Imaginative Writing

Angst, guilt, and self-abnegation were amongst the many feelings that tugged at the newly convicted Theodore Douglas’s heart. The Magistrate sentenced the young delinquent to eighteen months in jail for the theft of a mobile phone and one hundred pounds in cash, despite his desperate circumstance, Theo appeared to be calm, collected, and unusually apathetic. However, this façade of mild disinterest, concealed the reality; Theo was about as indifferent as a cat caught short in a swimming pool, and for good reason too for although Theo understood the impact of a criminal record, the chilling and curious reality of surviving Pentonville prison was about to make itself apparent to him. And there was no way he could ever be prepared.
The inside of Theodore’s cell was bleak and barren. Four greyish-white walls encompassed an equally ugly bed and exposed toilet, this uncomfortably small volume of air would be his home for the next eighteen months (although he reckoned it unlikely he would last that long). For a while the young delinquent starred at the wall opposite him and wondered if social redemption was still a viable option for him, but his thoughts were interrupted by groan of heavy footsteps against an aged wood floor, which suggested to Theo that somebody was walking outside, and the gradual increase in both amplitude and pitch also suggested to him that the owner of the footsteps was advancing towards him. A stout middle aged man presented himself in front of Theodore, he wore a dulled blue prison officer uniform with complete with broken buttons and torn sleeves, which suggested age. “Good morrow Mister Douglas” boomed the officer in a low and sombre timbre “I have been instructed to accompany you to the court yard” he continued. Throwing caution to the wind, Theodore followed his new acquaintance down the corridor for what seemed to be an age, but soon enough a green flickering sign that once read ‘Courtyard’ but now is short of a C and two r’s, appeared above