Part 1
The brute and the swift
Paff, paff, paff
The ringing of chains and the impact on a punching bag can be heard echoing through the prison’s hallways.
“RAAAAGH”
BANG
The punching bag hit the dark grey wall of the prison cell.
“This all you do all day? What you even doing it for?” The girl asked
Another loud grunt followed by another bang.
“Raagh”
BANG
Rattling
“Who you imagining that is?” She continued.
BANG
Rattling
Heavy breathing
“You finally done?” She asked in a boring tone.
She began wiggling with her fingers. Like she had a knife…
“You wouldn’t understand it!” He responded.
PAFF
“And no. I’m not done yet!!”
“So, who are you imagining that poor punching bag is?” She repeated.
“My ex-boss…” He said as he was catching his breath.
“Why so? He didn’t pay your loan or something?”
“None of your concern!” He said as he prepared another punch.
“Can I at least know your name? Gotta know who i’m dealing with here…”
“Shank!”
BAM
“That your real name or a prison name?”
Prison name” Shank replied.
“You really love that bag. How many days you been here?”
“Ehh, just a couple.” he said as he took his time to breathe.
“How long you gotta stay?”
Shank finally sat down.
“I dunno, pff. Maybe a couple weeks.”
“What’d you do for just a couple of weeks?” Blackwell asked.
“Beat up my boss’s gang. Left his business useless without em!”
“So you already paid him back?”
“I guess so…”
“So what you used to do?”
“I’m a bodyguard. How about yourself?” he said as he calmed down.
“You do seem like a good bodyguard to me.” She commented. “I worked in a factory. Not a good job if you ask me, but it paid decently.” “So what are you going to do when you get out?” She asked
“Something good! I’m no prison boy! Don’t wanna end up here again! “So… What you in for? Shank asked
“I don’t feel like talking about that…” She said with a with a downed look.
“Come on, I told you mine. Now it’s your turn!”
“Fine… I stabbed my pops…”
“You killed him?”
“No. Just self defence. He tried hitting me with a belt. Got me a week or two.”
“Did he deserve it?” Shank asked
“i don’t know… Everyone just thinks i’m weak. Maybe i am…”
“Naw girl. You strong in your own ways!”
“You can say that so easily. You could punch through that wall if you wanted to. I have to defend myself with a knife…”
“You need a prison name girl. What i call you by?”
“Hmm. Sounds charming… But. Do I really need one?
“Well. It’s kind of a thing here. Nobody here seems to go by their own name. But you can tell me anytime you want!” Shank comforted.
¨Blackwell…¨
“Blackwell? You a blackwell!?”
“Yeah, i’m not the proudest of it.”
“Blackwell! That’s your dad?! He my ex-boss!”
“Huhm. What a small world i guess.”
“May also explain why he took out his frustration on you!”
“I guess so…”
“You not mad at me right?”
Not at all. Next time it’s him you should beat…” she said
“Wow girl. You got some grudge in you. I promise you. When we get out, i’ll help you out! Two flies in one stone. Or should i say: one fly with 2 stones!”
“Huhm. You MY bodyguard now?”
“Sure! Gonna be my first good deed!”
“Awesome!” Blackwell said as she stood up to stretch her legs”
“You should try it. Prison life can be tough y’know. anytime, anyday someone can try and beat you up for no reason at all. You gotta be tougher than you look!”
¨How am i supposed to do so? I’m a midget compared to the rest!¨
“That don’t matter, use it to your advantage. Low profile means you can sneak and pull off some sick moves!”
“Even then. What am I supposed to do? massage their backs?!”
Shank walked over to her bed. He broke a small piece off of it.
Clang
“Here, if you’re not strong you gotta be smart!”
“You want me to stab people?! Isn’t that the opposite of what I should do now?”
“Girl! You wanna survive or what?”
Shank handed her the sharp piece of metal. She grabbed it and readied a strike on the bag.
“Hold on! Gimme that.”
Shank ripped a piece off his shirt and wrapped it around the metal.
“Now you won’t cut yourself in the process!“
Blackwell looked impressed. “Handmade shank…Clever.”
“Practice some. You never know when you might need it!”
Blackwell once again readied a strike.
“Make sure you have it pointed to where you want to stab. Hold the tip down if you want to strike from above. Sideways if you want to slash or penetrate their sides. You need to know what you want to inflict! ¨How you hold a knife says alot about what kind of person you are!“
She held it with the point upwards.
“Going for the kill huh?”
She thrusted it into the bag. Barely penetrating the outer layer.
“More power!”
She tried once more. again not reaching further than the stuffed layer.
“Maybe you should try less stabbing, and more slashing. Requires less power but much more swift moves.”
She readied the knife once again, this time she held it sideways.
Slash
This time she cut deep. The stuffing was slowly pouring out.
“Nice girl!“
Shank grabbed some of the stuffing and put it in his pockets.
“You should take some too. You never know when you need it!”
You’re really preparing for everything right?”
You have to! Girl. Anyone here can be a danger!”
“Do you see those guys in that cell over there?“ Shank said as he pointed towards the cell opposite to them. ¨They tried stealing my lunch yesterday. I teached them a lesson! But. They will come back. They all live in gangs here, you take on one, you get the rest after you. And we wanna be prepared for em!”
“We?“ Blackwell asked
“Yeah, WE!” He responded “Just the two of us, so far. But i got a guy. He’s my mate. He came in yesterday. We meeting him at lunch!”
“When’s lunch?” Shivs asked
“Oh, believe me. You’ll know!”
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed! Part 2 will be coming soon!