EYES THAT WATCH

Michael’s POV

The prison doesn’t sleep; it shifts, breathing through the shadows, and every step you take inside it feels like walking deeper into unleashed danger. And I am about to find out.

The man roars with so much power, as he stretches grabbing my back.

“Do you go around making enemies of strangers?” I ask, concern laced in my voice.

“It’s just a question, dog, or you want to pick up a rotten chicken leg over a question?”

“Ryan is my brother,” I answer flatly.

“Oh, welcome to Blackridge, brother! The enemy of my enemy is my friend! Mateo Cruz has been on our toes, and Ryan right there, he’s been the only pookie with balls to go up against the Kingsman gang!”

I see the excitement in his face, but I am not willing to tie myself to any affiliation, and I still don’t want to turn them down. It’s better not to form enemies this early.

The more you avoid trouble, the more trouble finds you in its entirety. Before I can say a word, Oliver interrupts their interrogation.

“Scram away, Jamal! Before I have the Linton brothers breathing all over your shoulders!” Oliver barks at Jamal and his little escort.

“Who are these Linton brothers?” I ask in amazement.

“They’re a solo group of black men, picking on anyone who’s gay. Even if you have gay tendencies, you need to avoid those guys, because they’ve caused the most deaths right here in Blackridge!”

My heart slams against my chest, but when he points his little toes at the so-called Linton brothers, my heart churns in amazement. How are these guys so slim and ordinary, yet feared even above the gyming inmates and so many other gang factions?

“Oh, I know what you’re thinking!”

“Oh, yes?”

“They look short and skinny! Well, that skinny guy you see right there can take your life in a split second.”

“Wow,” I reply as I turn to assess them properly.

“Don’t look! Don’t look!! Don’t look!!!” Oliver warns desperately. But it’s already too late.

The skinny guy catches me in the act, our eyes meet, and he stands up from where he is smoking and strolls toward me. His gang wants to follow, but he signals for them to sit.

I can see cold sweat forming on Oliver’s back as the Linton brother approaches me.

“You staring at me, brother? You want some sugar?”

“Do you sell one?” I ask in confusion.

Oliver bends his head, trying to avoid eye contact and stay clear of the conversation.

“I like this one, Oliver! He’s got balls, not like your other inmate that chickened out when he first saw me.” He then turns to me. “I am Linton, and those are my brothers. If you wanna make your stay worthwhile, I suggest you call me.”

And just like that, Linton excitedly walks away from our stand.

Oliver breathes out a sigh of relief.

“Dude, why are you so worked up by someone so nice?” I ask in amazement.

“Nice, you say? I wonder what you told the guy to make him speak to you like that. But I suggest you avoid him, because once the other gangs see you with him, they’ll naturally see you as a threat.”

I don’t fully understand what Oliver means, but I’m not in the mood to ask.

“Tell me about your own story. What brought you here?” I say to Oliver.

He exhales deeply. “My father’s company passed through a hostile takeover. My greedy brother-in-law took over and siphoned my father’s resources.”

“And so?” I ask in confusion. “There’s no crime in that.”

His eyes glitter like fire when he delivers the final verdict. “Three years ago, I broke into my father’s old company, shot the guard on duty, and took all my father’s diamonds. Back then, those diamonds were worth half the company. Now, the diamonds could purchase Blackridge facility, and there’d still be money to spare.”

“So they locked you up for that?”

“Not exactly. After so many legal battles, I was convicted for murdering the guard on duty. My in-law’s lawyer, Jerry, promised to get me out in two years if I reveal the whereabouts of the diamonds, but I turned it down flatly.”

“And now you are stuck here serving life, instead of ripping the fruits of papa’s labour,” I conclude for him.

“Exactly,” he replies with a heavy heart.

“Anyway… how do I get to Ryan?”

“He just left solitary. Pressure is on Bishop to keep him in maximum security till his execution date, so I doubt you could see him. Even if he enters the yard once more, Mateo has his men breathing down Ryan’s neck. You can see him tomorrow in church though,” Oliver explains.

The rest of the afternoon is uneventful, until one of the gang bosses, often called T-Baby, and his crew approach me once more.

This time, I don’t want trouble, but trouble has its way of finding you in Blackridge.

It’s lunchtime, and I pick a seat with Oliver and some random cellmates when T-Baby storms in with his entourage, circling our seats like a swarm of bees. Everyone gets up, leaving Oliver and me behind.

I guess they want to avoid trouble by all means.

“You enjoying prison food, ehn homie?” one of his subordinates speaks first.

“Nothing could go wrong with oatmeal,” I reply lazily.

“Dude says the food here’s interesting,” T-Baby raises his voice, drawing the attention of all inmates toward us.

He bends down, staring deeply into my eyes, then spits into my plate.

My blood boils with anger, but I refrain from getting physical.

Then he pushes further. “I made a background check, and Bruv is a fighter! He beat up a federal agent after rapping the motherfucker!”

“You heard me!” he shouts deliberately, turning toward the Linton brothers, trying to use their hatred for gay people to heighten the tension.

From the corner of my eye, I meet Linton’s gaze. He stares at me for a few seconds. Then stands up and walks out of the cafeteria.

“Let’s get out of here,” I say to Oliver.

And just like that, the unspoken beef subsides, leaving me hungry through the day. T-Baby also walks off after the quiet threat.

I know this is only the beginning of more conflict to come.

…………..

Sunday morning comes, and my body surges with anticipation as I pick up my shirt and stroll toward the showers. I will be seeing Ryan today in chapel, and that’s all that matters.

But the moment I step into the bathroom, my eyes meet a white kid, fragile and small, yet carrying a troubled expression that doesn’t belong on someone his size.

A chill runs down my spine as I scan the bathroom area.