Inside of their cell house were deplorable conditions. Dillon drug his friend to the far corner of the room where there was a small space not yet taken up. It was an open dorm setting with no beds, no structures, just an open room inside of a concrete building. There sat two toilets somewhere near the middle of the building on the edge of the wall. They were metal and there was no privacy to be seen. Sinks were not to be found, not anything else. There were a few people that had blankets, but Dillon had not a clue how they achieved getting one. Dillon maneuvered his way through the overcrowded cell house and had her laid down with her propped up against the wall making space between to people who already occupied that area. “Are you okay?” Dillon asked her, he was not graced with a reply.
He looked around scanning the room and only saw people. People everywhere. People laid against each other due to overcrowding, people against the walls and in the middle of the floor, and even people laying near the toilet area. “I need water.” Dillon said out loud. A young man sharing a blanket with two others looked over and replied to him “The one on the left.” Dillon made eye contact with the young man and was confused “One on the left?” Dillon said. The young man looked over towards the toilets “We use the one on the left for water. The one on the right is for bodily functions.” Dillon thought for a moment. “Do you have a cup?” the young man shook his head. Dillon spoke “Watch this girl for me” he then stood up and walked over towards the toilet, he took off his shirt and crouched down, inspecting it further. “This is disgusting.” Apparently someone didn’t get the memo of only using the left one for drinking, someone pisses next to him or shits while he does this as Dillon could see wet urine on the toilet seat.
He used the button to flush the toilet and saw where the water came out from. Dillon took his shirt and balled it up, carefully pressing the button and attempting to not touch his shirt to the edge of the toilet bowl. Once his shirt was soaked he briskly walked back towards the girl. He was dripping water on the floor and trying not to get any on any inmates. Dillon sat down quickly next to her and spoke to the young man “Help me here.” The young man got from out underneath his blanket, he was a skinny fellow. Deathly skinny looking, the small shirt was baggy on him. Dillon supported her head “Tilt her head and hold her nose. We need to get some hydration in her system.” The young man looked at him “Aye aye sir.”
Dillon squeezed his shirt and let the water wring out into the girls mouth to which she instinctively swallowed, choked on, and began coughing.
Coughing she came to, the beautiful girl Dillon had felt so strongly for no apparent reason. Her eyes opened wide as she scanned the room, as if she was a drowned victim who had just be resuscitated. “Where are we?” she asked “Looks like our new home” Dillon chanted. She adjusted slightly, smacking her lips. “Tastes like shit.” She said. Dillon smiled a familiar and old smile. “Quite possibly.” He was humored by this and looked over at his new acquaintance who had been the first person willing to give him some form of actual help in the recent past.
Dillon looked at him and his smile faded, to be honest he was judging this man instantly. “Typical Christian I assume. Trying to do good for others out of the dogmas he is bound by. A shell of a man, his existence is limited by the book he has read and the rules he follows. What is a life if it is not yours to choose what you do with?” He thought silently to himself. “What’s your name?” the young man said. Dillon looked up and met his eyes with his reclusive cold grey stare. The thousand yard stare Dillon was so familiar giving to his prey before he assassinated them from afar or up close.
The stare of a man who has been through too much, and been damaged too far. Dillon spoke “FAKE NAME HERE” the young man shook his head nodding, he was bunched up against the wall with a fellow inmate resting their head on his shoulder. His knees were up to his chest and he was just barely covered by the blanket he was sharing. “Crosby.” He extended his hand to shake Dillon’s, to which Dillon reluctantly complied. The girl Dillon had placed against the wall looked over too, wiling to introduce herself “Belle” and she shook his hand too, the way a girl does. Dillon noticed as Crosby gently grasped her hand, shaking it ever so lightly.
Belle bunched up against the wall too, knees to chest. Even dirty and exhausted Dillon thought she was such an arousing feature he would express his primal desires at this moment if she would just ask. “Why do women never just ask to have sex?” he was thinking. Shaking himself into focus he spoke “So. What’s your story mate?” Dillon spoke while looking inquisitively at Crosby. Crosby sighed. “I’m supposed to be here” Belle and Dillon looked at each other wryly, with a half smirk Dillon shrugged his eye “What?” Crosby nodded “I was guided here by the Lord.” Dillon confused, gave him a questioning look “What do you mean, you didn’t commit a crime?” Crosby smiled “The only crime I have committed was preaching the word of the lord.” Dillon looked at him intensely “And how did that land you here?” Crosby took a moment. Pausing to think and look at the floor, resting his head on his knees and pulling the blanket tightly over him as thin as it would stretch out. “I-“… “I was the leader of a group of Christians.” He looked up, frowning “Not by choice mind you. I just stuck up for what was right. I lead my people to where God took me.” Dillon sighed, positioning himself Indian legged, as there was no room on the wall or anywhere else to sit. “Did he speak to you?” Dillon asked doubtful of any intelligent response.
