The Prison of Iowa

by **Shadow Demon** September 27th 2009, 4:05 am

-July, 2004, 5 PM, Iowa State Prison, Iowa-

Rob Langdon stared up at the cold, hard ceiling. He was bored as hell. Being in prison sucked. He hated everything, how all of the inmates were treated like animals, how he had to waste the best part of his day sitting inside a gritty cell, and how there was never ever anything to do besides work out. Rob shifted around, a grimace on his face. He had also copped a fair beating. Even though the first time the inmates had tried to attack him, he had fended them off with ease, there were always cheap shooters who came around when he was doing weights, and would hit him in the leg or arm. They would always make sure none of the guard saw it. It pissed him off like nothing ever before. He had bruises on his shins, on his thigh, on his arms, everywhere. All of the inmates targeted him. And then when he would fight back, the guards would catch him. Slowly, he laid on his side and closed his eyes. He was sleepy...

The next day, Rob was woken by a loud ringing. The early morning wake up bell. He slowly climbed out of his bunk, and leant up against the cell wall. He was feeling a bit dizzy. He hadn’t slept well. He kept having constant nightmares about the night he was attacked. Every time it was the same. The attacker would grab him from behind, and punch him in the back. The attacker would scream in his ear. He didn’t know what he’d said. Then the attacked would pull out the knife and punch him again, this time in the kidneys. That was the moment Rob felt like throwing up. Then, the man was lifted off of his back, and slammed into the ground. Rob would stumble, and notice that it was Brenton who had saved him. Brenton would then be on top of the attacker, and pounding him in the face with hard punches. Before he’d pulled Cyrus off, the man was already dead. That’s when the sirens blew through his ears.

Brenton would yell at him to run. But Rob knew that they were caught already, there would be nowhere to go. The police would pull up, and get out. He wouldn’t have moved. They would call out “arms in the air, both of you-now!” Rob would oblige. Brenton would look at him with a shocked look on his face, before slowly copying him. They would then handcuff them both before asking which of them had killed the man. He would then say “I did it”, before Brenton could say anything. And then it would end. It would happen over and over again, always the same thing. It annoyed him. So what if he had taken the blame for what the kid had done?! Brenton had a future. What did he have? All he had was the Iowa Fighting Nation. He had no wife, no friends nothing. Nothing except for a small hope that one day Brenton Cyrus could make the big time. And that’s why he had done what he did. It didn’t matter if Rob Langdon went to prison. What mattered was that Brenton Cyrus kept training, and that he eventually made the big time. That’s what mattered.

A guard came along and unlocked the cell door, leading him out. Rob slowly looked around the prison. A few people still remained inside their cells. Some just looked plain nuts. Some looked like the kind who didn’t want to be there at all. He was one of those. But, he knew it was the only way to keep Brenton training and fighting. Rob slowly walked to the showers, slipping out of his clothes, and stepping into one of the shower cubicles. He showered quickly. He didn’t want to be waiting for other guys to come and join him. He hated that he had to shower with other men in this prison. He liked to shower with himself, and no one else. He quickly finished his shower, and just as he began to walk out, a grungy man walked up and bumped him very hard on the shoulder. This sent anger surging through Rob, and he grabbed the guy, and slammed him into the back wall, so hard that a few tiles cracked and fell off.

Rob Langdon
Now, listen here Mr. “I think I’m tough” I’ve had about just enough shit from you and all your inmate friends, so how about you just leave me the fuck ALONE!

The man giggled.

Grungy Man
Really? Well, I don’t think we should leave you alone, so we’re not going to. What’re you going to do about it?!

This intensified Rob’s anger.

Rob Langdon
I'll show you...

Rob grabbed his head, and slammed it into the side wall, breaking the man’s nose, and smashing a few tiles. The other inmates heard this, and came rushing to see what the fuss was about. What they saw was Rob beating the crap out of the grungy man. A few, the grungy man’s friends, grabbed Rob, and pulled him back, causing him to slip, and smash his head against the floor, splitting his head open. Blood ran down his forehead, as he suddenly had a flashback to that very same nightmare. The words “I did it” kept running through his head, as the guards did their best to clear out all the inmates.

Prison Guard 1
Alright, alright move it along lads.

A second Prison Guard checked on Rob, who wasn’t moving. He took a pulse.

Prison Guard 2
Ok, he’s still alive. I think we need to get this poor guy to the health wing.

The first prison guard managed to clear out the shower area, using a combination of both force and verbal commands. Mainly force.

Prison Guard 1
Alright, I’ll grab a stretcher, you cover him up with...I don’t know, something.

Prison Guard 2
Ok.

The Prison Guards then set to work, and got him to the hospital wing. Rob had required seven stitches to close the cut. Eventually, after about 10 minutes, Rob woke up.

Rob Langdon
Wha-what...

A gritty looking nurse waltzed over.

Nurse
It’s ok, you’re alright. Seven stitches in ya head.

Rob Langdon
A hospital? You mean being in prison was all just a dream?!

The nurse laughed a hearty laugh, and shook her head.

Nurse
Nah, dude, you’re still in prison. This is just the hospital wing.

Rob’s complexion visibly saddened.

Rob Langdon
God damn it! Well, I guess you must be pretty fuckin busy. Being in the prison’s hospital, you’d get about ten patients a day, wouldn’t you?

The nurse giggled.

Nurse
You’re a funny one. Here, have a lollypop.

The nurse handed him a lollypop and walked off. Rob stared at the lollypop, very confused. He took off the wrapper, and chucked it in the bin next to him. He looked closely at the lollypop, and could tell something was wrong. They he saw it. The lollypop was covered in acid. What the hell? He thought, had the prison nurse just tried to kill him?! He slumped down, threw the lollypop away, and sighed. He turned his head and looked out the window. He could only hope that Brenton was getting along alright, because he sure as hell wasn’t.

==================================================================================

Shadow Demon
KID, KID, KID. Will you ever learn? More to the point, will you ever stop winging about the fact that I attacked you? Get over it. I turned on you. Big deal. I want that world title so much, I don’t care if you’re my tag team partner or not. I just want that title, and I will destroy anyone or anything I have to to win it. You’re just the last obstacle in the road. I defeated Cotton the Clown, and now I’m ready to take you down. I will finally accomplish my dream. I will finally win the big one. And I will defeat you, for the second time.

:You have my word: