Chapter 11
A couple of days passed peacefully, Bea used the time to rest and try to recover both from her original injuries and the extra strain to them that her fall in the canteen had caused. With all the sitting about it gave her time to think and that was never a good thing. She couldn’t get out of her head the fact that Tina had knocked her off her chair. Was it all too much of a coincidence?
Allie stayed by her side whenever she could, only work duties dragging her away. A quiet calm had descended and it was this which made Bea nervous and on edge. Mercado had been released from the slot earlier that day and it was something that was playing on Bea’s mind. Allie had tried to reassure Bea that it was just her mind playing tricks on her and that Mercado wasn’t clever enough to be plotting against Bea.
“That takes brains Bea,” Allie had laughed, “And that’s something Mercado doesn’t have. So really I wouldn’t give it another thought.”
Bea had wanted to agree with Allie but there was a niggling doubt that refused to leave.
Allie had left for her work duties half an hour previous and Bea was counting the minutes until she returned, when Linda Miles poked her head round her cell door.
“Smith, the Governor has told me to come escort you for a shower whilst everyone is at work duty. You okay with that?”
Bea nodded sitting up gingerly, “Sure, just give me a minute to grab my stuff.”
Miss Miles made inane conversation as she escorted Bea along the corridor. It was a slow process as Bea shuffled along, trying to keep up with Miles. She knew that Miles was deliberately walking faster than usual, but this just made her smile as she deliberately walked slower.
“Smith if you walk any slower I will carry you and I don’t think that will do your image much good will it?”
Bea chuckled and bobbed her tongue out behind Miss Miles back as she continued to follow her albeit a bit quicker than before. Once at the showers Miles held the door open and watched as Bea entered.
“You've got 10 minutes Smith. I’ll be waiting out here when you finish.”
Bea nodded her head and made her way to one of the empty shower cubicles. She appreciated the fact that Vera was letting her shower separately at the minute. It took her quite a while to complete being as she couldn’t bend very well, plus the fact she didn’t want all the women gawping at her scars. She hung her wash bag outside of the shower and stepped out of her dressing gown, hanging it alongside the bag. Stepping into the warm flowing water she allowed herself to relax as the water soothed her savaged skin. She began to wash herself slowly, her mind totally focused on the task in hand, so focused that she failed to hear the hushed voices outside of the shower room door, followed by the door slowly opening and closing. Turning off the shower, Bea reached for her towel and gown. Quickly drying herself, before slipping the gown on. She pulled the curtain back and went to step out of the cubicle, as she did so she saw something flash in front of her eyes before she felt a heavy object connecting with her head and then everything went black.
Allie raced into H1 and swung the cell door open, expecting to find Bea. She loved finishing work duty and knowing that she could spend the rest of the day uninterrupted with her girl. So her heart immediately sank when she found the cell empty. She heard voices getting louder and swung round to see Maxine and Liz arriving at H1.
“You okay love?” Liz enquired noticing the sad expression on Allie’s face.
“Bea’s not here.” Allie simply stated
Maxine smiled and rubbed Allie’s arm, “It’s okay hun, I saw the Governor earlier, she said she was arranging it for Bea to take a shower whilst everyone was at work duty. So that will be where she is.”
Allie’s face lit up into a huge smile, “Thanks Maxie,” she gushed as she took off down the corridor at world record pace.
As she got near the shower block she slowed down to a walking pace, using the time to catch her breath. If she was lucky she would catch Bea still in the shower and maybe get to show her just how much she had missed her today. The lack of guard stood outside the block seemed strange to Allie but she didn’t think that much of it as she pushed the door open. The sight that greeted her was something that would live with Allie for the rest of her life and would prove to be a sight that would haunt her dreams and wake her up for many a night to come. Bea was lying motionless, half in and half out of the shower cubicle, there was a small gash across her forehead with blood seeping from it and pooling underneath her head and an angry bruise spreading alongside it. Allie felt her own heart beating loudly in her ears as she rushed the short distance to crouch next to Bea.
“Bea! Bea. Can you hear me? It’s okay, I’m getting help. Bea, hang on, please just hang on.”
Allie launched herself at the panic button pressing it wildly, tears streaming down her face, obstructing her vision. As the loud siren sounded around the prison walls, Allie made her way back to Bea’s side, gently pushing her hair aside from the blood. As she did so, Bea let out a small groan, her hands coming up to her head, trying to wipe at the wound. Allie took her hands in her own.
“Bea, it’s okay, just lie still, you’ve been injured... Help is coming, ssshhh it’s okay.”
Bea groaned again and gripped on to Allie’s hand,
“Someone… bashed me…” she groaned as the doors opened and Will Jackson and Linda Miles came rushing in.