A Lucky Penny (Chapter 10 5/29/22)

[WBDaddy]

Sorry for the delay on this update.  I had surgery on my right arm, which put me out of commission for a good while, and it took some effort to get back into the rhythm, but here we go!  

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5

Penny stayed blissfully in the fog all the way through being fingerprinted, uncuffed, and unceremoniously deposited in a room at the police department with a mirror on one wall, two chairs, and a table. And the fog was still with her a while later, when someone in a suit came in. He sat down at the chair opposite Penny, opened a suitcase, and started talking as he pulled file folders out, shuffling through papers in them.

“Miss Russo, I’m going to tell you this very simply. We have everything we need to convict you of trafficking and possession. That’s a felony and a misdemeanor, good for 30 years in a labor camp. You want that?”

Penny remembered the nurse’s words. “Lawyer.”

“Look, kid, I don’t give a fuck what happens to you. I’m here to save me some time, but if you want to play hard, I’ll play hard with you. Now, you want to hear my offer?”

She wasn’t so confident in the nurse’s advice anymore, but she tried to hold firm… “Lawyer…”

“You want a lawyer, huh? Okay, here’s what happens if you get a lawyer. I walk out of here, and tomorrow at your arraignment, I’m going to ask for bail. Unless you got fifty grand laying around, you’re going to be staying in jail until your trial, probably about three months or so. And you’re going to lose at trial, because I have your confession from the nine-one-one call, and I have the other two sticks you bought, which are currently at our lab being analyzed. So I don’t need to negotiate with your lawyer. I’ll have you shoveling garbage on Fresh Kills until you’re grey-haired and half dead of skin cancer. Now, you still want a lawyer, or you want to play ball?”

Panic cut right through Penny’s little fog, and her resolve broke. “Okay, okay, so what happens if I talk?”

“Smart, kid. You give me the guy who sold it to you, and you walk out of here on probation.”

“But… I never saw him! I don’t even know his name!”

“Alright, then you tell me what you do know, and maybe we can still work something out.”

“All I have is a phone number! And… I saw him throw his phone out a fourth-floor window!”

“Where was the window?”

“Fifty-sixth… and Tatus… Down the alley… He put the sticks in the mailboxes right there… he made me shoot the first one before he’d show me the other two… the window was on the opposite side of the street, third one from the corner of the building…”

“That all you got?”

“Yes… Well… I gave my money to this homeless-looking dude at the corner when I got there, just like the guy told me… He was old, like 50 or 60 or something, with a beard. Smelled like booze, and his clothes were dirty.”

“Alright. I’ll tell you what. You plead guilty to the possession charge, I’ll drop the trafficking charge, and I’ll ask the judge for a suspended sentence contingent on you completing rehab.”

“Wait, rehab? I’ve never done drugs before in my life!” As scared as Penny was of the labor camps, the idea of going to drug rehab and losing her apartment anyway wasn’t much of an improvement.

“Rehab or thirty years. Your choice.”

“How long do I have to stay in jail?”

“Like I said, your arraignment is tomorrow. I’ll submit the plea deal during that hearing. If he approves it, you’ll be on your way to rehab straight after the hearing. You do the program, you get out of there in three months, and your record gets expunged. Like it never even happened.”

“Alright. I’ll take it.” It wasn’t hard for Penny to understand that having a conviction on her record would make it even worse trying to find work. But at this point, even being Dee’s live-in maid was preferable to working a garbage dump.

He stood up, gathering his files and stuffing them into his suitcase. “Good. I’ll have the paperwork ready at court tomorrow.”

Without another word, he strode over to the door and pounded on it. It opened, and he stepped out, passing a cop coming in. “Alright kid, are you going to behave, or do I need to cuff you?” He was tall and imposing, his frame muscular, not fat like the cop that stood guard at the hospital. Against her petite, barely five-foot frame, this guy was a monster.

“I’m okay,” she offered nervously.

“On your feet. Let’s go.”

She stood, and he grabbed onto her arm, leading her out of the room and down the hall, through a door made entirely of bars, and stopping in front of a female guard at a counter, not much taller than Penny, but very fat, and looking not particularly happy.

“All yours, Mildred,” the big man said, handing her a file folder, then leaving and slamming the barred door behind him.

“Strip, kid.” Mildred boomed, pulling a pair of latex gloves over her hands, one at a time.

Penny was shocked. “What?!”

“You stupid or somethin’? I said, ‘Take your clothes off’.”

“I… uh… all of them? Why?”

