The strange prison smelled of bleach, rust, and hopelessness.
Every corridor echoed with the metallic clatter of boots against concrete, followed by the occasional slam of steel doors that reverberated through the entire building.
The dull evening sunlight filtered weakly through narrow reinforced windows, doing little to soften the grey walls that had watched thousands of men lose themselves.
Some inmates shouted across the cell block, and others sat in silence.
A television mounted high in one corner played the evening news to an audience that wasn’t listening.
At the far end of the visitation wing, a sharply dressed man stepped in through security.
He looked painfully out of place.
His sky blue overcoat had been tailored to perfection, and the expensive watch peeking beneath his cuff caught the fluorescent lights whenever he moved.
Not a strand of his dark hair had fallen out of place. Even the leather shoes he wore looked untouched by dust.
The correctional officer glanced at him once before checking the visitor’s identification.
"You’ve got thirty minutes."
The man nodded. "I understand."
He spoke with the calm confidence of someone accustomed to having doors opened rather than closed.
He walked deeper into the visitation hall. Rows of metal tables stretched across the room, each bolted firmly to the concrete floor.
He watched families reunite, and children hugging fathers they barely remembered. Some visitors cried, and others argued.
The man ignored every one of them.
He took the empty chair nearest the centre of the room and folded his hands patiently.
He didn’t wait long before a side door buzzed, then opened. Several inmates entered under escort.
They were all on orange uniforms, steel handcuffs, and chains that rattled softly with every step they took.
One inmate walked ahead of the others.
His shoulders were tense, and his jaw remained locked. Even before he reached the table, anger radiated from him like heat.
The moment he recognised the visitor, something inside him cracked.
His eyes widened, and hope filled his gaze. "Uncle."
He reached the table.
The older man stood immediately.
Instead of embracing him, he instinctively caught the chain hanging between the prisoner’s cuffed wrists.
His voice lowered. "Noah."
Noah jerked his hands away violently. The chains clanged loudly against the table.
"I’ve been here for three weeks." He began, visibly annoyed, and disappointed.
Heads turned towards them briefly, and returned to their families.
Noah went on. "I’ve been here for three fucking weeks!" His breathing grew uneven. "Do something, Uncle."
The older man remained composed. "I’m trying."
"No." Noah shook his head furiously. "You’re rich." His voice rose another octave. "You own half the city."
He leaned across the table as far as the restraints allowed. "Use your money." He yelled, slamming his fists hard on the table before him.
Several inmates glanced over.
A nearby officer shifted his attention toward them.
The older man lowered his voice. "I already have."
Noah stared at him.
"I offered ten million." The older man opened up. "They refused it."
Noah blinked. "What?"
"I offered ten million dollars." The older man’s expression darkened. "The prison administration didn’t even hesitate rejecting my money."
He leaned forward. "Which means someone wanted you to stay exactly where you are."
For one heartbeat, Noah simply stared at him. His expression went blank for a second, then the next second, his jaw tightened, and so did his fists.
BANG!
His cuffed fists slammed onto the steel table again, so hard this time that the entire thing rattled.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Every conversation inside the visitation hall stopped.
Two correctional officers rushed forward immediately.
"Step back!" One yelled
"Calm down!"
One reached for Noah’s shoulder.
"Sit down!" He ordered.
The older man rose before either officer could lay a hand on him. "He’s fine."
One officer frowned. "Sir—"
"I said..." The older man’s voice tightened, but remained polite. "...he’s fine."
The officers hesitated.
After several tense seconds, they stepped back.
"We’re watching." They warned. Their eyes went back to Noah and after a tight glare, they returned back to their posts.
The older man inclined his head. "Of course."
Only after they returned to their post did he sit again.
Noah stared at him. He shook his head repeatedly. "I don’t believe it." His breathing refused to slow. "No one spends ten million to keep somebody locked up."
"They do," his uncle replied quietly, "when they have far more than that to lose."
Noah laughed without humor. "All I did..." His voice trembled with anger. "...was hit her."
His uncle remained silent.
"She was cheating on me." His breathing became ragged again. "With her professor."
His chained hands clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened. "That stupid slut was cheating on me!" His voice raised a bit.
Several visitors looked over again. One child instinctively moved closer to his mother.
His uncle reached across the table. "I know." He looked back at the correctional officers. "Calm down, Noah." He advised softly, as his gaze returned back to Noah.
Noah looked up.
"Whether you’re right or wrong doesn’t matter." The older man’s voice was calm. "You are family." He held Noah’s furious gaze. "And I promise you... she’ll pay for this."
Noah’s shoulders loosened for the first time since entering the room. The frantic look in his eyes steadied.
He grabbed both of his uncle’s hands through the chains. His grip was desperate.
"Get me out." His voice cracked. "Please." His fingers trembled uncontrollably. "I just fucking hit her because she lied to me."
His eyes had become bloodshot.
"She even took money from him." He laughed bitterly. "I gave her everything."
His uncle squeezed his hands once. "I know, Noah. Calm down."
"I bought her gifts." Noah went on, his hands slightly trembling. "I defended her, and she humiliated me."
His breathing grew heavier.
"In front of those stupid securities, and her room mate." His teeth tightened. "I want to hurt her. I want to do something to her." His eyes widened further, as if they wanted to pop out of their sockets.
"I want to destroy her life, Uncle." His nose flared. "Get me out of here."
His uncle nodded in agreement. He lifted Noah’s hands to his lips, and dropped a fatherly kiss on the back of his fists.
Then, silence settled between them.
Finally, his uncle spoke again.
"Professor Ashford..."
He watched Noah’s face.
"...that’s his name, isn’t it?"
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