Chapter Thirty Six: Maximum Security
Sophia Crawford

SILVERBAY MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON was written on the gate when River stopped in front of it so one of the guards could open it for him—one of the million that were patrolling just the front area of the prison gates.

I frown. “I thought your dad got compassionate release seeing that he has stage-four cancer.”

I know his dad was still in prison, but he was getting sicker and sicker by the day. One would’ve thought that he would be resting in a hospice or something right now, not live his final moments in the same jail he rotted in for a while.

My stomach churns.

River doesn’t reply, his gaze was focused on the prison building itself. He was looking at the building as if it held the answers he needed, and I guess it did because the person he needed answers from was in that building right now.

Slowly dying.

The outside of the prison was covered with heavy duty fencing, and barbed wire was hooked to the windows so the inmates won’t try and escape. I don’t think they can, though, because the windows were completely barred with metal too thick to cut open with something.

There wasn’t a single patch of grass in sight and not just because it was snowing heavily outside that everything was covered in it, it simply was because there wasn’t a single patch other than the small field the inmates used to have a break outside to get some sunlight into their system, but even that field of grass was completely dry.

The guard tower was just outside the prison wherein a guard was on duty; watching the windows through a set of binoculars every so often. There was another booth right by the gates and a guard stepped out of it, walking towards the car we were currently in.

River rolls down his window when the guard stops in front of the window.

I see white smoke puff in front of the guard when he spoke. “What’s your reason for visitation?” He was clearly annoyed that he had to leave the comfort of the warm booth to ask us why were parked in front of a prison.

“I’m here for a party.” River answers dryly.

The guard doesn’t seem fazed by River’s reply, he only looked at River.

River sighs. “I’m here to visit my father. Jenkins.” River says, equally just as annoyed as the guard was. “Now are you going to let us inside or what?”

The guard eyes us sceptically. His gaze raked over me, and then over River again. I thought there was some sort of problem or something because he didn’t want to let us inside, but he finally nodded and beckoned toward another guard to open the gate.

River drives through the gate slowly and finds an open parking near the prison entrance. There were not a lot of cars in sight, and that made me extra jumpy. The sound of the gate clicking shut behind me actually made me jump in my seat.

The prison was getting to me.

There were murderers and all kinds of bad people inside those walls.

And River’s father was one of those monsters.

I look over at River. “I’m here.” I tell him. “Okay, River?”

River stops the car and takes the keys out of the ignition.

He sighs, waits a few seconds, and finally unlocks the car to get out. He locks the car after the both of us got out and I follow close behind him. I didn’t want to lose River in such a place.

I held my hands close to my side, trying to make myself as small as I possibly could. I was too scared to touch anything. I didn’t want to get my hands dirty.

The doors to the entrance of the prison creaks open and once we entered the building; panic starts to bubble up inside me.

I didn’t want to be here, and I had a good feeling that River felt the exact same way. He was walking slowly, as if he dreaded to see his father. His eyes were open and scanning the area thoroughly and his hands were slightly shaking at his sides. I wanted to take his hand in mine to give it a reassuring squeeze, but I decided against it. I didn’t want to lead him on again; give him the wrong idea.

River waves his hand in front of a camera and the metal doors finally open.

I forgot that this was a maximum security prison. There were guards everywhere, and not to mention the many cameras around every corner. I don’t think a fly could have escaped this place.

There was no direct sunlight in sight, just the sharp lighting above us. There were windows, the three I have already spotted, but they were so barred, you had to stand directly in front of it to see the outside.

If one of the guards would let you, that is.

“My dad’s compassionate release has been denied.” River says, speaking for the first time since we left the car. “He’s getting the treatment here. Not like he needs it, he’s a walking corpse.” River didn’t look at me at all when he spoke.

My chest felt tight with guilt. I shouldn’t have kissed him on this damn day. I should have used my words to try to calm him down. I shouldn’t have kissed him. He was already stressed because he had to see his father, but I just had to add more to that damn stress by leading him on, and for upsetting him yet again.

What the hell was I thinking?

We make our way through another set of walls but this time I notice that there were big red words written on the wall above the double doors of the prison.

REGISTRATION AREA

There was a male guard and a female guard sitting on chairs behind a counter with a big book of registrations resting on the counter in front of them.

The male guard made sure that River wrote the necessary details in the book after the both of them searched through us. The female searched through me, took my phone from me and set it into a box. They took all Rivers’ rings from his fingers, and his phone as well before they placed it into the box along with my belongings.

“You are not family,” the guard says to me, “I’m afraid that you have to wait here in the waiting area. You, on the other hand,” he jerks his chin toward River who has been tense since we entered the prison walls, “keep your hands on the table at all times. There are cameras everywhere and if we see you handing the inmate anything, there will be consequences.”

River nods stiffly.

“You have ten minutes.”