly I began to feel physically sick and hurried towards the small toilet, as the guard burst out laughing.
"Wished I had been on duty last night," he called through the hatch. "Sounds like the guards that were here had a very good night."
"Fuck off cunt," I shouted towards the door, relieved that at least he hadn't been there.
"That's no way to talk to anyone is it boy?" the guard shouted. "Maybe I should open this door and teach you a fucking lesson."
"I reckon that maybe you fucking should to," I called back, my temper starting to get the better of me.
I heard the keys jangling, and one inserted into the lock and prepared myself for when the door open but, before the door swung open, the guard started to laugh loudly.
"Do you think I'm as fucking stupid as you?" he called through the door. "No I think I will bide my time and wait until later."
With that the key was removed from the door, and the guard walked away howling with laughter, leaving me alone yet again and I spun around and let fly with my fist against the wall, wincing in pain as I connected. Looking at my fist I saw it blackening rapidly as blood seeped from the grazes on my knuckles, and I cursed under my breath.
I knew I shouldn't let my temper get the better of me, that is what led me to The Quarry in the first place after all, but I just couldn't get the niggling feeling that something more was going on here than just rehabilitation.
Blood dripped from my knuckles to the floor and I tried to clench my fist but the pain that tore through my hand was unbearable. Using my good hand I pulled my vest top over my head, wet it in the basin and wrapped it around my fist, hoping the cold dampness would bring out the full swelling rapidly.
With nothing else to do I sat back on the bed and reached for the not under the mattress. After reading through it a few times I slipped it into the sole of my shoe, and then banged on the cell door.
"What's all the fucking noise?" A guard said when he finally arrived.
"I need to see a doctor," I replied. "I think I've broke my hand."
"And how the fuck did you manage that?"
"I fell and landed on it," I lied.
"Step away from the door and I'll have a look."
I stepped back as I heard the keys slotted into the lock. Slowly the guard pushed the door open, presumably to make sure I had stepped back like he had ordered me to, and entered.
"Let's have a fucking look then," he barked.
Slowly I unclenched my fist and held it out. Without warning the guard grabbed my wrist, causing me to yelp out in pain, before bending to look at it closely. It would have been so easy for me to bring my knee up, into the guard's face, if I wasn't in excruciating agony.
"Looks fucking broken," the guard said. "Guess that means a trip to the doc."
The guard took his radio from his belt and called another guard to come and take me, shutting me back in the cell to wait for their arrival.
By the time the other guard arrived half an hour had passed and the throbbing in my hand was getting more and more unbearable, but eventually I was led through the prison and into the doctor's office.
"What have we got here?" The doctor asked, looking at me extremely swollen hand.
"Reckons he fell on it while he was in solitary."
"Okay leave him with me," the doctor told the guard. "I'll call when we're finished."
As soon as the guard had left the doctor turned back to me, and smiled.
"Okay now tell me how you really did it," the doc asked.
"Punched the wall," I replied.
"Why on earth did you do that?"
"Because since I have been in solitary all the guards think it's their right to stick their dicks into the cell for me to suck them off," I said my anger rising again.
"And have you been?"
"Only because I fear for my safety down there yes."
"Okay well let's get you x-rayed first," The doc said. "Then we can decide what steps to take."
Putting my arm carefully in a sling the doctor led me through a couple of rooms before we arrived at the x-ray department, well I say department in reality it was one small room with an x-ray machine. After the radiographer took a number of pictures, from different angles, I was told to wait outside until the films were ready, and once they were I headed back with the doctor.
Sitting behind his desk the doctor held up each of the images before putting them down and looking at me.
"Well it is definitely broken," he said. "So I think I shall get it casted and then have you on the hospital wing or a couple of days."
