His Choice Wasn't Me
Prison had a way of stripping illusion faster than guilt ever could.
James learned that within his first week.
Yes, he was placed in a special cell, cleaner than most, less crowded, monitored more closely. The authorities called it “protective custody,” a courtesy extended to inmates with public profiles and financial histories that made them targets.
But protection, James quickly realized, was a polite word. It did not mean safety. It meant delay.
The air inside the facility was thick with resentment. It clung to walls, lingered in corridors, and settled into stares that followed him wherever he went. Some men looked at him with curiosity.