Bang Up: Prison walls don't just keep criminals in, the keep the outside world at bay

by Karen Woods

  Rachel had heard enough and she wasn’t letting anybody speak to her like this. She owed her nothing. “Whoa, keep it shut before I shut it for you. Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m only telling you what I was told to. I know you’re upset but don’t start to take it out on me. Life goes on, just deal with it.” Rachel was showing no compassion whatsoever but what did Sarah expect? Rachel was never one for holding back. She shot straight from the hip and didn’t mince words. “Anyway, I’ve told you now, so there is nothing more to say. It’s not like we’re friends is it? If we’re being honest here, we only put up with each other for Mikey’s sake. You’re not my cup of tea and you never will be.”

  Sarah was holding her own and she was livid. “Don’t you think I didn’t know about you? Do you think for one single second I enjoyed your company? You knock me sick and no wonder your son hates you. Yes, he told me that. What kind of worthless piece of shit leaves her son to fend for himself when he’s only a child.”

  That was it, Rachel had heard enough. She twisted her hands inside Sarah’s hair and dragged her around the back of the café. There was rustling, groaning and the sound of feet scraping the floor. “Don’t push me Sarah,” Rachel screamed. “I’ll scratch your fucking eyeballs out if you carry on. Go on, fuck off out of my life and leave my son alone. I’m glad it’s happened. I’m buzzing he’s finally fucked you off. You thought you were too good for him anyway. It was only a matter of time before he carted you.”

  Sarah was wriggling to break free and she was stronger than Rachel first thought. She was giving as good as she got. Mikey’s mother had bitten off more than she could chew for sure. Sarah grabbed her hair and swung her around like a rag doll. Rachel lost her footing and the tide turned very quickly. It was Sarah’s shout now and she was straddled over Rachel ramming her finger deep into her cheek. “Don’t you worry, I’m gone. I’m glad I don’t have to look at your pathetic face any longer. You deserve everything that’s coming your way. You’re an evil woman, do you hear me, sick in the head!” Sarah spat at her and started to walk away.

  Rachel sprang to her feet and took a few seconds to find her bearings. “Go on, run back to mummy and daddy you posh bitch. You need to learn to stand on your own two feet you do, learn the hard way like I fucking did.”

  Her words fell on deaf ears, Sarah was gone. Rachel straightened her hair and dusted the thick brown mud from her jeans. She was genuinely upset and had to take a few seconds to regain her thoughts. “Fuck, fuck,” she mumbled as she stamped her feet on the floor. She never intended for things to get this bad but she had to do it, she had to make sure Mikey had his money on his release date. Everything in life had a price and she would do anything to make sure her son had a chance of a better future. Rachel’s head was in bits and she was in no mood to go to her mother’s house anymore. She was filthy and needed a wash. A quick text to her mother soon sorted that out. So what, she’d moan but she could handle her. Rachel was going home to clean herself up. All that was left now was to tell Mikey the same thing. It would hurt him, she was sure of that, but he was made of stronger stuff and in a few weeks he would back to normal.

  *

  Mikey flicked through Facebook on his iPhone. Potter was at his side and he was loving every minute of the social network. “Add her, send her a message. Ask her to come and visit me,” Potter shrieked.

  Mikey sniggered and scrolled through everyone’s posts.. “Just chill, I’ve already got a few birds on the go for you. You can’t rush in and seem too eager. The ladies love a bad boy so cool down and stop stressing.” Mikey held the phone from his face as it started to ring. “It’s my mam, fuck me what’s she doing up at this time it’s nearly two in the morning.” Without wasting a second more he answered the call. Rachel sounded distressed and Potter could hear every word she said. Mikey’s expression changed and he ragged at his t-shirt. “How long has he been here for? Is this for sure, it might just be gossip?” Potter was hanging on every word and he could tell by his pad mate’s body language that something was not right. He moved back over to his own bed and dragged his duvet around his shoulders. Mikey finished the call after a few minutes, with all the colour drained from his cheeks. He punched a clenched fist into the wall and banged his head against it repeatedly.

