by Woods, Karen
The bedroom was cold as Vicky entered it. She was rubbing at her arms trying to get warm. The lonely double bed at the back of the room stared back at her. The bedding was old and the quilt inside it looked as flat as a pancake. Walking over to the window she pulled back the net curtain and looked outside. She could see some lads sat on a wall close by. She chuckled as she saw them fucking about. Dropping the curtain she peeled her clothes from her perishing body. Grabbing an old t-shirt from the floor she quickly yanked it over her head. Diving in the bed she tossed and turned trying to get warm. You could just see her head sticking out from the top of the quilt cover. Crying could now be heard. “Fucking hell,” she moaned as she sat up. Declan was stood at the bedroom door bawling his eyes out. “Come and get in my bed then mard arse,” she moaned. Holding her hands out towards her son he quickly ran to her bedside. They snuggled up together. Vicky was secretly glad he was in her bed; otherwise she would have used the other pillows at the side of her for comfort. Looking at her son’s eyes in the moonlight she pulled him closer and kissed his head. “I’m gonna get us out of this mess Declan. Don’t worry son, we won’t always be like this.”
Declan looked up at his mother’s face. His eyes were slowly closing as he mumbled under his breath, “I want my daddy back.” Vicky sighed. He was always shouting for his dad when he was upset. It did her head in. Closing her eyes she drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow was the start of her new life. Snuggling up in bed she looked content as she lay beside her son.
*
Susie lay in her bed. Ashley stayed with her for a while but he was getting ready to leave. Dipping his head he kissed her cheek. “Right babes, I won’t be long. You get some sleep.”
Susie smiled at him and pulled the blanket over her shoulders. “Thanks Ash, you’re a star. I don’t know what I would do without you.” With one last glance at her he was gone.
Susie’s stared out of the window. The moonlight was shining in through the blinds. It looked so peaceful and made her feel calm inside. The stars danced in the midnight sky as if they were celebrating something. Her eyes flickered rapidly and she was slowly drifting off to a place where she was much happier. After a few minutes she was fast asleep.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Vicky’s hand trembled as she opened the sticky mascara bottle. She hadn’t applied make-up in ages. The last time she’d even thought about dressing up was when her boyfriend was out of prison. She didn’t see the need anymore. Holding her head to the side she opened her mouth and brought her face closer to the mirror. You could see her concentrating. With long even strokes, she fanned out her lashes and made them look a lot longer than they really were. Standing back from the mirror she giggled to herself. “Not bad,” she mumbled.
Vicky looked at herself fully in the long mirror in the hallway. Her face looked troubled. Gripping her skirt at the edges she yanked it down. Vicky had no knickers on and you could see the image of her lady garden in the reflection in the mirror, she blushed.
Susie had sorted a babysitter out for Declan and she’d picked him up about an hour before. Vicky was looking forward to a stress free few hours without her whinging son by her side. Patting her bra Vicky made sure the drugs inside couldn’t be seen. Pressing her fingers deeper inside it she pushed the bags of powder further. The fear of taking drugs into the prison had left her. All that was on her mind was pleasing Tim, and looking her best. She had big plans for the visit today and she just hoped all her hard work was going to pay off. With one last look in the mirror she left the house.
Sitting in the visitors centre Vicky felt special. She was wearing the shoes that Susie had given her. The high heels seemed to be magical and gave her so much confidence. For the first time in ages she was standing tall and held a look of happiness in her eyes.
As usual, names were shouted out for the visits. At first she forgot she was visiting Tim and was waiting for Blake’s name to be called out. Hearing the name of the inmate she was going to see, she stood up. Her legs looked long and slender today and she’d even put some false tan on them hoping to give them a sun-kissed look. Tossing her hair over her shoulders she began the walk over to the prison.
