Death Row
The harsh lights
flared overhead. Cam threw his arm over his eyes to block them out. He wanted to
enjoy the peace and solitude of the quiet darkness. He might not have too many
more chances. He might not have any.
The pounding of
drums echoed loudly in his ears as the guards heavy footfalls fell. Where would
they stop this happy morning? He was dying with anticipation.
That last
thought made his lip curl up in a snicker. The sameness of the morning routine
was used to inspire fear, bored Cam. At least, that’s what Cam told himself
every morning.
The guards
approached.
Approached.
Passed.
Cam’s arm
slipped shakily away from his eyes. It was some time before he was strong enough
to rise. He would live to wake to the blazing lights of tomorrow. He rebuilt
his wall of nonchalance as he listened to the commotion begin down the hall, as
he knew it would.
“No!” the young
voice screamed as the shriek of iron bars sliding open filled every corner of
the room. Cam closed his eyes. They were taking Kaleb.
He rolled off
his cot in a smooth motion, the momentum bringing him to his feet. He took the
single remain step to the bars. “No!” he screamed, echoing the little boy. He pounded
his fists against the cold metal. Cam took back every thought of relief he’d
had. He would give anything to have had the guards stop at his cell instead of
continuing down the row to his little brother.
As the party
passed Cam, he launched the small attack he could from the inside. His arms
reached out between the bars and started tearing at the guards. The unexpected
attack caused the guards to lose their hold on Kaleb.
The young boy
scrambled to his feet and squeezed through the bars into Cam’s cell. The bars
weren’t as close together for the older kids as they were for the younger kids.
Kaleb’s arms were wrapped securely around his brother’s neck. Cam felt the hot
tears on his skin. He held Kaleb tightly in the circle of his arms. The brothers
hunkered down in the far corner of the cell, whispering fiercely but
incomprehensibly to each other, as the guards were figuring out what had
happened. The cell door shrieked open and Cam placed himself protectively in
front of his brother. Rough hands grabbed at them.
“No! Stop! You can’t!”
Cam yelled. And finally, “Take me!”
As a unit, the
guards turned to look at the head guard who stood motionless outside the cell.
He shrugged, indicating that it didn’t matter either way.
The guards held
Cam tightly as pair split off to return Kaleb to his cell. Cam gave his little
brother a weak smile. Kaleb didn’t smile back. Tears were nearly blinding the
boy’s vision. Cam noticed that the world was starting to blur around the edges.
“Be strong,
Kaleb!” he yelled.
One of the
guards drove a fist into his gut. “Quiet!”
Cam went with
the guards, not fighting. As they passed the cells, none of the other boys
would meet his eyes. Cam didn’t resent them for it. He had been the same way
for all the others in their final walk. Such was life on Death Row.
He was to be
executed before the firing squad in the courtyard of the prison. It was the
same place the prisoners were allowed to have their recreation once a week. The
guards shackled Cam to the far wall. Four gunmen stood twenty feet away from
him. As one, they raised their guns and aimed.
Shouts arose
from the top of the left wall next to the main compound. Whatever it was, it didn’t
matter to Cam. He’d purchased a few more days for Kaleb with his life. That is
what mattered. His head dropped to his chest. He closed his eyes and waited to
die.
No comments:
Post a Comment