It was strange how Caroline had a knack of always making things seem better. Adele had gravitated towards her from day one and now the ex-schoolteacher was Adele’s closest ally in prison. Caroline radiated warmth and had a way of always putting people at ease. Maybe it was the schoolteacher in her that had taught her how to relate to people. In the short space of time that Adele had been inside she was already finding Caroline to be loyal and trustworthy.

Although Caroline was in her early thirties, and a good ten years older than Adele, she got along with her better than any of the women her own age. However, Caroline’s motherly nature could never make her a replacement for Adele’s mother, even though Shirley had never been particularly maternal. But it was good to have somebody mature and level-headed to confide in.

The other thing about Caroline was that, like Adele, she wasn’t an addict. That made them unusual in the prison environment where most of the women were hooked on drugs, tobacco or alcohol. It also gave them an advantage as they didn’t have to constantly trade goods or favours to get a fix.

Adele enjoyed a drink, and access to moonshine could certainly help to brighten up an otherwise depressing evening behind bars. It could also help her fall off to sleep when the deafening noise from inside the prison kept her awake. Thankfully, though, she didn’t need it in order to function.

While she had been inside, Adele was pleased to find that she got along with most of the prisoners. The majority were OK but they were often flawed in some way or other. There were many like Louise, who had been abused as children.

Louise’s life experiences had left her with a raw edge that was often hidden beneath a vulnerable façade. Adele had soon learnt that although the girl was likeable, she wasn’t to be trusted. She leant on her dominant girlfriend, Denise, and was anxious to please her.

Louise was also a drug addict and, like most addicts, she would do almost anything to get her next fix. As Adele was gradually finding out, life behind bars could be vicious, and drugs often drove people to commit extreme acts of violence. Even people who weren’t drug dependent could get sucked into the brutality of prison life. Unfortunately for Adele, she was about to become one of those people.

Chapter 2

Louise approached Denise tentatively where she lay on the cell floor still clutching her stomach.

‘You alright?’ she asked.

‘No, I’m fuckin’ not!’ Denise gasped as the blood from her nose circled her lips and coloured her teeth.