Page 4 of Cage's Ruin

Freedom. You don’t really know what it is until it is gone. You don’t fully understand just what it you take for granted. Till it is taken from you. I was sent to a maximum security prison.

I was terrified when I walked through those prison gates. Only to meet Lydia. Cage had organized her and her gang. She was in for an eleven-year sentence. And was only on her second-year in. She basically ran the prison, well at least the in mates. She ran the cigarettes, liquor and all drugs through the prison.

How she was connected to Cage I didn’t know, but her exact words were‘ya man is making sure you don’t end up hurt in here.’It took only a few weeks before Lydia taught me the basics and I could handle myself.

Been in two riots and a few bitch fights since coming through those gates. Each time there was no backlash on my sentence. Lydia opened up to me, told me how she ended up here. Basically she was a meth cook. Her operation was shut down because of it and so did all her earnings.

She went in, the operation went down. Her brother being the main one effected. They ran the operation together, but she was the cook—she knew the chemistry.

I think after doing time, you decide if you are going to go straight and clean your life up or—go dirty and this time test how long you can stay out for.

Cage hadn’t visited once. Neither had Jacob or Hawk. Because I said I couldn’t take it. I knew the code they lived by, no visitors in prison. I wanted to be just as tough and follow that through. I couldn’t take seeing them each week, being reminded of the life I had, the freedom I had—and lost.

So I cut them off. The odd letter here and there but that was it. They knew I couldn’t take being reminded of the life I had. Because I knew I was never going to be that girl again.

Hawk’s biggest problem was he was worried about me relapsing, my depression coming back to get me. He was wrong. That didn’t happen. I took my medication as prescribed and to be fair I think everyone was on an antidepressant in here.

Cage consumed my thoughts. Memories of him would flood my mind in the small hours of the morning. I struggled to sleep in here for the first six months now I was used to the noise, the coldness coming off the walls. I had adapted to prison.

Only to now walk free.

I slipped on the last piece of clothing I had been given back. Being out of prison clothes felt odd. I was used to having no shape. As I slipped on the black long sleeve top—it clung to my body, and I wasn’t used to it.

“Good to go Autumn?” The guard, Jeff said.

And I nodded my head, as he had just watched me get undressed and dressed. I was used to no privacy.

“Geez weird to see you without one of those big chemistry books,” He added as he buzzed us out of the room. “Thought you’d be wanting to take them with you?”

I didn’t need the books anymore—I had surpassed them. Lydia had taught me everything she knew. The books helped but now I had the knowledge.

I paused just as he was about to buzz me through the last gate.

“Hope not to see you again here Autumn.” Jeff added as the last gate opened, and I walked out it.

I was free.

I saw the jet black bike sitting there, and my eyes locked with his. He didn’t get off, and I didn’t expect him too. I took the helmet he had extended out to me, and I mounted the bike sitting behind Cage.

Wrapping my arms around him. I knew he and the rest of the club wouldn’t accept who I’ve become. Some people are born to do good, others are born to sin. In my case, I knew my time in prison had made me see that I wasn’t a straight cut citizen. I was perhaps what my mom was worried about me becoming. I was one of the wicked ones.

And I wouldn’t change that fact.

5

Cage

Life moves on, things change, but some things stay the same. The club was dying and surviving—a lot of bikers would say that about their club. No matter what, we always seem to get by. However, my concern changed as of three pm yesterday when Autumn walked free from a maximum security prison.

The club was celebrating her out. All members knew she had done that time because of the club really, because we had been earning from her operation and instead of turning on us—she kept her mouth shut. It meant she could be trusted. Her faith in the club didn’t alter when her freedom was at risk.

My eyes went back to her. We had rode in this afternoon and Lit, Vod and Wild already had the party started—now it was nearly midnight and I still hadn’t had a conversation with her.

I knew after my time inside, I was tainted, things weren’t black and white. I knew after my second stint in prison that my life was settled, and I was standing on the opposite side of upholding the law.

I inhaled on my cigarette watching Autumn interact with members and their women. She seemed like her normal self, and I knew that wasn’t possible.

I finally couldn’t take not touching her for another second and got up. Just as I did, I watched Lit grab her arm and pull her to the side. He was concerned about her. He was the one that would throw it in my face that I hadn’t visited her.

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