All the visitors seemed to be on a mission. They walked at speed and all held that hard-knock look on their faces. Kids were moaning as the rain started to fall. One by one they entered the walls of HMP Strangeways. Today everything looked different. Screws were stood with stern faces and they seemed to be double- checking every movement they made. Vicky felt anxious. Holding her neck with one hand she began to take her shoes off from her feet to begin the search. The female officer was taking her time today. Usually she would have just given her body a quick frisk, but today she was searching every nook and cranny on her body. Vicky looked white in the face. Her heart was beating ten to the dozen. Lifting her feet in the air the screw scanned every inch of her foot. “Open your mouth,” she asked. Vicky stretched it as wide as she could and stuck her tongue out, her search was over.
Walking up the flight of stairs seemed to take Vicky, ages. Her feet seemed heavy as she dragged them up each stair. The sound of people talking seemed to help calm her down. Scanning the area she realised that no sniffer dog was on duty today. “Thank fuck,” she whispered. Going through the last part of the search she stood at the glass door waiting to enter to see Tim. The other visitors were behind her, eager to get inside, they were pushing and shoving. An officer stared at her through the glass window. Vicky was crapping herself. Turning her head unsure of where his eyes were focused she checked behind her. He was definitely looking at her without a shadow of doubt. Vicky noticed it was the same screw who had stared at Susie weeks before, it was Jenkins. She had no idea that he was the one making sure all the drugs got inside the prison for Tim. His eyes looked evil and she was debating running down the stairs away from the visit. Watching his hands slowly open the door she dipped her head and refrained from any eye contact with him. As Vicky passed him, she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. He looked as if he wanted to say something to her, but he was hesitating. Tim was now waving his hand at her. Bringing a smile to her face she made her way towards him looking embarrassed.
“Hello sexy,” Tim said as she sat down at the table. She was fidgeting about and pulled a crumpled ten-pound note out from her pocket that Susie had given her for the visit.
“Do you want any drinks or owt?” she asked nervously.
Tim leaned nearer towards her. “Nar I’ll just have a kiss for now. The food can wait,”
Vicky panicked. This was the real thing. She was no longer hiding behind her lap-top flirting. She was sat facing Tim. Licking her lips she bent her head over to him and puckered up. The kiss was quick and nothing to write home about. “Did you bring the parcel?”
Tim asked, with a cunning look spread across his face. His eyes were all over the show watching everyone around him. Vicky nodded. In a low voice she spoke. “It’s in my bra.”
He looked at her and smirked. “Good girl, you’ve done well.” Jenkins was walking up and down the aisles scanning the prisoners. He seemed to linger near Tim for a lot longer than necessary; he nodded his head at Tim slowly. Vicky looked terrified. This warden was throwing her looks and she was sure he was onto her. “That nob-head Jenkins is at it again. I swear to you he’s out to get me, the daft cunt.” Tim shot him a look and growled. The officer was definitely up to something and small droplets of sweat were visible on Tim’s brow as he watched him walk away.
“Go on then Vicky. Go and get us a brew then. I’ll have some chocolate as well.”
“Which one do you want,” she asked in a timid voice.
“Erm, I’m not arsed love. As long as it’s as sweet as you, I don’t care.” Vicky stood up from her seat and smiled softly. She could feel his eyes burning into the back of her as she joined the queue for the food.
Lots of people were stood in a line as Vicky queued up behind them. Loud shouting could be heard. Vicky turned her head quickly and wa
tched five or six officers running towards a table in the distance where an inmate was sat on his visit. Vicky moved away from the crowd and got a better look at the goings on.
A prisoner could be seen getting twisted up at the table. A screw had his hand held tightly around the convict’s throat. He was trying to stop him from swallowing something. “Get it out!” the warden screamed. The room was in complete silence and all you could hear were the inmate’s groans. The prisoner was thrown to the floor with force. He looked purple in the face. Visitors were up in arms and Vicky could see the inmates own visitors trying to walk away. They were stopped and restrained straight away.