“Look, kid. I ain’t askin’ again. Either you take them off, or I’ll take them off, and I promise you will NOT enjoy that.” Mildred dropped a pile of orange fabric on the counter and came out from behind via a locked half-door. She pulled what looked like a riding crop out of it’s holster on her belt and began tapping it on her open palm.

That got Penny moving. “I’m… I’m sorry!” she said, the fog from that morning’s shot having worn completely off. Her hands trembled as she pulled the scrubs down her legs, pulled the gown off, and nearly fell over trying to pull her socks off, tossing them aside like they were covered with the plague or something.

“Stand straight and do not move!” Penny stiffened while the woman walked around behind her.

THWACK! Penny yelped in pain as the crop bit into her tender backside. “That’s for not doing what I tell you the first damn time! Now bend your ass over, spread your legs, and grab your ankles!”

The searing pain in her buttocks was plenty enough motivation for Penny to comply with the terrifying request. Trembling with fear, she struggled to maintain her balance in the awkward position as she endured the first and what she prayed would be the only cavity search of her life.

Now clothed in an orange pullover dress and feeling very much violated, Penny found herself led to a cell. “Lucky you, kid. You get to be the only resident of Hotel Bitch today, at least for the time being. The door slammed behind her, and Mildred grinned at her from outside the bars. “Dinner’s in three hours. Enjoy your stay.”

The woman walked away as Penny scanned her new surroundings. A bed chained to the wall with one pillow on it. A toilet with no lid. A TV in the corner of the ceiling, which was on, some televangelist preaching a sermon squawking away. She sat down on the bed and yelped as the sting from the crop refreshed itself. The mattress was hard as a brick! Stretching out on her side, Penny lay there and tried to go to sleep, tried to forget where she was, why she was there, where she was going.

It didn’t work.

 

[snowwhite]

First of all, best wish to you.
Take time and move not so much as you must.
But I think that you heared it, from Hospital too. ?

The story really meets my taste so far.

That she still wore the hospital clothes speaks for the "advising nurse" ... big smile ?
Oh dear Iam so bad mad .... I love my self for that.

No honestly, I like your work!

But hey, I'm really only intoxicated in fetishism, normally I'm very nice, no honestly, yes really ... belt come out ... ?

I happily wait for the poisonous apple, that will undoubtedly came too.

If women who can get pregnant are so rare, you don't lock them away for 30 years!
Rather, they is used for something completely different, but for that you need specialist staff or very strict foster parents, who look and want after real baby´s and who are not grown women as baby!

I think I should scream, one more time for the girl ... lawyer

Oh god no ... then the story is too simple, I cant help her ... sadistic smile ... 2 x 3 makes 4 Widdewiddewitt and 3 makes 9e!

Really nice work, I will longer follow you both.
That’s how long there’s one more trophy from me!
They have truly earned selves, especially you WBDaddy for your writing style! ?

[Bonsai]

Citing Talibans, “females are there just to make kids and not to use their brains or to use their aspect to distract men from the important stuff.”?

[WBDaddy]

2 hours ago, snowwhite said:

They have truly earned selves, especially you WBDaddy for your writing style!

Glad you're enjoying it.  This piece has only just begun to get dark, so you'll probably have more fun as we proceed.

[snowwhite]

50 minutes ago, Bonsai said:

Citing Talibans, “females are there just to make kids and not to use their brains or to use their aspect to distract men from the important stuff.”?

?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️

This is a story, not real life, you still know what the difference is?

 

good luck to you

from

the bad mad snowwhite ?

[WBDaddy]

3 hours ago, snowwhite said:

?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️

This is a story, not real life, you still know what the difference is?

 

good luck to you

from

the bad mad snowwhite ?

Well, the setting is psychotic religious fundamentalists taking over the place and implementing religious law.  So it's not like his parallel is without merit. 

[snowwhite]

1 hour ago, WBDaddy said:

Well, the setting is psychotic religious fundamentalists taking over the place and implementing religious law.  So it's not like his parallel is without merit. 

It's a current political opinion, do you really want every single fictional story to be politically challenged?

Is it your goal, instead of distraction, to make serious issues out of anywhere storys?

When I finish work and come here every couple of weeks, then I look for distraction and not meaningless political slogans!

I give my political opinion where it is appropriate and do not try to spoil someone's history politically!

Or, as in my case, the reader to screw up the fun of their inclination and joy!

sorry but that's exactly what i felt when i read bonsai words!

And with his choice of words, I no longer believe in coincidence or inadvertent, that was calculating!

