Climbing the Ranks

Entry 1

The security guard roughly pulls the old rusty bus door open for me.

"This is your home for now. Be respectful, follow the rules, and most importantly, don't involve yourself with the gangs here. I have this weird vibe from you that makes me think you aren't that bad of a kid. At least for a juvenile."

I politely smile at him and grab my bag from the bottom storage compartment under the bus.

My principal had told me this morning when I was getting on the bus, that not many kids frequently come to this center. It only houses kids with the worst criminal records.

Just my luck.

I was the only kid riding in the bus today. It was a terribly long ride from Oregon to Arizona with absolutely nothing to pass time with.

When I first walked in the massive guarded doors, I was immediately suffocated with the smell of heavy disinfectants.

The gaurds ushered me to a room to get dressed and screened for weapons and such. Even though I had been searched two times before getting on the bus.

Finally, after much struggle and awkwardness, I was in an inmate jumpsuit and in a big empty room.

After waiting for ten minutes in the cold and empty room, the door creaked open. I looked up and saw it was the lady who did my paperwork.

She was a slender lady that looked to be in her 30s with bright blond hair tied up in a bun.

"Hey, sweetie. I just wanted to tell you how to act, what your fake name is, and what your story is, while you're in here. It's going to be really challenging at first to remember it all. But it'll get easier when you start talking to fellow kids." she pauses and looks me straight in the eyes.

"Oh! By the way, my name is Jane McAdams." she says as she hands me a few papers.

"Thank you. I'm very grateful for all that you have done to get me in here."

Jane shakes her head and laughs off my comment.

"No problem, dear! I'm glad to help. Anyway, your name from now on is, Claudia Manchester and you're from South Dakota. You got caught hacking into a big company's database to get a large sum of money. Make sure that you never reveal anything about your real life or your pretty much done for. The papers I gave you are about the type of person you have to act like. It shouldn't be too hard because you're already quiet and tech-savvy as it is.

I have to warn you about the people in here, though. Be careful about who you hang around and don't trust anyone. No matter how convincing they are. They all got in here from doing terribe criminal acts. All the way, from hacking to murder.

I'll be able to be your therapist during this time. When we have meetings, I can help you and we'll talk more. I hope you have a good first day. I'll check on you in a week."

She abruptly gets up and walks straight out the door. The sound of her noisy heels starts to fade away.

I read the papers, and all it had was what the security guards and staff know about me. I can just act like my normal self but in a more secretive way as a hacker would seem, I suppose.

I also learned from the papers that this is a co-ed school. Boys board in one building and girls in the other. Though, we all interact and work with each other during the day.

I read a little bit more about the school and my new fake life until a new security guard comes in.

"Alright, Little Miss. It's time for you to go to your roommates."

~~~~~~~

The hallways we walk down are eerily quiet for it being the afternoon. The teens must be at lunch or outside in the back.

After walking down about twenty corridors, we make it to my 'room'. Let me tell you straight up, this is totally a jail cell. Well... it's a bit nicer than the ones you see on TV.

It has two twin size bunk beds and some dresser drawers. Thank goodness there is a separate room with a bathroom attached. You don't know how awkward it would be if the toilet was in the wide open. I took note that there was no shower, mirror, carpet, window, or lighting. You could see down the hall to other rooms through the bars. Overall, the room was nicer than the juvenile rooms I saw online, but it was super bland and white.

My roommates weren't in the room yet and I was already dreading to meet them.

"Your roomies will be here soon, so you can make yourself at home. All the stuff you will need will be here shortly." The guard chuckled while he closed and locked the bars. Leaving me in this bland room.

I walked over to a bottom bed and sat  down. I already felt tired and drained. Maybe one little nap won't hurt...

Before I knew it, I was asleep on this firm and uncomfortable bed.