She is in a woman’s hellhole but it would not make a vast difference if she were in a mixed one. Model looking Bethany would still be freezing, constantly hungry and forever missing her two-year-old Annie grow up. To make matters worse the population of Leeds is packed with racism, as if they’d never come across a coloured human being prior to Bethany. She gets picked on for being who she is and what she did but at least she didn’t murder like the preponderance of the women. Bethany is proud of her roots however the day Papa’s girl set foot in the diabolical prison nobody has made the effort to be her companion.
No one every says ‘hello’ or ‘how are you Beth?’ they all know she has a two year old who is living in care, bets are that she is now spoilt rotten, being looked after by a snooty, wealthy, just married couple. Bethany tried, she tried so bloody hard to bring her up as a decent person but now she is paying for her actions and cannot even change her daughters nappy or sing her to sleep. The pain, the anger, the suicidal moments she would not wish on her worst enemy.
Being emotionally deserted and knowing that she let her dear Papa down, in numerous ways, in that now he would not even contemplate visiting her or bring himself to narrate what happened to his eldest ‘Princess’ if that’s what she is anymore. Papa told his friends that Bethany had died, he lied to his comrades telling them that his own daughter had passed away after being knocked down by a drunken driver. That is how low he thinks of her, he couldn’t bear to tell them that after Bethany’s husband James committed self-murder she fell into a pit. All was black around her and she tried to shine her own light but it gave up on her and now she is back to the semitransparent hole. Semitransparent means it has improved but that doesn’t prevent her from wishing she could paint her skin white and fit in with the crowd or even scoop to their level, either way would end the torment she receives day in day out.
Her miserable life continued for weeks and weeks, the window of opportunity flew open, she was busy working in the kitchens scrubbing the greasy fat off of pans. Her chief tormenter, Kelly, was standing besides her doing the exact same thing but every five seconds she would glance to the left where there lay a kitchen knife. Kelly’s twinkling had arrived; she reached to the knife and obscured the sharp blade in her pocketed trousers. She would expect this to be a very good trade for some smuggled in drugs.
Just then the head warden appeared, announcing that an inspection would take place. Guards peeped all around the kitchen, counting the plates, cutlery, and items of food actually just about anything else that could be used for barter if it was pinched. A Deputy warden spoke softly to the guardian who instantaneously announced that the inmates should position themselves in a line and prepare too be examined. Evidently they had found out about the absent knife.
Bethany could see the sweat appearing on Kelly’s brow. There was nowhere to hide the knife as they were in the center of the kitchen, away from any location of concealment. The wardens moved at a leisurely pace down the procedure towards Kelly. As they began searching the girl next to her, Kelly gulped the kind of gulp you do when you know you are in solemn trouble. If caught, with her previous record, she could look forward to months in solitary.
As they began the search Kelly shivered and then to her amazement they finished with her and moved on. She put her hand to her pocket but the knife was gone. Just then she heard the warden cry out and saw them march Bethany away. Instantly she realized what had occurred. Bethany turned to Kelly and winked, Kelly blushing with embarrassment winked back and mouthed a silent thank you.
Bethany had scooped to their level but for a reason, to belong. To make her five years, three months and twelve days left, until she was free, bearable.