[WBDaddy]

3 hours ago, snowwhite said:

When I finish work and come here every couple of weeks, then I look for distraction and not meaningless political slogans!

That's fair.  By all means, I definitely would like people to enjoy my stories and preferably confine the discussion to the story. 

Fair warning, though, I do have a couple of tongue-in-cheek references to current events tucked into future chapters.  I hope you don't take offense to their presence. 

[snowwhite]

2 hours ago, WBDaddy said:

Fair warning, though, I do have a couple of tongue-in-cheek references to current events tucked into future chapters.  I hope you don't take offense to their presence. 

I can't repreach you for that, because it's your story and you alone determine what it looks like!
And since you mentioned "The Handmaid's Tale" at the very beginning, everyone should know what they are getting into with this story!
A series that I've never seen, by the way, because I don't belive, That they is so drastic as e.g. "The walking dead"!  in the first seasons!
And yet I know what it's about, you hardly got past the advertising.

If I don't like your story, so must I not read it!
I can all the time quietly go away.

But I do not have the right to criticize you for your content.
And I also don't have the right to subliminally attack those who like your story!

So now I would like to bury the subject if nobody objects.
I actually just wanted to look forward, to a dark story to relax.

If I want sweet I look at Pippi Longstocking ...
Or I will eat a jam sandwich.

good night

 

[WBDaddy]

6

Penny lost track of how many hours had passed, but all that mattered now was the pain. The pain, and apparently every word coming out of that television set. Her bladder was screaming for relief, her backside was on fire, and her knees pulsed with a dull, cold ache from the concrete. Still she kneeled, her head bowed, her hands folded in front of her, and her back as straight as she could manage, Mildred’s riding crop at the ready should her posture falter or she fail to respond with timely “amens” when the televangelist demanded them of the audience. It started with what Penny thought was an innocuous comment about how they all sounded the same. When Mildred launched into a tirade about blasphemy and how if Penny “had a little more Jesus in her life”, maybe she wouldn’t be a worthless drug addict convict like she was about to become, Penny realized just how wrong she was.

Let us read together the inspired word of God, from his prophet Trump, chapter 7 verse 4.

Penny cringed. Another call-and-response.

It never stops, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It never stops, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Penny’s trembling voice squeaked out, punctuated by a sniffle.

I try to learn from the past,

“I try to learn from the past,”

But I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present.

“But I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present.”

Yes, my children, Jesus wants us to live in the moment. In Matthew six, he tells us, “Worry not about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself.” All Jesus wants from us is our faith in his plan for us today! Let us pray together for the inspiration of the word of God.

The sound of keys in a distant lock and the groan of iron distracted Penny from the insipid prayer blaring from the TV set. She looked up, and yelped as Mildred’s crop bit into her backside. THWACK! Worse, a trickle of urine streaked down her leg. Despite the pain, Penny doubled down, squeezing her thighs together to stop what seemed to be the inevitable.

“Nobody told you to stop praying, heathen!” Mildred shouted as fresh tears filled Penny’s eyes. “Don’t you dare move from that spot until I tell you!” Mildred’s footsteps walked toward her cell door. Keys opened the lock, and an identical sound of groaning iron reached her ears from much closer. The door slammed shut, and she heard Mildred’s boots march down the hallway, followed by hushed tones of a conversation she couldn’t understand.

An eternity later, she heard boots approaching her cell. Flinching just for an instant, she resumed her praying posture, bracing herself for what was coming. The sound of a man’s laughter took her by surprise.

“Get up, Russo. Church is over.”

At first she dropped to the cold concrete, her legs exhausted from holding that position for so long. Then fatigue gave way to panic and she scrambled to her feet, bracing for the sound of keys in her cell door. Another tiny spurt leaked out of her as she turned to look at the body attached to the voice; he was tall, heavy-set, a bald middle-aged man with unremarkable features other than the glint of his brilliantly white teeth as he grinned at her from through the bars.

“So you talked shit about Mildred’s favorite TV pastors, eh? Bad move, kid. Anyway, lights out in five. I suggest you take care of business and get comfortable.”

Penny didn’t need a second invitation. She staggered toward the toilet, and, thankfully, the guard turned his back as she straddled the bowl, terrified of the filth, and let loose. She wiped down afterward and collapsed on the bed, gritting her teeth against the protests of her sore bottom. She dared not ask what time it was, for fear of more retribution.

“I hear you missed dinner. I’ll make sure breakfast is here early.” He laughed again and strode down the hall. Penny heard the loud click of a light switch, and the cell went dark including, thankfully, the TV screen.

Unfortunately for Penny, while the noise from the TV stopped, it raged on in her head as she struggled to sleep. Eyes open or closed, it didn’t matter, all those preachers pointing their fingers at her, calling her things like “heathen”, “harlot”, and “degenerate”, seemingly in time with the bite of Mildred’s riding crop on her backside. No matter how she lay on that hard bed, the welts Mildred left behind protested the pressure she put on them, until she finally gave up and lay flat on her stomach.

It didn’t help her sleep, but at least the welts just stung in the background in this position. Every time the voices quieted and it felt like she was going to drift off, that ominous pair of boots made their way down the hall, their echoes on the concrete jolting her back to consciousness. And so went the cycle, over and over, until the first light of daybreak through the window opposite her bed cracked the darkness.

Shielding her eyes, Penny groaned at the dawn. The only good thing about this moment was the realization that she had in fact survived a night in jail. Which meant that in a few hours she’d be leaving this place, so long as that DA kept his word. From what she could recall, it seemed like the guard came through with that infernal flashlight not long before, so she took her chance and relieved both bowel and bladder, scrubbing herself with as much toilet paper as she dared use before flushing. She sat back down on the bed gingerly, her backside still sore, but not as much so as a few hours before.

The light switch down the hall clicked loudly, and now the cell was fully lit up. Boots coming toward her; the same guard appeared in front of her cell door with a tray. He bent over and shoved it through a slot at the bottom of the cell door. He stood back up and said, “sorry, kid, Monday means vending machine breakfast. Enjoy.”

Penny stared at the tray. A sad looking muffin wrapped in plastic and a small cup of what looked like black coffee stared back at her. Still, she was hungry, and she ate quickly and quietly while the guard watched. When she finished the last of the bitter, lukewarm liquid, the guard unlocked the door and stepped in. Penny flinched as he approached.

“Don’t worry kid. I’m just getting you ready for transfer. Stand up and face me.”

Penny silently obeyed his commands, and he secured cuffs back onto her wrists, sliding chains through what she thought were belt loops on her dress, then affixing similar cuffs to her ankles.

He led her down the hall, where the tall, muscular cop that brought her here was waiting. They chit-chatted while signing paperwork, and the tall one led her out to a waiting van. He helped her climb into the back, closed the door, and soon they were on the road. A short while later the van stopped, and the cop led her back out of the van on the side of the municipal courthouse. He handed her off to a bailiff after signing some more paperwork, and then he was gone and she found herself seated in a conference room.

“Excuse… me… Sir?” She looked up at the bailiff nervously.

“Can I help you?”

“What happens now?”

“The DA will be here shortly. Your hearing starts at nine.”

She looked at the clock. 7:45. She sighed, slouching a bit in her chair, and folded her hands with a faint jingle. The next 45 minutes took an eternity to pass, but there finally was a knock on the door next to the bailiff, and he opened it. In came the DA.

“Good morning, Miss Russo. I have the plea deal all ready for you to sign.” He sat down, opened his briefcase, and withdrew a folder. He opened the folder and turned a document around to face her, then handed her a pen.

“You understand that, by signing this document, you are pleading no contest to the charge of possession of a controlled substance. The mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years will be suspended so long as you successfully complete a rehabilitation program of not less than three months, and your judgment will be set aside so long as you do not commit any further crimes in the next calendar year.”

“I… I understand.” Penny scanned the document, but she had no idea what she was reading. With a trembling hand, she signed, praying that what he was telling her was the truth.

[ABAlex]

On 8/8/2021 at 8:35 PM, WBDaddy said:

You'd think, given how diaper stories go, that peeing her pants would get her into lots of trouble. Yet here we are...

GEE yeah you'd think!?

 

“You need a man, Penny. You need to be home making babies for your man. Not here turning into an old spinster. The customers complain, they want their waitresses to be friendly. And young. And the girls, they flirt until they find a guy that clicks, and boom, I’m hiring a new one because she went off and got hitched.”

Well I hate him already.

I like the world you've created in this story. Well done

 

[WBDaddy]

8 hours ago, ABAlex said:

Well I hate him already.

Ironically, he was a bit player in this little drama.  But he certainly had a role to play in casually explaining to our readers what the hell happened in this future dystopia.

