The Life of Lol by Andrew Birch Read Free Book Online Page A

friends.  You’re here for a long time; they’ll help you through it.  You’ll just have to earn that trust back.”
    “I’ll try my best sir”, I said in my best downcast voice, “I know it’ll be hard, but I won’t let you down again.”  This time I gave him my sweet smile.  He wasn’t convinced.
    “Hmm” he murmured, “just be aware that here, as in society, there is a structure in place.  That structure protects society. Nobody likes change.  Especially when the structure works.”
    “What when it doesn’t?” I asked, “what when the structure has me beaten and touched up in the bathroom in my first week by three people who should know better than to fuck with me?”
    That all came out so fast it surprised him.  Flustered, he thought about his answer,
    “Those allegations are very serious”, he said, “If you have any proof of an attack then there are certain channels.  Be aware there may be repercussions.”
    “I just don’t want to cause any more trouble sir”, I said trying to appear contrite despite my outburst, “and I’m sorry for destroying your structure.”
    I grinned to myself.  Destroyed.  Not damaged.  Destroyed.  I had obliterated his fucking structure. 
    “You’ve certainly caused some trouble to say you’ve only been here for a short period of time”, he admitted, “I trust things will be a little quieter from now on.”
    “I’ll be a good girl, sir”, I said, “You can depend on me”.
    I gave him my sweetest smile, and he had the look.  That look.  The look of fear when a predator who has been stalking you finally looks you in the eye. 
    He brushed it off suddenly, shuffled some papers on his desk, and spoke,
    “Well”, he blustered, “I think you’re ready to go back into the main population.  One thing first though.
    I wondered what that was.
    “Apologise to Diane.  And mean it.  Not your ‘I’ll be a good little girl’ bullshit.  A proper apology.  She’s still in the hospital so I’ll have you escorted down there.  When you’ve apologised, I’ll let you back, and we’ll draw a line under it.”
    I thanked him, and was escorted out, clanking and shuffling in my steel fetters. 
     
    “Keep her away from me”, she screamed.
    “Governors orders”, said the tall black guard, “You two need to make peace”
    “Peace”, Diane screamed, “the little hellcat blinded me!”
    She was a mess.  The left side of her face were heavily bandaged.  Apparently, the rod had caused her to have major nose problems, and made her lose her eye.  She was lucky to be alive.
    “Now” said the guard, “I get that there’s bad feeling, and that you two will never be friends.  But there needs to be peace.  You’ve both got a long time to spend in here. Taylor here is sorry for what she’s done.  Aren’t you?”
    “OH yeah Diane”, I said, smiling sweetly, “I’m real sorry for what I did, Diane.  I know I can never make it up to you, but I’ll do everything I can. “
    “Just keep away from me” she stammered.
    “I’ll even help out with your work” I said.
    “There”, said the guard, “so you’ll have a bit of money when you get out of hospital.  How’s that?”
    Diane smiled weakly.
    The guard satisfied that, in my chains and shackles, I couldn’t hurt anyone, went to the bookcase and picked up a “sports illustrated” magazine.
    “I’ll keep business running don’t you worry about nothing”, I whispered to her.
    “Alicia and D will murder you as soon as they get a chance” she murmured. 
    I cocked my head on one side,
    “That’d be pretty dumb” I said in my sweet southern drawl, “if we do it my way then we all make a nice pot of money and run this joint as we want, do it your way and you lose that other pretty eye and end up getting a nice white stick for Christmas.
    “Just stay the fuck away from me”, said Diane again.  She was scared of me.  I could see it in her one remaining eye.  Scared, even