The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Breach</strong>; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments <strong>of</strong> http://www.192.comcrosses and Arabic words, put there by a Muslim occupant as prayeraids. Scribbled above the toilet in large, childish letters was aslogan in Turkish. In such filth, I did not feel like unpacking mybelongings. I lay down on the bare mattress listening to the muffledactivity <strong>of</strong> prison life. Inmates hollered to each other between cells,sometimes laughing, sometimes abusive. <strong>The</strong> sharp clacks <strong>of</strong> a game <strong>of</strong>pool rose from the floor <strong>of</strong> the spur, punctuated by exclamations in aforeign language. From the cell next door came the sound <strong>of</strong> a manicallystirred hot drink, then a contented whistled rendition <strong>of</strong> MontyPython's `Always Look on the Bright Side <strong>of</strong> Life'. Every half-hour theflap covering my door hatch was slapped open, a pair <strong>of</strong> beady eyesexamined me for a second, then the flap slammed shut again. Just before6 p.m., the level <strong>of</strong> activity started to increase and the heavyclunking <strong>of</strong> keys signalled that we were being unlocked. My flap slappedopen, eyes checked me, the heavy bolt clunked and the door crackedopen. Peering out, the other prisoners I saw rushing to join the dinnerqueue on the first-floor landing and I grabbed my plastic mug andcutlery to join them.Locked back in the cell to eat alone and in silence from a metalplatter, I found that the meal was not as bad as I feared it would be.Stew, two vegetables and rice, a stodgy pudding and custard, a big pile<strong>of</strong> buttered bread, a mug <strong>of</strong> hot water to make tea or c<strong>of</strong>fee, an appleand a small bag containing cereal and milk for the next morning'sbreakfast. We were briefly unlocked half an hour later to kick thetrays out for the cleaners to collect, then a few hours later an urn <strong>of</strong>hot water was dragged around to fill our mugs. It was Guy Fawkes night,and I lay on the bed sipping cocoa listening to the fireworkcelebrations from the nearby housing estates.`Oi you, you next door, pass this doon,' a hoarse Geordie voice calledout. I sat up, wondering if the call was directed at me. <strong>The</strong>re was asharp rattle on the heating pipe which ran the length <strong>of</strong> the landing,passing through each cell. `Oi you ... new boy next door, grab this andpass it down.' Paper rustled nearby and I looked over the end <strong>of</strong> mybed, in a tiny gap between the metal pipe and the reinforced concrete<strong>of</strong> the dividing wall, to see a sliver <strong>of</strong> carefully folded newspaper. Ipulled it through into my own cell. `Make sure you pass it doon,'ordered the disembodied voice impatiently. Curiosity got the better <strong>of</strong>me and I unravelled the package revealing small crystals <strong>of</strong> a hardwhite substance, LSD or maybe crack. I wrapped it up, stepped over tothe other side <strong>of</strong> the cell where there was also a small gap and pushedit through. It was ripped from my fingers eagerly. Ten minutes later,as the drugs took their effect, the bangs and thumps <strong>of</strong> the nearbyfireworks were joined by the sound <strong>of</strong> my other neighbour as he sungalong raucously to an Oasis concert blaring from his radio.`Oi, new-boy,' a close-cropped head thrust around the door after unlockthe next morning, `when I tell yer to pass sommit doon, yer jump,right?' he ordered.`Sorry, I'm new in jail, I didn't know,' I apologised.He stared at me hard, suspicious at my educated, middle class accent.`What you in for then?' he asked. I explained my crime. `I heard aboutyou on the radio last night!' he exclaimed, his toughlooking facebreaking into admiration. `Mind if I come in for a chat?' Sitting on mypage- 174 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version <strong>of</strong> this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com