8 hours ago, ABAlex said:

I like the world you've created in this story. Well done

Thanks.  I can't help but feel like I'm failing to engage the audience, either because of the overt misogyny in the setting or because they pretty much feel like they know how this movie ends and aren't interested in following it to its conclusion.  It's frustrating, because I've got big twists in store, but if I can't get people hooked on it, they're not going to amount to much.  

[Bonsai]

I come here to read both fap & well written stuff with limited abdl content. This falls in the latter category.

I have a feeling that the next 3 months will have very long lasting consequences for Penny and that her freedom is lost forever.

[kerry]

33 minutes ago, WBDaddy said:

Thanks.  I can't help but feel like I'm failing to engage the audience, either because of the overt misogyny in the setting or because they pretty much feel like they know how this movie ends and aren't interested in following it to its conclusion.  It's frustrating, because I've got big twists in store, but if I can't get people hooked on it, they're not going to amount to much.  

I can't say I like this story any more than I could say I like the similarly-themed A Handmaid's Tale, but (as was the case with that one) I'm fascinated, as misogynistic and horrifying as this world appears to be.

[Bonsai]

Timothy 2: 9-15 (S. Paul)

[ABAlex]

18 hours ago, WBDaddy said:

Ironically, he was a bit player in this little drama.  But he certainly had a role to play in casually explaining to our readers what the hell happened in this future dystopia.

Thanks.  I can't help but feel like I'm failing to engage the audience, either because of the overt misogyny in the setting or because they pretty much feel like they know how this movie ends and aren't interested in following it to its conclusion.  It's frustrating, because I've got big twists in store, but if I can't get people hooked on it, they're not going to amount to much.  

Its possible people don't like the misogyny, but I don't think they are supposed to. To be clear when I say I "like" the world, I don't mean that I think it would be a good place to work for. The issue might be that a lot of people read AB stuff specifically as a break from any serious issues, but that isn't a problem with the story itself.

[WBDaddy]

49 minutes ago, ABAlex said:

Its possible people don't like the misogyny, but I don't think they are supposed to. To be clear when I say I "like" the world, I don't mean that I think it would be a good place to work for. The issue might be that a lot of people read AB stuff specifically as a break from any serious issues, but that isn't a problem with the story itself.

I'm waiting for someone to take note of the "current events" Easter egg I slipped into the last chapter.  Completely tongue-in-cheek, and an even bigger joke once you pick up on it, re-read it, and do some googling.  Of course, I tried slipping Easter eggs into "Little Legal Issue", but they were much too obscure for anyone to even pick up on unless they were given clues about their nature. 

18 hours ago, kerry said:

I can't say I like this story any more than I could say I like the similarly-themed A Handmaid's Tale, but (as was the case with that one) I'm fascinated, as misogynistic and horrifying as this world appears to be.

Yeah, I can't help but think it was a mistake to reference that series at the outset.  I was mesmerized by that show, even as gruesome and disturbing as it got at times.  This is relatively tame by comparison - but I felt like the setting had enough parallels to be worthy of the mention.  *shrug* 

4 hours ago, Bonsai said:

Timothy 2: 9-15 (S. Paul)

Nice reference.  I had originally envisioned throwing bible verses into virtually every chapter, but it would have seemed forced, based on where the narratives and dialogue went. 

[ABAlex]

Huh, I missed that

[WBDaddy]

14 minutes ago, ABAlex said:

Huh, I missed that

So, "Trump, chapter 7 verse 4" didn't seem odd to you? 

[kerry]

5 hours ago, WBDaddy said:

Yeah, I can't help but think it was a mistake to reference that series at the outset.  I was mesmerized by that show, even as gruesome and disturbing as it got at times.  This is relatively tame by comparison - but I felt like the setting had enough parallels to be worthy of the mention.  *shrug* 

It would have elicited these comparisons no matter whether you'd mentioned it or not. ?

[snowwhite]

FAP I do not expect here, the place is for it ... let's say rather strange, here it's more about longings, relaxation and sexual desire and not about art!
Or have I missed something? Rhetorical question, don´t answear!

 

 

@WBDaddy

Sorry but your Easter egg, I did not get either, unless you make a reference to Lethal Weapon, with the name Russo and the Church!
That was the only thing I noticed besides your writing style ...
Otherwise I missed too!

Chapter 6 is completely different from the previous chapters.

Please do not be angry, is just my honest opinion!

Your pace has become incredibly high, started with chapter 5!
Height point is chapter 6!
Chapter 5 was still okay, but it have a high pace!

I still thought, you wanted to reflect the high speed in prison so.  
Now I believe that was not only that alone!