  Potter had to say something, he couldn’t just sit there like a prize prick. “Mikey, is everything alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Mikey didn’t reply straight away, he just sat staring into space. As he spoke his bottom lip trembled. “Sarah’s binned me. She’s found somebody new. What the fuck is going on? She said she loved me?”

  Potter was lost for words. What could he possibly say that would take the pain away? Heartbreak was a painful emotion on its own, but locked away behind bars the love he’d lost was going to be a hundred times worse than it would have been on the outside. Mikey pulled Sarah’s photograph from the wall and dragged the cover over his head. Nobody could ever see him like this. He was strong and fearless. He had a name to protect. Potter could hear sobbing sounds from where he lay and he knew better than anyone that this lad could switch at any second. He was keeping well away, he never muttered a word.

  *

  Mark marched two inmates along the landing with their belongings. Smithy watched from his office and he could smell a rat. He stretched his neck out hoping to get a better view. No inmate got moved during the night shift. This was something that happened during the morning shift. The prison was already on lockdown and the guvnor was already going ballistic as to how a prisoner could be beaten to near death and nobody had seen a thing. Dennis Milne was barely breathing when a screw found him, he was hanging on for dear life. The briefing earlier that week had made Smithy even more suspicious about his work colleague and the way he was acting. He knew he was hiding something. He barely spoke to him anymore, he was always jumpy and looking over his shoulder. Smithy watched from the shadows and kept a low profile. He flicked the light off in his office and stood taking everything in.

  Mark opened the door to the new pad for the lads. “Right, get your heads down and let’s see a few faces drop on here tomorrow morning when you raise your ugly heads out onto the landing. Mikey Milne will shit a brick for sure. Like I said, I want you to make him suffer. I’ll give the nod when it’s right to take him down. Promise me you won’t fuck things up!”

  Davo threw his belongings on the bed as Brendan stuck his head through the window. “My word is my bond. But don’t make me wait too long. I want to do it sooner rather than later.” Mark stood frozen for a few seconds. He knew what he wanted and everything had to happen slowly. The other officers had to see Mikey slipping down the ranks, they needed to see he was no longer the daddy on the landing.

  *

  Mikey checked Potter was asleep at the side of him. The night was a lonely place when someone was upset. He looked over at the night sky and tears ran down the side of his cheek. Perhaps he could call for a listener. The prison service always had someone on hand to talk to when inmates were feeling low. Would it help him though? It still wouldn’t bring his girl back, it was pointless. Sarah had fucked his head up big time, he genuinely loved her. Okay, he acted like she was the one who was doing all the running when in fact he loved her with all his heart. But how had he allowed himself to fall in love, let his guard down? As a rule, he never gave his all in a relationship. He’d seen so much heartache over the years and always promised himself he would never put himself in that position. Only fools fall in love. Mikey paced the cell with a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. He needed to speak to her. The rejection was killing him inside. He knew it was a big ask for her to wait for him but it was her that said she would wait forever. What a lying slut she was! She was no different to the other girls he’d met. She’d probably met one of her own kind. Yes, a guy with money and a fancy car. He’d blow it up if he had the chance, torch the bastard.

  Potter stirred in his bed, he must have heard him moving about and opened
his eyes slowly. His voice was low as he rubbed his knuckles into the corners of his eye. “Do you want me to make us both a drink? I know you’re upset, you’re bound to be. Talking sometimes helps you know.” Mikey screwed his face up. If he had a pound for every time some know-it-all had told him it was good to talk about his problems, he would have been a rich man. They were all nosey fuckers trying to get inside his head, mess it up and stop him thinking for himself. “I don’t need to do fuck all. Just get your head back down and get some shut-eye. I’ll be over it soon. It’s just been a bit of a shock that’s all. My main concern is the big bastard who’s landed in the nick. I told you about Davo didn’t I and the beef I had with him on the outside?”

  Potter nodded his head. “Yeah, he seems like a right head the ball. I’m glad I’ve never met him.”

