"Can't believe this is actually happening. They even told me my rights and took my things and everything. I'm in fucking custody. And they didn't even tell me what for. Just how did this end up like this?" Ian thought to himself in his cell inside the police station.
He was the only person in his cell, and the only other person in the station was somebody who worked at the station. The person in question was a woman with a brown ponytail and eyeglasses, and she seemed bored and tired on the on the other side of the building.
"Can I call home?" Ian asked from his cell.
The woman working the computer stopped what she was doing and looked at Ian.
"You may not but since nobody else is here, I don't really care." The woman replied.
"Well, can I have my phone then?" Ian asked.
The woman stood up and retrieved the box where Ian's possessions were put. She took a phone from there and walked over to Ian's cell. She placed the phone on the floor where Ian could grab it through the bars. Ian took the phone and picked his mother's number from his contacts. He waited, and waited some more. No reply came after three minutes of waiting.
"She's usually not awake at this hour anyway. Maybe Cindy is." He thought and picked Cindy's number.
After fourty seconds of ringing, the phone was picked up and Cindy's tired voice spoke.
"Why are you calling me? Where are you?" Is what Cindy first said.
"Shit. I'll have to actually answer the question." Ian thought.
"I'm in custody at the nearest police station. So don't expect me to come home tonight. Please don't tell mum about this." Ian explained.
"What? What the hell did you do? And what am I supposed to tell her if I can't tell her where you really are?"
"Well, I don't actually know what I'm here for..." Ian said to Cindy and then turned to the woman working at the station.
"What am I here for?" He asked quietly.
"Since I'm the only one here, you're here for burglary. Your partner in crime ratted you out." The woman answered.
"What? Ronnie?" Ian asked.
"You still there?" Cindy asked in the phone.
"I'm in for... illegal fighting." Ian said to Cindy, figuring he shouldn't admit to Cindy that he had been involved in the same activity that made Cindy fear her own home.
"God damn it, Ian! I told you stop! I knew this would happen eventually. And I'm tired of trying to help you in situations that you get yourself into. And I'm tired in general. Good night." Cindy said and ended the call.
"No no no no. Wait!" Ian said with panic when Cindy hung up.
"Phone, please." The woman of the station requested.
Ian purposefully hit his forehead on the bars and tossed the phone to the direction of the woman who picked it up.
"Whoever that person was, will be named as your nominated person. You may not contact or meet with anyone else but them. Is that okay?" The woman asked.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever. What does it matter?" Ian said back.
The woman walked away and went back to doing what she was doing before.
"I'm fucked. I'm so fucking fucked. What can I even do anymore? I mean what the fuck can I actually do? My life is over. Just end me right now." Ian talked to himself while hitting his forehead on the metal bars.
"I ruined everything because I just didn't fucking listen. Fucking Ronnie. That cunt just had to convince me to get involved in that shit." Ian said and then stopped.
He sat on the bunk of the cell and looked at the dull empty wall of the cell. He lied down on his side and just stared forward. He tried to convince himself that he felt nothing, but that was a lie. Inside he felt great despair that he was keeping hidden. He didn't think there was any point throwing a tantrum, so he didn't. All he did was lay on his side and stare at the wall until the next morning.
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In the morning everybody who works at the station had arrived to the station at least briefly. The woman who stayed alone at the station had left hours ago, not that Ian had noticed any of it. The door kept opening and closing and chatter was going on inside and outside the station. Ian didn't pay attention to any of it.
"Illegal fighting, you said?" Cindy's voice said from right outside the cell.
Ian sat up and looked into the direction of the voice.
"Um... Yes." Ian said with no confidence.
"That's not what they told me earlier." Cindy said back and looked disappointed.
Ian had nothing to say.
"You decided to never tell me, that you're mates with the same bloke that broke into my home!" Cindy said with a raised voice.
"Well... not exactly mates, just... umm..." Ian was explaining poorly.
"And you were there inside my home when he was cleaning it up and didn't stop him! And guess what the police found from his home..." Cindy said and put her hand in her bag.
