At noon, Daniel emerged for lunch, Marina Lvovna's heart softened with the details of his excruciating story, so she gave him advice on how to get to Sennoy without being intercepted by others eager to fuck a fresh rooster. As he walked, his heart pounded with fear, making the voices around him seem distant and muffled. The faces of the inmates, filled with mockery and anticipation, blurred into an unpleasant haze, fueling his adrenaline rush. Shouts directed at him became unintelligible as if muted by earplugs.

Daniel heard his own voice, sounding foreign and distant, while the rehearsed words from the day before slipped from his grasp. It felt as though he were observing the scene from a distance, detached from the reality unfolding before him. He stood before Sennoy, who regarded him with emotionless indifference, as though he were nothing more than an object. Despite his racing heart and hitching breath, Daniel wasn't the one offering his body in exchange for protection. It wasn't him. It was merely his physical presence, detached from his true self.

Sennoy was silent for a long time. The intrigued silence of the spectators that ensued only emphasized his significant quietness as he shook off the clumps of bluish mashed potatoes from his spoon, as he quietly sipped his tea, staring at motionless Daniel. Daniel saw him and didn't see him at the same time: part of him had already climbed into a long-familiar crevice in the boarded yew ceiling, where it was safe and quiet, where he could wait out the storm. And he waited, as the others waited.

Sennoy parted his lips in a lazy smile, just slightly, not even showing his teeth, and stretched out softly, "Uh, I'll take you."

Everyone immediately whispered among themselves: some with frank irritation, annoyed that they had not gotten the most beautiful rooster, which had not yet had time to lose its freshness and novelty, some with mockery, laughing at the American who was deflated so quickly, some with envy. Daniel, climbing cautiously out of the safe crevice, smelling of dusty old wood, left over from a distant childhood but still helpful, came back fully to himself. Clearly aware that he had just sold himself for the ephemeral notion of protection. Rising, oblivious to the chain of command, he looked up to his eyes. And only then he was able to see Sennoy in great detail, continuing to stare inappropriately at his face: thin, rigid, as if composed of sharp angles with steely gray eyes. Daniel averted his eyes after Sennoy's sarcastic retort, "You've got the nerve to stare at me like that. I can change my mind."

"I am sorry," Daniel blurted out, his mind no longer divided, consumed by a burning sense of shame. Heat rushed to his cheeks, fueling his discomfort, amplified by the attention of those around him.

"Check out Dashka, blushing like a rose!" someone chuckled, and Daniel struggled to steady his breath. The nickname stung - responding to a woman's name felt repulsive. Brush it off, don't give the freaks the satisfaction of a reaction.

"Now go. I will send for you when I need you," Sennoy remarked dryly, pushing back from the table. Daniel unconsciously noticed that Sennoy hadn't touched his food - just poked at it, as if curious what was it that cons ate. Must be eating separately - something Marina Lvovna had mentioned earlier.

Daniel collected his portion from the window, heading to the table of the shamed, the quiet ones. He ate diligently, even though the food was meager and lacking in essential nutrients due to poor preparation. He had already wasted away to the point of protruding bones. If he continued like this, he wouldn't survive to see freedom, his immune system succumbing to viruses or worse, tuberculosis, rampant in the facility. Frost, hard labor, malnutrition - a lethal combination draining life's essence. Not going to happen! He would survive, get his old life back, and then he would bury it all, just as he had buried other memories before.

The men in the barracks sneered at him, but kept their remarks to themselves, surprising Daniel, who had braced himself for mockery. Yet Palka, one of the zone's most handsome roosters, approached without hesitation. Daniel knew Palka had landed in prison for petty scams, and his open social media posts with boyfriends had sealed his fate as a rooster in the zone, accepted his caste without resistance - he hadn't even been raped. Daniel tensed like a coiled spring, defiantly meeting Palka's eyes as he settled onto the bunk.

"Look at you, Dashka, moving like lightning. Straight from the infirmary to Sennoy," Palka sneered, eyeing him up and down with disdain.

Daniel stayed quiet, clenching his jaw - he hadn't anticipated the jealousy from the other downgraded. How to evade their envious remarks about belonging to Sennoy. His frayed nerves buzzed, and Daniel turned away, suppressing a defiant, hysterical laugh. His mouth tasted metallic with blood. Daniel bit his lip, swallowing the oddly satisfying blood, while Demyan, one of the seasoned veterans in the zone, chimed in with a chuckle.

"Feeling jealous, Palka?"

"Maybe I am," Palka admitted, his tone both conciliatory and bitter. "Is he better than all of us combined?"

"Well, he's prettier than you, so yeah, he's something," Demyan laughed, almost fondly. "Shame he didn't end up in the general population, I wouldn't mind having such a smooth baby."

Daniel checked his belongings, discovering that the hidden stash of cash was unsurprisingly missing. Then he stretched out on the bunk, trying to relax and continued to ignore Palka - the fact that no one had made any moves against him was reassuring, signaling that he was now branded as Sennoy's rooster, which was crucial. He remained shielded from the crude taunts of the lower echelon of human beings. If only Sennoy would not fuck him too often, he could manage everything else. The idea of willingly having sex with another man, take his cock into his mouth and suck it voluntarily, take it in his ass, satisfying him, still was very destructive. The thought of the first such voluntary encounter sent waves of fear washing over him, causing him to quiver in repulsion. Amidst these troubling thoughts, agitated Palka's actions seemed insignificant. As Palka huffed off, someone else sat on his bunk, scaring Daniel into jumping up.