  Mikey gave a sarcastic laugh and sat back down on his bed. “Well. Hold that thought, he’s been shipped here to this jail. He’s a bad arse and I know he’ll have something up his sleeve for me.”

  “Just front him, just ask him what the crack is and if he wants a one-on-one, a straightener to sort it out?”Potter suggested.

  Mikey swallowed hard and lifted his eyes over to his pad mate. “Get a grip lad, the guy is a maniac. You don’t know about him, he would eat me up for breakfast and shit me out of his arsehole.”

  Potter was wide awake now and he was unable to get back to sleep. He walked over to the small table with the kettle on it. “I’ll do us a drink. If what you’re saying is right then we have to be prepared for whatever he throws at us. You know I’ve got your back don’t you?” Mikey sat chewing on the side of his thumb. He knew he could fight, swing a punch, so why was he crapping his pants? If this man wanted a fight then he may stand a chance. But Davo didn’t work like that, he was a crafty bastard, he liked his victims to suffer. There were so many tales about this guy and some of the things he’d done to other gang members were off the scale. He liked to humiliate them, piss on them, shove his dick up their arse. Potter stirred the sugar around in the cup and drained the teabag. “I don’t know what to suggest for the best. It might be a case of you get to him before he gets to you. I’ve seen you scrap Mikey you’re hard as fuck. I’ll tell you something for nothing, I wouldn’t like a belt off you.”

  “You might be right, I’ll take the cunt down, stick a blade in him. I’ll let him know I’m game too.”

  Potter passed Mikey his drink and sat down facing him, he rubbed at his arms as a cold chill rippled over his skin. “Trouble just follows you doesn’t it? It’s like you’re cursed or something. I mean, some of the shit you’ve disclosed to me is horrendous. I don’t know how you’ve survived for as long as you have. Anyway, on a positive note, your dad is back in your life now and you can both start to move on. How does it feel after seeing him again after all this time? I know I’ve not mentioned anything about it before but it would be good to hear how you feel.” Potter was staring at him waiting on a reply. Usually, Mikey would have kept this information to himself but he was vulnerable and needed to open up, release all the anxiety he had rushing through his veins. He took a mouthful of the hot, sweet tea. Four sugars he had in each brew. Mikey had always had a sweet tooth and even though he knew it was no good for him he still craved the sugary drink.

  “It was weird Potter. Do you know when you look at someone and even though you know someone, you don’t really. His face has aged so much and I couldn’t stop looking at him. My mam always told me I looked like him and I couldn’t see it until I was face to face with him.”

  “How did you feel inside, was there still a father and son bond, did you feel it?”

  Mikey thought about the question and took his time to answer it. “It felt strange, I suppose I just wanted him to hug me and tell me everything was going to be alright. As a kid growing up he always cuddled me and put the effort in to be a good father. It was the beer and the drugs that ruined him though. I remember him being in some right states, fucked in the head he was when he’d been on a bender.”

  Potter sighed and picked at his nose. “My family is pretty boring compared with yours. Nothing really happens at our house at all. My parents are straight members, they get up go to work and come home and go to bed. I don’t know how they live like that really. Meeting you has already given me a different outlook on life. I need excitement, to challenge myself, not to be a boring prick anymore. No wonder I can’t get a leg-over. I’m boring as fuck; a geek, a proper dickhead.”

  Mikey chuckled and nodded his head. “Yeah, you are a bit wet behind the ears. It is like you lived in a bubble and not experienced anything in life. I still can’t believe you’re still a virgin. Pussy is mint.”

  Potter licked at his lips and just the mention of girls made his temperature rise. “How do you know where to put it?”

  Mikey opened his eyes wide and he smirked. “What, your cock?”

  “Yeah, how do you know where it goes?”

  “For fucks’s sake, you just bang it in. You’ll know when you're there, just give her a good fingering first, explore and you’ll find it.”

  Potter looked worried and you could see the idea of sex with a woman scared the life out of him. “My dad told tell me about the birds and the bees a while back but he never explained it like you just have. He went around the houses and told me when two people love each other that’s what they do to show each other they care.”

