KIMMY'S LIST

CHAPTER 14

A female cop collected the dinner dishes while a male cop cleaned and mopped up the spilt supper. Kimberly’s cell mate remained unmoved throughout. She sat holding a blank stare on the ground in front of her.

While the clean - up was on, a second male cop entered the cell carrying a large plastic rubbish bag.

‘Your husband brought in a change of clothes for you.’

‘Is my husband still out there…?’ Kimberly said with renewed hope in her voice.

‘No. He dropped it off and left.’ Kimberly’s disappointed shoulders dropped.

The cop placed the bag on the foot of Kimberly’s bed.

‘When you’re changed, place what you’re wearing back in there.’

‘Thank you so much,’ Kimberly said.

She inspected the bag contents while waiting for the male cop to finish cleaning up the floor and leave the cell. In her world, privacy, not just from males, but also other females, was not only a common right, it was an expectation.

She was never comfortable stripping naked in front of other women, not even in the change room at the local swimming pool. But that world she grew to know so well, had gone.

The CCTV camera in the corner was testament to how things were going to be from now on.

After carefully changing into her more comfortable street clothes, keeping her back to the prying camera, the same male cop appeared and collected the bag. When he left, the cop closed the cell door, followed by the sound of the heavy lock securing the door and keys dangling.

A sense of claustrophobia washed over Kimberly. She was trapped like a mongrel dog in a pound. Everything seemed surreal. She expected to wake up and it would be all gone. Kimberly’s wandering gaze shifted to her cell mate, still sitting crossed legged, staring blankly at the floor.

Without warning, the cell’s lights went out. Kimberly gasped. The darkened walls suddenly felt like they were closing in on her. After a few minutes, her eyes adjusted. The room was not totally dark. A small security light remained lit.

Kimberly made up her bed and climbed under the blankets. It took several minutes of lying with her hands supporting her head before she succumbed and allowed her head to come in contact with that pillow.

While lying staring at the darkened ceiling. Kimberly’s thoughts were of her husband. How was he coping? When would she see him again? Her eyes welled up. Her nose ran. She sniffed as sadness engulfed her.

‘If I hear one fucken’ sooky tear come out of you, bitch, I’ll come over there and smother ya fucken’ head with that pillow. Ya hear me?’

Kimberly’s eyes flared. Her mouth fell open. She dragged the covers up under her chin. She had never been exposed to aggression or violence, not even through her school years, so this was particularly intimidating.

‘Yes, I hear you…’

TO BE CONTINUED….