The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 19

Margot’s POV

I felt the building swallow me whole as we entered.

One second, I was outside surrounded by guards and girls and fresh air, and the next I was inside – surrounded by a frightening cold.

And not just in temperature, but in atmosphere too…

The corridor was clean. Sterile. Blindingly white; reminding me of a hospital. The walls looked recently painted, and the floor shone like it had been scrubbed tirelessly right up until the moment we’d arrived.

“Woah…” I whispered out under my breath, only to be hushed violently by the nearest guard, causing my mouth to snap shut.

I felt like walking across the polished floor and leaving a mark could very quickly become a crime in this place…

The air smelled like antiseptic and something metallic that I couldn’t quite place.

My skin was clammy, my heart galloping, and all I could think about was Cara…

Where was she? What way did she go? What would her prisoner be like in person? Would he be nice enough to her? Would she be ok on her own in there?

Or was she like me, still waiting for the terrifying part to begin…

I barely had time to process anything else around me before one of the female guards motioned toward a side door with a gloved hand.

“You! Step in here now.”

I blinked. “Me?” Pointing at my own chest.

“Yes. Strip search, it’s mandatory,” she said, tone bored. “Standard procedure and don’t panic, because I’ve seen it all before. Let’s just hurry it up.”

My stomach hit the floor. My feet didn’t want to cooperate, but somehow I stepped forward as instructed,

The room was also small and clinical matching this place’s overall exterior. A harsh light buzzed overhead, and two female guards were already inside waiting for me, One stood with a clipboard, the other snapped on a fresh pair of gloves with a sharp snap that made my chest heave.

“Remove everything,” the first said plainly. “Even underwear. Jewelry too, if you have any on.”

I hesitated. My fingers felt numb.

“Come on, we don’t have all day, the next group will be in soon!” She hurried me, as I nodded frantically.

There was no point in arguing on this. I was just a name on a list to them. A foolish girl who signed her name down to have a sleepover in a damn prison block with a dangerous criminal!

They probably already think that I’m nuts!

Right now, I was no more than a piece of meat being delivered to a cage right now.

I undressed slowly, folding my clothes with trembling hands even though I knew that no one cared. My body felt exposed even before I was naked, and by the time I stood there completely bare, I just wanted to disappear.

I had scars and bruises everywhere, most faded, but still visible enough to make me insecure about them.

Thankfully though, the pair just seemed to look past them, and the search itself was somewhat professional.

Not violent, but still violating in a way I hadn’t expected as I stood there shivering before them.

They didn’t touch me, just told me what to do, and yet I felt the weight of every glance, every moment, every second of silence as one of them scribbled down notes that I couldn’t see.

“Passed. You can get dressed now.” The other commanded with a flick of her wrist before I pulled on the fabric much faster than what I had taken them off like.

Then, like a machine switching gears, they opened the door and ushered me back out into the hall, where the rest of the Block F girls were waiting for me all looking just as pale… just as shell–shocked.

“Let’s go!” one of the male guards snapped, waving his hand. “Time to meet your princes.”

A few girls gave nervous giggles that died up in their throats.

We moved as a unit down the wide hallway, escorted by at least four guards on either side. Their boots echoed like thunder, and the tension was so thick I could feel it in my gums.

But as we rounded a corner, everything changed.

We were scanned through a door, being emerged into what looked like a common area – a large, open space with soft lighting and… furniture?

Actual furniture.

It wasn’t what I had expected at all.

Gone were the bars and concrete cells I’d envisioned. Instead, there were white doors lining the outer edge of the space, each marked with a small black number.

They were evenly spaced, and in the middle of the room sat a handful of neutral–toned chairs, tables, a few bookshelves, and a chess board already set up with its pieces untouched. It was all eerily calm – like someone had built a pretend home for us right inside of a nightmare.

For a heartbeat, I could almost imagine it was a college dormitory.

Almost.

Until I noticed how quiet it was.

No voices. No footsteps. No sound at all.

Where were the inmates?

The unlucky one….

They eventually stopped, as did I.

I looked at the door. Just a white panel with a black number and a tiny scanner beside the handle. It was so simple. So plain. But it felt like standing in front of a monster’s mouth.

One of the guards pulled a keycard from his vest and held it up to the reader.

It beeped louder than I had anticipated, causing for me to nearly fall out of my skin.

A click echoed, mechanical and sharp.

And then silence again.

They looked at me.

Pity in their eyes.

But I didn’t want pity,

I wanted to run.

But the door was already beginning to swing open.

And on the other side of it, my future waited.

“Alright, in you go then little one… good luck!” One guard chimed in a faux tone, as I felt the others hand push at my back, coaching for me to go forward.

This was it.

This was the lair of Coban Santorelli.

Whoever

–

or whatever he was.

I was about to find out…