She dug out the necklace that Ronnie had stolen from her drawer. The same necklace that Ian had given Cindy once upon a time.
"According to your mate, you saw everything he took from my home and you didn't stop him. So you saw him take this, and you just let him!"
"Well, I mean at the time you and I... weren't really like... that. I thought it was just a useless trinket to you."
"It is now." Cindy said and tossed the necklace into the cell.
Ian just let out weak sounds that somewhat resembled the beginnings of words.
"Oh and you also physically assaulted an old man when you and your mate broke into another house. What a fine man you are."
"I needed money!"
"How many times did I tell you that you can rely on me?"
"I didn't want to be a burden!"
"So you'd rather be a criminal?"
"Only like once. And I... figured that if I was a burden, you wouldn't like me."
"Didn't exactly work out, did it? I can't trust you anymore. Well done."
"Well... now that the guy who broke into your home is behind bars... you can at least feel safe in your home." Ian said with a disingenuous grin.
Cindy was not impressed nor amused. She just crossed her arms.
"You're right about that at least. Don't bother calling me from prison." Cindy said, turned her back and walked away.
"Ouch." Said the officer who supervised the entire conversation.
"Ouch indeed." Ian said back quietly.
"Your trial is tomorrow. You are entitled to free legal advice."
"Cool. Can I pick anyone?"
"You may suggest someone."
"I want Jacob Oxen to be my defense."
"The man whose house you broke into and assaulted?"
"Yes. He'll hear my case and vouch for me. I know it."
"Well, this is unusual but I'm sure it can be done."
"Good. Make it happen. It's my best hope."
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On the day of the trial Ian's attention was grabbed by the clanging of bars. He was already awake, so he didn't feel much dread when it was time to look at where the noise came from.
"Mister Oxen has agreed to be in the court sitting. However, he can't be your defense since he is the victim of the crime." An officer outside the cell told Ian.
"Great. So I've got no defense. I'll have to speak for myself and he'll fuck me over." Ian said, having completely given up.
"He doesn't have anyone speaking for him either, if that helps your case." The officer said and opened the cell door.
"Come along. Your hearing awaits." The officer said.
Ian got up from the bunk and exited the cell. Handcuffs were put on him and three officers escorted him out of the station where a police car was waiting. Ian was made to go to the backseat watched by all the three officers who made sure that he went there. Once he was in the backseat, the car got moving. The car drove to another city, one far bigger than the one where Ian lives, and in the city the car drove to the court of law. The ride was quiet all the way and no words were exchanged. Just the way both parties preferred.
Outside the court the officer opened the backseat's door to Ian and let him out. Ian noticed Jacob's car also parked on the same street. He couldn't look around the views for long because the courthouse was not far from where the car was parked. He was escorted inside. It was all quiet inside. Nobody else was there. Ian was ordered to sit down in the lobby and wait quietly. The officer kept watch of him the entire time. After thirty minutes of waiting, more people entered through the door wearing suits. Among them was Jacob who didn't seem to notice Ian while being lead to the courtroom with walking assistance. Ian was about to raise his voice to get Jacob's attention but before he could hardly let out a noise, the officer watching him cleared his throat to remind him to be quiet.
"Time to get in the courtroom." The officer said to Ian.
Ian stood up and walked ahead of the officer who stayed behind him. They both entered the courtroom where Ian was instructed to sit down on his designated seat. He looked into the other side of the room where he saw Jacob sitting and looking tired.
"Following new accusations, a new hearing is to be held regarding the case of burglary into the home of Jacob Oxen by Ronald Park. Park had claimed that with him on the night of the crime was Ian Maltman who is now here with us to let us hear his side." The judge at the highest seat announced.
Ian looked around and saw Ronnie sitting on a distant seat in the courtroom surrounded by people. Ian instantly got angry when he saw Ronnie, but kept his composure.
"There's the motherfucker. The reason why I'm even in here." Ian thought while staring daggers into Ronnie.
