The midday sun beat down mercilessly on the prison yard, turning the grey stone walls into ovens. The rhythmic clang of hammers against rock echoed through the oppressive air as prisoners labored under the watchful eyes of the guards. In a corner of the yard, away from the din and the dust, a confrontation was brewing.
"We need to get out of here, Jacky," the Boss growled, his face a mask of fury. "That Karim... he's getting too big for his boots."
Jacky, a wiry man with shifty eyes, nodded in agreement. "He's been poaching our crew, Boss. We have to do something."
The Boss spat on the ground. "I'll deal with him later. Right now, I have a score to settle." He glared across the yard at Karim, who stood talking to a new inmate, a young, skinny kid with haunted eyes. "Karim, you little baby!" he yelled, his voice laced with venom. "Go run back to your mommy!"
Karim, a towering figure with a shaved head and a steely gaze, simply smirked. "Look who's talking," he shot back, his voice low and dangerous. "The one who can't go a day without looking at his mommy's picture."
The Boss's face flushed with rage, but he turned and stalked away with Jacky in tow. Karim watched them go, then turned his attention to the young inmate. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle.
"You alright, kid?" he asked, his voice gruff but kind. "What was all that about?"
"I'm fine, sir," Arun mumbled, his gaze fixed on the ground. "Thank you."
"No need to call me sir," Karim said with a wry smile. "Call me brother."
"Yes, sir... I mean, yes, brother," Arun stammered, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Karim chuckled. "I know your story, kid. You killed your parents, right? Mind telling me why?"
Arun hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I don't know, brother," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "There was this voice... inside my head... telling me to kill them or I would be killed..." He recounted the horrific events of that night, the voice, the loss of control, the blood...
Karim listened intently, his expression unreadable. "So you couldn't control your body?" he asked when Arun had finished.
"Not then," Arun replied, his voice gaining a little strength. "But I can now."
"And the voice? Do you still hear it?"
Arun shook his head. "No, not anymore." He looked up at Karim, a question burning in his eyes. "What about you, brother? Why are you here?"
Karim's face hardened. "I killed my parents too," he said quietly. "They used to beat me... every day. One day I just snapped. I used a broken bottle... " He paused, his gaze distant. "After that, nobody bullied me again."
Arun's eyes widened in fear. "Brother," he whispered, "you're not going to kill me, are you?"
Karim burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the yard. "Why would I do that? You're my little brother now." He clapped Arun on the shoulder. "But listen, if you ever hear that voice again, you tell me, okay?" He glanced at the setting sun. "Now get some sleep. You'll need your rest. Work starts early around here."
"Yes, brother," Arun said, a small smile forming on his lips. He felt a glimmer of hope for the first time since that terrible night.
As Arun lay on his bunk that night, sleep eluded him. Just as his eyelids began to droop, the voice slithered back into his mind, its tone mocking and cruel.
So, you're making friends now? Telling them all about me? Blaming me for what you did? it hissed. Don't forget, kid, it wasn't me who killed your parents. It was you. I just gave you options. And I'll be back. With more choices. So don't come crying to me when things go wrong.
"Why?" Arun whispered, his body trembling. "Why did you do this to me? Who are you?" But the voice only laughed, a chilling sound that echoed in the darkness.
Across the yard, in the shadows, Jacky and the Boss huddled together. "We have to do something about Karim," Jacky whispered, his voice urgent. "He's becoming a problem."
"I know," the Boss snarled, his eyes glinting with malice. "We need to punish him. And that new kid... Arun... he'll be the perfect target."
Jacky grinned, a cruel twist to his lips. "You're the best, Boss."
The Boss's smile was cold and predatory. Get ready, Arun, he thought, his mind filled with dark intentions. I'm coming for you.