“You’re gonna fucking kill him. Let him breathe ya wanker,” a nearby prisoner shouted. He was stood up from his chair ranting loudly with his hands held out in front of him. He was soon quietened down though as Jenkins walked to his side and whispered something into his ear. Four officers now carried the prisoner away from the table. He was shouting and kicking and it was obvious he’d swallowed whatever it was in his mouth. Vicky listened to the other people as she joined the queue again. The man in front of her was speaking loudly. “At least he got it in, the bastards never got to him fast enough.” He was giggling and high-fived his mate at the side of him. Vicky’s heart was beating faster than usual and she sighed rubbing her arms vigorously.
Tim helped Vicky place the tray on the table; he could see she was nervous. Once she was sat down, he jerked his head back and stretched his arms above his head yawning. Vicky chirped in. “Fucking hell did you see those cranks with that prisoner? They nearly choked the poor fucker to death.”
Tim chuckled. “He’s fucked either way now, because he’ll just be shoved down the block. They’ll just wait until he takes a dump to see what he was concealing. I think it was smack, because the lad’s a bad bag-head.”
“What will happen to his visitors now?” she asked with an anxious face.
“Fuck knows. They’ll probably get nicked when they take them downstairs.” Vicky gulped hard and Tim could see her face dropping. He reached for her hand and tried to comfort her. “You’ll be sweet babes. Don’t you worry about a thing?” His head tilted to the side now and he smiled from cheek to cheek revealing his pearly white teeth. “So have you got any knickers on or what?”
Her face went bright red. Moving about in her seat she tried to look confident. The corners of her mouth curled. “You’ll have to wait and see won’t you.”
Tim was aroused. Susie was a right boring cow and this girl seemed to be up for a good time. “Put your hand under the table and give my trouser snake a bit of a stroke then.” Vicky moved forward in her seat. Pulling his head towards her she sank her lips onto him. Her hand disappeared under the table and Tim’s face changed. He looked excited. With slow movements Vicky strummed his penis. It was much bigger than Blake’s, and she felt cheated that these things came in different shapes and sizes. “Take it easy,” Tim moaned. Looking around the area Vicky could see lots of other women doing the same thing as her. Their arms were under the table too.
Tim and Vicky looked like a normal couple. You would have never had known they’d just met. Once Tim had shot his load he dropped his head on the table and Vicky pulled her arm away. “I’ve got wanker’s cramp,” she giggled as she flexed her fingers out in front of her. Tim didn’t speak straight away. He was trying to regain his composure.
“That was mint ,Vicky,” he gasped. Holding her head back she chuckled. This was so out of character for her and she was acting strange. Tim looked about the room and pulled her back towards him. Dipping his hand in her bra he pulled the drugs from it quickly. His fist was clenched as he sat back at the table. One of his hands disappeared down his tracksuit bottoms and he quickly rammed the parcel up his ring-piece. Tim looked hot; he was wriggling about on the chair.
“What’s up,” Vicky whispered.
“My arse is on fire, fucking hell I feel sick.” Tim dropped his head on the table and blew through his mouth. His face looked white. “Just give me a minute and I’ll be fine,” he said in an anxious voice. Vicky rubbed his head and played the part of a concerned girlfriend.
“It must be because my arse is a virgin,” he pulled his head up and smiled. Vicky could see the colour returning to his face and started to relax again.
“How the fuck do you get it up there anyway,” she whispered.
“I greased my arse-hole before I came out on the visit. It should have just slid up there no problem.”
Vicky was holding her belly laughing. “What do ya mean greased your arse-hole up?”
Tim chuckled. “I put some Vaseline on the rim of it, that’s all. All the lads do it. They said it should go up with no problems.” He looked concerned now as he continued. “Perhaps I should have practiced it a few times in my cell first, shouldn’t I?” Vicky was chewing on her lips trying not to laugh anymore. Everyone was looking at them. “Well I’ll tell you summat love, I won’t be doing it again. I feel violated,” he whispered, Vicky’s face dropped. If he didn’t want any more drops, where did she fit into his life? She wanted him more than ever now, and spoke in a clear voice.
