The sound of iron doors clanged shut behind her, a harsh reminder of her new reality. Jolene Kujo stood in the center of the cold, dimly lit prison block, her hands still cuffed in front of her as two guards roughly escorted her toward her cell. The musty air was thick with the scent of sweat, concrete, and despair.
She kept her head held high, despite the ache in her body from the bruises left by her arrest. Her long, blonde hair, once meticulously kept, was now wild, clinging to her neck in damp strands. She had always prided herself on her defiance, but now... now the world had finally caught up to her.
"You know, you really screwed up this time," one of the guards sneered, his hand tightening on her arm. "Bet you didn't think you'd end up here, huh?"
Jolene didn't respond. She bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself not to react. They wanted her to break, wanted to see her crack under the weight of it all. But she wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
Not yet.
"Prostitute, huh? You girls never learn," the second guard added, his voice dripping with disdain. "Thought you could get away with it, I bet. But now? Now you're gonna rot in here for a long time."
Jolene's jaw tightened, her blue eyes narrowing but still silent. She had been caught before, thrown in holding cells overnight, released with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. But this time, it was different. This time, the setup was too perfect, too meticulous. They had been waiting for her, almost as if someone wanted her to be caught.
The guards stopped in front of her cell, a cold metal door with a small window at the top. The sound of the key turning echoed through the hall, and one of the guards shoved her inside. She stumbled, catching herself against the cot in the corner of the room.
The door slammed shut behind her with a metallic clang, and the guards chuckled as they walked away.
"Enjoy your stay, Kujo."
Jolene slowly sat on the thin, uncomfortable mattress, her body aching from the rough handling. Her mind raced, replaying the events of the last few days. The sting of betrayal still fresh. Whoever had set her up... they had known exactly how to bring her down. They had known she was just desperate enough to take the bait.
As she stared at the bleak concrete walls, memories flooded back. The streets, the shady clients, the desperation to make enough money to survive after her family had disowned her. She wasn't proud of what she had done, but survival had a way of making people do things they never thought they would.
"Dammit..." she muttered under her breath, clenching her fists.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the cell. A female voice called from the other side of the bars.
"New meat, huh?"
Jolene's eyes darted to the bars, where a woman with short, jet-black hair leaned casually, her eyes studying her like she was prey. The woman was tall, her frame muscular yet feminine. She had an air of control about her, like someone who owned the place despite wearing the same uniform as everyone else.
"Who's asking?" Jolene replied, her voice sharper than she intended.
The woman chuckled. "Name's Maki. You're Jolene Kujo, right? Word travels fast around here." Maki leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Prostitute? That's a tough break. Guess you've got a lot to prove now that you're in here."
Jolene leaned back against the wall, her arms crossed. "I don't have to prove anything to anyone."
Maki raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I like you already. But listen, prison isn't like the outside. Here, you gotta play the game if you want to survive. People will be coming for you. You've already got a target on your back."
"Let them come," Jolene said, her voice steady but filled with barely concealed anger.
Maki smirked. "Tough girl, huh? We'll see how long that lasts." She pushed off the bars and started walking away. "If you're smart, you'll learn fast who to trust and who to avoid. Otherwise, you won't last long."
Jolene watched Maki disappear down the hall, her words hanging in the air like a warning. She didn't need anyone's help. She had survived worse than this.
But as the silence of the prison settled over her, Jolene couldn't shake the feeling that something more was coming. Something bigger than this hellhole she had found herself in.
She leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes. Images of the setup flashed in her mind again, followed by the face of the man who had led her right into the trap. There was something more at play here, something she couldn't quite piece together yet. And she was determined to find out who was behind it.
But for now, she had to survive.
Hours passed, though it felt like days. The routine of prison life began to settle in. Jolene heard the clatter of trays as food was distributed, the occasional shout or fight breaking out in the distance. Every now and then, a guard would pass by, their eyes lingering on her cell with a mixture of curiosity and contempt.
Jolene stared at the ceiling, her mind racing. This wasn't going to be her life. She couldn't let it be. She had to find a way out, a way to clear her name. But first, she needed to figure out how she'd been set up.
As the hours stretched on, Jolene drifted into a restless sleep. Her dreams were chaotic, filled with fragments of her past and flashes of the faces she had encountered along the way. She saw her mother, her father, their expressions cold and unyielding as they turned their backs on her. She saw herself on the streets, alone, fighting to survive.
And then, she saw the face of the man who had set her up.
A cold smirk, piercing eyes that seemed to see right through her. The way he had watched her as the police arrived, as if he had been waiting for that moment. She clenched her fists in her sleep, her heart pounding as the memory replayed itself.
When she woke, she was no closer to figuring out who he was or why he had done it, but one thing was clear: she wasn't going to let him win.
Days passed in a blur of monotony and survival. Jolene kept to herself, watching, waiting, learning the rhythm of the prison. She didn't trust anyone, not even the women who tried to strike up conversation with her. Everyone had an angle in this place, and Jolene wasn't about to get played again.
But deep down, she knew she couldn't do this alone.
One night, as Jolene sat on her cot, staring at the wall, a familiar figure appeared at her cell door.
Maki.
"I see you're still alive," Maki said with a grin, leaning against the bars. "Not bad for a newbie."
Jolene didn't bother looking up. "What do you want, Maki?"
Maki shrugged. "I just came to offer you a deal. You've been in here long enough to know how things work. You need protection, I've got a crew. You want to survive? You'll need people watching your back."
Jolene looked up at her, her eyes cold. "I don't need anyone's protection."
Maki chuckled softly. "Maybe not now. But things will get worse, Kujo. And when they do, you'll want someone in your corner."
Jolene stared at her for a long moment, then finally spoke, her voice low. "And what do you want in return?"
Maki's grin widened. "Smart girl. We'll talk details when you're ready." She pushed off the bars and began to walk away, her voice floating back as she disappeared down the hall. "You know where to find me."
Jolene watched her go, her mind racing. She didn't trust Maki, but she knew she couldn't survive in here forever without allies.
But for now, she would wait. Wait for the right moment. Wait for a way out. Because she wasn't going to rot in this place.
Not if she had anything to say about it.