"It's just me, don't sweat it," Svetka whispered, settling in. Daniel noted grimly that Svetka was now free to touch his stuff - well, they were both in the same boat now, both downgraded. "You did the right thing, though I thought you were gonna slit your wrists."

"I won't," Daniel said quietly.

"That's good, 'cause shit goes down. Not everyone takes it as easy as Palka. Some hang themselves, rip their veins out with their teeth. We'll stay connected now, and you can hit me up for advice if you need it," Svetka grinned, and Daniel swallowed hard: Svetka had a gap instead of her his front teeth. "Took me some time to get over it too. But I managed to come to terms with it, even made some moves in a way, becoming a mamka who controlled other roosters and hooked them up with different cons. Basically played the pimp, which gave me an easier ride. You're green, but I'll show you the ropes. And if you need condoms or lubricant, I got you covered," Svetka winked, and Daniel felt sick. "Got some stash on me, want some?"

"I'll have the cash in a day," Daniel responded with a hitch. Even though the thought of having sex with Sennoy made him sick, he wasn't about to skip out on safety measures - who knows what kind of diseases Sennoy might be carrying.

"I'll front you the dough, I'm self-sufficient," Svetka said, digging into his pocket and pulling out a stash of condoms and baby lotion. "A grand."

Daniel nodded silently, eyeing the baby lotion with confusion - hardly the ideal lube, but he had no choice.

"No regular lube?" he asked quietly, embarrassed to discuss such things in front of others.

"It's pricey," Svetka said, surprised. "But I can get it if you want," he leaned in closer, whispering. "You gotta stretch yourself, Sennoy ain't gonna do it. And don't touch him when you're blowing him, else you're dead meat - no touching, got it? Only use your mouth. And don't make a sound, if he ain't into it, keep it quiet, got me?"

"I got it," Daniel said with difficulty, blushing with embarrassment. "What else can't I do?"

"Alright, got it: hands off, keep quiet, even if it's killing you, stretch yourself. Oh, and don't puke, if a drop lands on Sennoy, you're done for, he'll off you quicker than admit it. You'll adapt soon," Svetka reassured him with a pat on the knee, and Daniel let out a sharp exhale - he wasn't about to get used to this. But the advice was timely, despite being shameless. "When you get the cash, bring it. Catch you later, Dashka."

That evening, Sennoy didn't call him to his room, so Daniel lay on his back to sleep, a rarity in prison, and didn't bother covering his face with a pillowcase, seeing it as a small victory. Perhaps it was a sign that Sennoy doesn't relieve his sexual tension that often - if that was the case, he should have taken on the role of the rooster sooner. Daniel grimaced, pondering the situation in the darkness - how quickly he was adapting to this meager existence. Another year behind bars, and he feared he'd lose touch with who he really was.

***

"What, bitch, am I worse than Sennoy, huh? Spit it out!" Bright's voice filled with aggression, his words slicing through the air like a blade.

Daniel winced in pain, his response coming out in a defeated tone.

"No."

"Then why didn't you come to me, huh?" Bright's boot struck his kneecap, sending a wave of sharp pain through Daniel's body. He hissed in pain, feeling his knee throb and go numb from the impact.

"He... he was closer. I was afraid someone would jump me on the way," Daniel quickly fabricated an excuse, drawing upon his instincts honed from childhood dangers. He braced himself, expecting another blow, shielding himself with his hands. His side and knee throbbed with bruises, fear gripping him as Bright's rage boiled over. It wasn't about Daniel personally - he knew that much. Bright was furious not because Daniel chose someone else, but because it highlighted his rival's dominance in the prison hierarchy. His stock went down on the zone stock exchange - just like in the outside world.

"Closer," Bright spat, his rage simmering as he delivered a kick with less intensity. "You'll regret snubbin' me, Dashka. Sennoy's outta here in a year, then you hit the gen pop. But before that, I'll have my fun with you. Get up, you piece of shit."

Daniel struggled to pry his hands from his head, the rush of adrenaline coursing through him like a warning signal, making his movements sluggish with panic. He rose to his feet, bracing himself for another blow, ready to shield his bloody nose- not a drop should end up on Bright. The pain throbbed in his nose, but it didn't crack, so it was just bruised from the fall.

"If they ask, you slipped and fell bad, got it?" Bright came closer, and Daniel reflexively moved away, uttering softly.

"Got it. I fell on my own."

"That's right," Bright nodded sharply, his anger simmering but beginning to subside. He spun on his heels military-style, nudging his crew as he departed, the tension in the air easing with his exit. The other cons nearby relaxed instantly, moving with more assurance. Daniel stooped down, scooping up some fresh snow to apply to his nose, cleansing his face as he caught his breath. It was a shame that Bright's presence weakened Sennoy's protection. Maybe he should've reported it, but he wasn't sure it was worth the trouble. No matter how many punches Bright threw.

Sennoy remained oblivious to Daniel's presence for several days, a fact that Daniel ensured after a chance encounter in the common area where Sennoy barely spared him a glance before moving on. However, Daniel wasn't immune to the attention of other inmates. Some mocked him, questioning if he enjoyed being fucked so much that he rushed to choose a partner, while others hissed warnings that once Sennoy was out, they'd claim him for themselves. Bright didn't hesitate to assert his authority, elbowing Daniel off his feet and giving him a kicking, promising a world of pain once Sennoy was no longer around.

The prospect of Bright's threats becoming reality sent shivers down Daniel's spine. If his appeal or consulate intervention failed, his life would be in jeopardy once Sennoy was released. It was a stark realization for Daniel, who hadn't previously noticed how many inmates eyed him with desire, a revelation that filled him with fear.