“What? Don’t you wanna see me anymore then?” His face screwed up and he grabbed her hands over the table. “Yeah, ya muppet. I’m just saying you won’t be bringing me any more parcels in, that’s all.” She looked happy but then she shook her head. “But I need the money,” she moaned. “I get one hundred pounds for each drop. That makes a big difference to me, yanno?”
He sat upright and jerked forward. He was gritting his teeth. “What do you mean you get a ton? It should be two hundred quid for each fucking drop.”
Vicky shook her head. “Susie just gives me a oner that’s it.”
“The snidey cunt,” he snarled. “Why did I ever think I could trust her? She’s one conniving bint.”
Vicky was onto it now and her face was angry. “So are you telling me, she’s been having me over?”
Tim sighed as he rubbed his fingers through his hair. “Yeah love, but don’t worry I’m gonna phone her and tell her to sort you out.”
Vicky was fuming “She’s a cheeky cow. What the fuck is she playing at? She knows how much of a risk I’m taking, bringing shit in here.” She blew a hard breath. “And she thinks she can pull the wool over my eyes. We’ll see about that.” Tim agreed as Vicky cursed Susie.
Tim sat talking with Vicky for the rest of the visit and he found out all about her life. He looked at her endearingly. The girl had so much to offer him and he was smitten already. With a cunning grin on his face he spoke to her in confidence. “Me and you could have something special, yanno? Susie can’t be trusted and I want you to be my eyes and ears on the out.” Vicky was hanging on his every word. As he continued she was debating telling him some home truths about Susie. After all, the woman was a sly fucker and she couldn’t be trusted. Licking her lips Vicky decided to grass her up. Watching his face she started to confide in him.
“You know she’s shagging your mate Ashley. She has been for the last few years.”
Tim’s face dropped. “Nar has she fuck. Where have you heard that bullshit from?”
Vicky moved in closer. “Truthfully Tim, she told me herself.”
Tim was gobsmacked. He was cracking his knuckles and his nostrils were flaring. “Are you kidding me or what? Don’t wind me up love. This is serious.”
“Listen Tim, the woman’s a dirt-bag,” she snapped, “she was sat in my house and poured her heart out to me. She doesn’t deserve you. Trust me; she’s having an affair with Ashley.” Tim was bubbling with temper and at one point he nearly stood up and left the visiting room. Sitting clenching his fist at the table he nodded his head slowly. Vicky was looking around the room now and felt uncomfortable. “Right Vicky, don’t you say a fucking word to anyone about this. This is our secret. Oh.... those two cheating bastards are going to get what’s coming to them. Just you wait and see!”
“I won’t say fuck all,” she smiled, “I’ll
do whatever I can to help you,” she simpered.
Tim kissed Vicky at the end of the visit. He told her he would phone her later that evening. Walking away, she could see him sat with his head on the table with his face covered. She moved fast now as she watched the screw stood near the doorway. As she crept past him she could see him tapping his finger on the wooden ledge at the side of him, she quivered.
Vicky left the prison and made her way back to the visitors’ centre. Her heart was in her mouth. Her arse was twitching. Running to the toilets she looked like she was squeezing a penny between the cheeks of her arse. Opening the toilet doors she ran inside the cubicle. Sweat was trickling down her face.
Heading out into the daylight, Vicky pulled her coat tighter around her body. She felt sick. Her temper was boiling and she couldn’t wait to go and see Susie and tell her that she knew she was short- changing her. Walking up towards Cheetham Hill, she looked at the shopping Fort in the distance and wished she could go on a spree right there and then. She looked serious as she crossed the busy road.
Vicky walked towards Susie’s house. It looked posh and well maintained. Walking down the garden path she could smell the scent from the red roses at the side of her. Her fingers lifted the letterbox as she tapped at it gently. She could hear Declan shouting from inside. Susie opened the door and spoke in an animated voice. “Told you, she wouldn’t be long didn’t I?”
Declan snivelled. “Orr has he been upset,” Vicky asked as she bent down to kiss her son.