  Mikey’s mood was lifting and he couldn’t help but giggle. He just took it for granted that all men had the natural instinct to know what to do in the bedroom. His own father had never told him shit, he just picked it up as he went along. Mikey lay down on his bed and let out a laboured breath. “Oh well, fuck it. If I’m single then I’m single. A couple of hours on Fuck-book and I’ll be back in the game again. You can’t keep a good man down can you? It looks like I’m back in the mix then.”

  Potter smirked as he went back to bed. “Nope, I knew you would bounce back. It’s just that Davo who needs sorting out now. I’m right behind you, don’t forget that.” The room was silent and all you could hear was Mikey’s breathing. His nose was blocked and he sounded like a sleeping pig. “Night Mikey, “Potter whispered.

  “Get to fucking sleep you wuss,” Mikey sniggered back.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Rachel sat at the kitchen table munching on some hot toast, butter dripping from the sides of it. The radio was on and she was singing along to it. The money from Gerry was safe now and she’d completed her task of splitting her son and Sarah up. Today she was going to the jail to see her son and she was already planning in her head what she was going to tell him. As far as she knew Sarah was in London now ready to start her new job, there was no coming back. Her quest had been completed. Mikey had shattered her heart into a million pieces and she would never forgive him for his infidelity. Gerry had been worried about her at one point and he was sure she was going to run away but as time went on, he could see she was ready to move on. Rachel ran her fingers through her hair and sat staring into space, the lack of sleep lately was showing on her tired skin and every day she woke up tired. The letterbox rapped and Rachel headed to the front door. As she held her toast in her hand she lifted the catch. Rachel’s body was twisted up in minutes, screaming, shouting, blood spraying about the hallway. What the hell was going on, somebody must have heard her screams? Why was nobody coming to help her? This woman was getting beaten within an inch of her life.

  *

  Mikey made his way onto the landing. There was a group of prisoners gathered nearby chatting and playing cards. He looked fresh this morning and the session at the gym had really cleared his head. The rage inside him was curbed for now and he seemed to have his temper under control. Mikey sat down and picked up a newspaper to scan the local news. “Fancy seeing you here,” a voice from the side of him chirped. Mikey lifted his head and his jaw dropped low. Brendan Mellor was at Davo’s side and he was smirking too. “Me and you need a chat don’t we?” Mikey’s nostrils flared
and his breathing became rapid. Should he steam into him now?

  What the hell was he waiting for? Kick his fucking head in before he makes the first move. He scanned the room for a weapon to whack over Davo over the head with but there was nothing in sight. Everybody’s eyes were on him now, waiting on a comeback.

  Mikey sat forward in his seat and kept his eyes on the newspaper. He couldn’t show fear, he had to see it through. “Ready when you are Davo, just say where and when and I’ll be there.”

  Davo was a snapper and he was trying his best to keep his cool. “Listen, you cocky prick, don’t even think you can chat shit to me. I’ll break your fucking nose in front of everyone if you carry on.”

  Mikey raised his eyes and growled over at him. Brendan was licking arse and he caught his eye. “See you’ve got yourself a new bitch then Davo? You better watch him though he’s a shady fucker, he’ll sell you out at the drop of a hat.”

  Brendan was cocky and now he had the back-up he was more than willing to voice his opinion. “I hope Davo fucks you up. It’s about time someone knocked you down a peg or two. I for one will be laughing my cock off when he does too.”

  Mark was watching everything from the corridor. He was biting his fingernails, intrigued by Mikey’s courage, he’d underestimated him. Davo made sure Mikey was listening and spoke in a loud voice to the rest of the inmates. “Did you all know about Dennis Milne getting kicked to fuck. He’s in a bad way. I wonder who done him in?” Mikey was white and his fists curled into tight balls at the side of his legs as Davo continued. “You all know Mikey’s dad is a nonce right?”

  There was whispering among the prisoners, they were nudging each other, their eyes wide open.