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“The lord has visited my dreams since I was a child. I know we are in a tough position now, and that’s why many of my fellow church members have disowned me. In my heart I know this is where the lord wanted me to be. When he spoke to me, he took my hand and guided me to Camp Leito. I expected to find salvation here from the persecution of the religious groups that has been occurring. Instead... Well instead we all ended up inside of this prison.” Dillon slightly shocked by this “So you lead a group of innocent people into a prison.” He stared in bewilderment, cocking his head.
Crosby sunk his head lower “It’s conflicting. I know I have lead many people to a bad place, but if this is where the lord takes me… then...“ Belle looked at him with distaste “But if the lord said to kill yourself would you?” Annoyed, Crosby retorted “Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Belle smiled “Okay. I understand. My point is, will you do anything “The Lord” tells you to do?” the young saint crossed his arms “It’s hard for many to believe. I know. I can’t say I hear voices and you believe me.” He paused and made eye contact with them both “its called faith. Those of my church and who travel with me still, that’s what we believe in. I wouldn’t lie about hearing from the Lord.” Dillon made a curious expression “To be clear, you’ll do whatever the Lord tells you, within reason. Based on faith.” Crosby nodded, “Yes.” Dillon chimed in again “My question is this, What if it isn’t the lord? What if you suffer from a mild form of schizophrenia and inside of your own mind you’ve created this other persona you believe is the Lord?”
Crosby looked at him blankly “I suppose.” Pausing to think “...That too follows under faith. If I believed it was just myself being delusional then I wouldn’t share my words with the church. I would share them with a shrink.” He gained speed as he spoke “However, I find it intrusive and wonder if this is how you question every one of the faith you meet?” Dillon shivered “I’m sorry to have pried so far.” Crosby looked up. “It’s quite alright. To be honest, I thought I was just helping people get to safety. It seemed so important at the time...” Belle spoke up now interrupting the solemn moment, looking at Dillon tensely “And what are you here for?” He shifted his eyes, cocking an eyebrow at her “Well now.” He looked around “Ladies first, you tell me.” She looked at him, Crosby could tell there was a subtle tension between the two. Like when you’re in a room with a couple flirting and it’s so disgusting you just want to tell them to hurry up and fuck.
He chuckled to himself “Absolutely not. I asked you first Mr.” Dillon sighed “I’m here for stealing documents from the World News Organization ??is this correct?” She looked at him in disbelief “I don’t think you’re telling me the truth.” He redirected her question and asked “So what are you here for, Madame?” Belle scowled “I asked first. Stealing documents doesn’t land you in this prison. You have to have done something more serious than that.” He nodded “Ah. You’ve got me.” He looked at her for a moment longer before speaking “I stole... Two documents.” she chuckled “I suppose you won’t tell me. My story is simple enough, I ran away.” Shrugging her shoulders as Dillon smiled “Ran away? What are we, twelve?” she laughed “I ran from the Navy. Couldn’t get far trapped on a boat.” ?? is this correct? “What on earth possessed you to do that?” she looked at the floor “I’ll tell you when you admit to me what you did to come in here.”
She looked up, disconcerted. Dillon was looking around him for a spot to lay down. “Seems we’ve all got secrets here. Secrets and a horribly uncomfortable floor” All around him were people laying on the floor. His sitting Indian legged was the only space for him to be in. Belle noticed, and watched him observe the situation. “We should probably sleep soon. I don’t know what’s in store for us.” Dillon said, looking at her.” Crosby observed them both “I concur. Maybe I can get some direction if I get some fair amount of rest in. Would you like to join me in evening prayer?” He said sincerely. Dillon shook his head, “No sir. I need to figure out how to sleep cross legged.” Belle was nodding off about this time too, suddenly and without warning. Crosby turned away from them and was talking with a small group of his supporters.
Dillon watched this for a moment and tried to sleep in that position, bending his arms and resting his elbows on his knees. Nothing seemed to comfortable, or allowed him to come close to drifting off. He looked around desperate to lay around. Belle nudged him with her foot, peeking her eye open. A whisper came out of her mouth “Switch me” Dillon raised his eyebrows, “You can’t-“She gave him a look that for a moment gave him a shiver. It reminded him of his own cold stare he had developed, and this bring him joy. He complied with her wish, quickly moving into her spot as she slipped out from the two people surrounding her. Dillon moved around slightly making himself as comfortable as he could against the cold wall and floor. Before he took time to noticed, Belle was scooting back to him, and he actually froze. For the first time in a while Dillon was wide awake, and had no idea how to respond to this situation.
She was nestled against him as you would if you were being hugged from behind. He let his arms rest around her and they leaned back, passing out from exhaustion before he had any time to read too far into the current situation. In his last moments of consciousness before his eyes closed, he felt an emotion of peace and warmth creep out from deep inside of him from somewhere. A sense of serenity for a moment, lulled him into a state of vulnerability he never placed himself in or allowed himself to get into. Dillon drifted to sleep with a smile on his face.