"So first, let's hear what Mister Park had to say about his involvement. Speak up." The judge said.
Everybody's attention was now on Ronnie.
"I already explained this to the bobbies. It was me and Maltman together who did the gig on Oxen's house. Maltman managed to escape but I didn't because I got knocked out by Oxen. No more to it." Ronnie explained.
"And after Park's comments, I believe the police did further investigation in Oxen's house following Park's comments and found evidence to support it." The judge said.
"We did indeed. We also questioned Oxen himself who was reluctant to share much details. But we found fingerprints in Oxen's house that belong to Maltman. But according to Oxen himself, those fingerprints are from after the night of the crime." An officer said back.
"And what does Oxen have to say to that?" The judge asked.
"Maltman was not there on the night of the crime. Park was there alone. Maltman has been visiting at times because I train him to box. That's why his fingerprints were in my house." Oxen said dishonestly.
"Most of the fingerprints were indeed in the garage gym." An officer said.
"From where do Maltman and Park know each other? Maltman, speak first." The judge said.
"Shit. If I answer honestly, I'd incriminate myself. What should I say?" Ian thought.
"The longer you take to answer, the less believable your answer will be." The judge warned.
"I know him from the fight club at the abandoned rubber factory." Ian answered quickly, not being able to think of anything else.
"Fuck!" He then thought.
"This claim contradicts what Park had told the police earlier. Park mentioned that you two had first met in a pub." An officer next to Ronnie said.
"Fuck! The cunt came up with a bullshit story and fucked us both." Ian thought.
Ronnie now stared daggers through Ian, as if to guilt him for ratting out everybody in the factory.
"And what is this about a fight club in the abandoned rubber factory?" The judge asked.
Ian and Ronnie both just looked around and thought what they could say.
"Whatever it is, that is not what we are here to discuss. Which of yours story is actually true? Where did you meet?" The judge asked.
"I've never been to no abandoned factories. I met Maltman in a pub and that's that." Ronnie insisted.
"I misremembered. Park is right." Ian added.
The judged did not look convinced.
"Moving on. Oxen insists that Maltman was not there on the night of the crime. If that is true, then where was he?" The judge asked.
"Home." Ian simply answered.
"You say that, but following Park's accusation, the police had asked your mother where you were. She said that you were not home at the hour when the crime happened." The judge said back.
"If I wasn't home then I was probably in the pub where I met Park." Ian quickly lied.
"And what pub would that be?" The judge asked.
Ian didn't know any pub in his town since he doesn't drink often. He realised that his story was collapsing and he was digging himself into a deeper hole. That's when Jacob cleared his throat.
"Excuse me, sir. If Maltman had broken into my home, why would I defend him?" He asked the judge.
"Blackmail and other threats, as well as bribery can get a victim silent easily. Now let Maltman answer." The judge said back.
"I... I don't know the name of it. We just call it the pub." Ian answered unconvincingly.
"And what is the address of the pub?"
"I..." Ian was stuttering.
"Look, it's obvious that Maltman is lying. He was there. Ask where he knows Oxen from if he wasn't there that night." Ronnie intercepted.
One of the officers then cleared his throat.
"We actually have something on that. As we found Maltman's fingertips in Oxen's house, we also found stains of his sweat in Oxen's gym equipment. Me being nosy and a DNA enthusiast took it upon myself on my free time to investigate all the DNA that we were able to find in the house, and I found that Maltman's DNA is a very close match with Oxen's DNA. As close as a parent and child would be, in fact. So I assume that is where they know each other from." An officer said and laid some papers on the desk in front of him.
"What?" Ian and Jacob both said at the same time.
"According to the records, you, Maltman have never lived in the same household as your father, as he left back when your mother was pregnant. You also have your mother's surname. Is this all correct?"
The situation had gotten so convoluted and the shock so great that Ian couldn't come up with any kind of a lie anymore.
"That is correct." Ian answered.
"And did you know that Oxen might be your father?"
"I did not."
"So where do you know him from?" Was the hard question that the judge then asked.
