Ollie shuddered. “I’ve been claimed? I suddenly feel like I’ve got the short straw.”

“You’ll be all right,” Rory said.

“And you know that for sure, do you?”

Rory didn’t reply.

“Exactly,” Ollie hissed.

“Stick with me, and you’ll be fine,” Captain muttered.

“What about at night?”

Captain shrugged. “You’re on your own.”

“Bloody great,” Ollie huffed, shoving his tray away.

“You better be careful, too,” Captain mumbled.

Rory nodded. He wasn’t looking forward to his first night alone with Sebastian. He knew basic martial arts, but against a guy as strong as Sebastian, it was stupid to try it.

“Pauly’s got you on his radar.”

“Who?”

“The guy behind me.” He shifted to the side slightly so Rory could take a proper look. Pauly was older, his brown hair had receded, and his wrinkles cut deep into his skin. He stabbed at his eggs, and ripped bites out of his toast.

“Jesus.”

Captain nodded. “Exactly, so I’m proposing a training regime.”

“Training regime?” Rory mumbled.

“There’s a gym, I’ll help you two work out, toughen you up, teach you how to defend yourselves.”

“What do you want in return?” Ollie asked.

“Nothing,” Captain mumbled, he looked down at the table, then lifted his head. “I’ve trained many young men for battle. They come to me like you, and I toughen them up. This time ahead is going to be a war, and I’m only gonna be with you for a few years of it. The quicker I toughen you up, the longer you’ll survive in here.”

“I take it back,” Ollie blurted.

“What?” Rory said.

“I bloody wish he was my cellmate.”

****

They’d spent the day sussing out the prison routine and the inmates. Rory avoided Pauly’s glances, but couldn’t stop seeking out Sebastian. He spent most of his time prowling the top landing, watching the inmates below.

A fight broke out over pool, a small scruff that ended as soon as Sebastian yelled. The two quarrelling men backed away from each other, and calm was temporarily restored.

“Lock up.”

The guards waved them to their feet. Rory exchanged a nervous look with Ollie, then they both went to their respective cells. Ollie on the bottom, Captain on the first, and him on the second.

When he walked inside the cell, Sebastian was scrubbing his teeth by the sink. He didn’t turn to Rory, and he snuck inside before jumping up on the top bunk.

Sebastian paused with his toothbrush in his mouth. A few tense seconds passed. Rory held his breath expecting something to happen, then the scrubbing resumed, followed by him spitting in the sink.

“If you’re worried about me forcing myself on you, that doesn’t interest me.”

Rory was hit by a wave of relief, then his stomach soured, and he picked at the mattress.

“What about Teddy?” he whispered.