The Inmate | Teen Ink

The Inmate

December 26, 2014
By yessicamichele BRONZE, Las Vegas, Nevada
yessicamichele BRONZE, Las Vegas, Nevada
4 articles 1 photo 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations." - John Green


The ocean's breeze hit him in his visage with such delicacy. The feeling was similar to an aroma of newly bloomed primroses hugging your nostrils during the spring. Yet Jimmy Anderson did not realize that this was one of his last moments as a free man. He would soon arrive at Alcatraz Federal Prison, where he will have to continue pretending to be a dauntless man. As soon as Jimmy's foot touched the land, the island felt eerie and dark. It was as Jimmy's foot poisoned the land, turning the green grass into a pit of darkness slithering around your ankles. The sagacious guards pervaded the land while Jimmy was lead into the prison to meet the warden.

 

There was closely three-hundred  cells held together with rusty iron bars. In front of one of the middle cells was a man standing with his back towards Jimmy's body. The man had a freshly shaved face, olive skin, and a strongly defined jaw line. "This is the warden, Arthur White. He will make sure you are in your cell at all times.", the guard said tightening his grip on Jimmy's forearm. The stiffness in the warden's body was evident. Jimmy knew this man from somewhere but he could not point out from where. Jimmy's eyes wandered to the brass keys handing in the cell's lock. The material reminding him of the engagement ring he bought his wife, Elena, on their anniversary. The warden closed the door in Jimmy's face interrupting is thoughts. "I hope you rot in here.", the warden said staring directly into Jimmy's eyes before leaving. The cell was proven to be inadequate. There was a thick red substance splattered on the concrete floor, Jimmy knew it was blood yet it strangely did not bother him at all.

 

That night when all was still, he heard a soft murmur coming from the cell next to his claustrophobic cell. "Help me Jimmy, help!", a distinct female voice said repeating over and over like a broken record. "Elena? What are you doing here?", Jimmy quickly said recognizing the voice. But the voice would only repeat. It was as the cell was designed to occult the lovers. Jimmy could not take one more second in the empty cell knowing that Elena's hand was almost tangible. Jimmy stayed awake all night wondering about the uncanny cell next to his and how he could save his wife. Jimmy could feel the numinous feeling radiating off Elena.

 

Jimmy abruptly wailed like a banshee trying to get the security guard's attention. Jimmy had to react - and fast. The guards came piling in, their eyes widen at the scene that was right in front of them. Jimmy's eyes were bloodshot and had the bed sheets wrapped around his neck. The guards rapidly unlocked the door and tackled Jimmy to the cold concrete floor. Jimmy squeezed out of the guard's grip but not before grabbing the officer's handgun. Time stopped at that moment, the guards stood still making sure to not push Jimmy to do something irrational. "Let my wife Elena out!", Jimmy shouted while tears streamed down his wife. Pure confusion was the only emotion on the guard's faces. "Mr. Anderson, do you know why you're here in prison?", the guards responded. Jimmy only shook his head mouthing the word "no". "Mr. Anderson, you killed your wife Elena, she's dead.", the guards tried to say as calm as possible. Jimmy stepped forward with a sinister look on his face, the words oddly processing through his brain. "Then we should all be with her.", Jimmy said holding the gun towards the guard's head. The sound of a gun going off echoed throughout the cell followed by a body hitting the floor.

 

The guards turned around to find the warden with a gun in his hand aimed straight to where Jimmy's body was moments ago. "How could you shoot his so easily sir?", one guard said speaking the thoughts of everyone. "Shooting him was easy, but dealing with him knowing he killed my daughter Elena was hard. Hide the body with the others, we speak to no one about this.", the warden said before turning around and heading back to his office. The cell filled with silence and all that was heard was a boat's horn, a new inmate on his way.


The author's comments:

One thing that really inspired this short story is one fascinating author's life, Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar wrote many great stories, but he lived a terrible life. Edgar lost all the important women in his life due to tuberculosis and he resorted to alcohol and gambling. I wanted to write about a man becoming insane due to a women. I also hope everyone gets the true meaning of the short story, that death or losing someone is terrible, but you have to come out of that dark place to get through it.


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