Ian's lie about the pub had no weight to it, and he didn't want to say that they had met in the factory since that would be ratting out everybody there. He had no choice.
"I first saw him when me and Park broke into his home." Ian ashamedly admitted.
"Neither of them took anything, though." Jacob added as an attempt to lighten Ian's penalty.
Silence fell in the courtroom while the judge thought quietly.
"By his own admission, Ian Thomas Maltman is ruled guilty of domestic burglary in the home of Jacob Zebediah Oxen. I hereby sentence you to three years in prison, the minimum sentence for such crime." The judge said and hit his hammer on his desk.
"Three years in prison? That's the rest of my time in the university. There goes my life." Ian thought with slight acceptance of the situation.
"The sitting is over. Everyone may leave now." The judge announced.
Ronnie was escorted out. Ian was escorted out and Jacob was helped out.
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On the first day of Ian's prison sentence he was escorted into his cell, already in uniform. The time of the day was 2 PM. The cell was empty.
"This is your cell. Get used to it, but you won't stay there now. You need an assignment." The guard escorting Ian said.
"An assignment?" Ian asked.
"A job to keep yourself busy in the day. That's what that assessment of yours earlier was about. Follow me." The guard said and led the way.
They walked to the kitchen of the prison where Ian was handed an apron and gloves almost as soon as they entered through the door of the kitchen.
"Took you long enough to come. I had to survive lunch time by myself. You'll get to do all the dishes alone for that." An older looking gray bearded prisoner with an apron said to Ian who was holding his new accessories in his hands.
"You'll be watched." The guard told Ian and went to the corner of the kitchen.
The first two hours went with cleaning dishes, partly due to the amount of them, and party due to Ian's laziness, and once that was done Ian sat on the counter where he cleaned the dishes.
"Thirty minutes until the evening roll call." The guard in the corner said.
And so thirty minutes later Ian's head was counted in the evening roll call. One hour after that, it was already time for dinner, and so back to the kitchen he went to survive the duties that came with it. This time nobody had to survive the tasks alone and so they were completed a lot quicker. By half past seven all the dished had been done once again.
"You've got thirty minutes of recreational time before lock up." The guard told the two man kitchen crew.
"Yay." Ian said sarcastically.
Ian chose to spend his remaining recreational time outside at the yard. The yard was just a flat gray concrete field with some gym equipment. All surrounded by a chain link fence. Ian found a weight lifting bench with a weight that somebody left at the foot of it. He sat down on the bench and grabbed the weight. He didn't get to use it for long before he already heard somebody's angry voice.
"Oi. I wasn't done there yet!" A round and hairy prisoner yelled at Ian from behind.
"He who raises his arse, loses his spot." Ian said back dryly.
He got a powerful slap to the back of his head as a reward for that. The slap felt more powerful than any hit he ever received inside the fighting cage. He fell off the bench and fell on his hands and knees. His ears were ringing and he felt pain inside his skull
"What... is this? How hard did that guy hit?" He was thinking while breathing loudly and quickly.
"I didn't even hit that hard. Weak bitch. Now get out." The big prisoner said to Ian and sat down on the lifting bench.
Ian stayed on the ground holding the back of his head. The ringing in his ears continued and the pain got worse by the second. As if every hit he never felt suddenly hit him all at once. He gritted his teeth and kept breathing loudly as he rolled on his side. Nobody seemed to care about him, and he had no clue how long he stayed on the ground. Eventually he got up and went to lean on one the fences. The pain was still in his head, but it wasn't debilitating anymore. After some time, a loud whistle was heard, which Ian's ears did not enjoy.
"Lock up time approaching! Time to get back in your cells!" A guard shouted.
Prisoners gradually stopped their activities and headed inside the cell blocks. Ian got away from the fence and slowly walked to where he remembered his cell being. His slow walking earned him some shoves along the way, but that was the least of his worries at this moment.
"This is my life for the next three years. I won't survive this." Was his first thought once he finally entered his cell.
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