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SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

wasn’t for us. They wouldn’t waste such good food on the inmates in solitary confinement. Besides, they never let us use metal cutlery, in case we sharpened it into weapons.

‘What’s happening?’ I asked the others.

‘It’s a new torture they’ve invented especially for us,’ said Chino, who was always making jokes. ‘Watch. They’re going to eat it in front of us.’

Everyone was curious, but no one spoke for a while. We continued staring at them as they set up for the party. When they were done, someone finally called out.

‘Who’s all that for?’

‘For you lot,’ replied the guards. ‘Go and bring out the chairs, then you can all have some.’

Ignoring the order to get chairs, the eight of us scrambled towards the table. The others ate standing up, greedily stuffing food into their mouths while I observed them. I was afraid that the food was poisoned, or laced with tranquilliser, and I wanted to wait and see if any of them became sick. They were eating so quickly that there would be none left so I drank a whole bowl of soup in one go, then grabbed two chicken legs in my effort to catch up.

‘Tranquilo,’ said the guard, patting me on the shoulder. ‘There is plenty more where that came from.’

After eating, we were told to wash our clothes and clean the cell block thoroughly, and if we did a good job we would be given extra yard time. Something strange was going on, but no one argued; anything was better than being locked back in those dungeons, even cleaning. There was only one broom, but I took my time sweeping out my cell while the others waited their turn. I would make a pile of dust, then accidentally knock it everywhere in order to take longer. Then I washed my clothes very slowly and took them out to dry in the exercise yard, piece by piece.

On my way back in to pick up more clothes, I saw Chino leaning against the door to my cell. He was waiting for me and he looked nervous. Without saying anything, he looked up and down the corridor and then nodded his head towards my cell. He obviously had something important to tell me.

‘Quick,’ he said, shutting the door behind us so that it didn’t click loudly and stood with his back against it.

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