You do not explain is it the same day, or already the next day!
You leave your readers in the dark! What seems logical for you, because you already know the story, is far from logical for your readers (me).
You do not explain how she wakes up! ... Is she wake up? Or is it evenig / Night? The only hint you give, she missed dinner!
That is a bad path for a good interaction!

You explainsdt not, why the guard Mildred, with the crop in her hand, behind Penny stands!

You play not with Pennys fear!
You play not with Mildred sadism!

Its clear Mildred want that Penny go realy out of prison, and go to where ever! But that must you do much more better describe.

In short, your Interaction is not right in the whole 6th chapter at all!
It started at chapter 5, but I thought it was a weaker phase, until I read the 6th now!

Your feeling does not deceive you, that it is not good ... That speaks for you, that you have noticed it yourself ...

But clearly this is not about misogyny, it's about your harmony in the story, this you have lost for me!

You tried to squeeze as much information as possible, in a much too short chapter, this destroys your reading flow and the understandins for your story!

It is 100% not your content, of this story!

If I were you, I would go back to chapter 6 and elaborate more (much more) on the interactions of all involved.

The readers are more concerned with the dinner manager, than they are with your guard Mildred and that's even though he only had an extra role and it had been very well cast!
I have understand who he was! And english is not my narretiv!

I hope you understand what I mean ...
Because my English is really rather modest when writing!
I think german and write english, sorry that is wrong I know it, but I can't stop it!

PLEASE DON`T GIVE UP THIS STORY!!!

 

 

Addendum ... 19:45 Berlin time

So Donald Trump after all ...
I believed in a clerical error ...

This must be an inside joke, I had not understood him, or was Donald lay preacher?

I quote
"Trump, chapter 7 verse 4"
Quote end

Where Donald says "And now go forth sheep, and give me all your money too, belive and remember all the time, Donald first!".

I have no idea what you really meant with that!

 

[ABAlex]

14 hours ago, WBDaddy said:

So, "Trump, chapter 7 verse 4" didn't seem odd to you? 

Honestly? I probably skimmed over it and understood it as a citation without seeing the name

[ImprobableLemon]

At least she scanned the document, but it doesn't fill me with great confidence.

I instantly become worried when people sign things without reading in stories. Bad news always follows.

[WBDaddy]

On 9/30/2021 at 5:56 AM, snowwhite said:

So Donald Trump after all ...
I believed in a clerical error ...

This must be an inside joke, I had not understood him, or was Donald lay preacher?

I quote
"Trump, chapter 7 verse 4"
Quote end

Where Donald says "And now go forth sheep, and give me all your money too, belive and remember all the time, Donald first!".

I have no idea what you really meant with that!

I was making a joke about American evangelicals embracing him as some kind of Messiah on social media.  100 years in the future, and someone added The Art of the Deal to the Bible. 

[WBDaddy]

And now we find out how bad that agreement was....

-----------------------

7

Less than half an hour later, Penny found herself in a courtroom behind plexiglass. The bailiff that led her in stood just a few feet behind her, but at least her shackles were off. A second bailiff in the courtroom called, “All rise for the Honorable Judge Martin!”

Everyone stood, including the DA, who was sitting at what Penny presumed was his usual spot at a table on one side of the courtroom.  The judge walked in and took his seat, as did everyone else  except Penny, who had nowhere to sit.

“Good morning everyone!” The judge’s voice boomed across the courtroom as he leafed through papers in front of him. “What’s our first case this morning?”

The DA spoke up.  “People versus Penelope Russo, your Honor.”

“People’s position on bail?”

“We’ve reached a plea agreement with the defendant.”

“Let’s see it. Approach.”  Penny was a little nervous; she didn’t know the judge had to approve what she just signed. What if he didn’t?  She shuddered at the thought.

The DA brought the paperwork up to the judge and handed it to him.

“Ms. Russo, you understand that you are pleading no contest to the charge of first-degree possession of a controlled substance?”

“Y… Yes, your Honor.”

“And by doing so you understand that you are waiving your right to a trial, and you agree to be remanded to the Haven Hill spiritual rehabilitation clinic?”

Spiritual?! Penny thought she was getting sent to a drug rehab! What were they going to do, beat her over the head with a Bible until she promised not to do drugs anymore?

“Miss Russo?”

“I… um… I’m sorry your Honor, I just… thought they were sending me to drug rehab.”

“Are you saying you wish to withdraw from this plea agreement?”  The judge raised his eyebrow.

The DA stood.  “If I may, your Honor, I think I can clear this up fairly quickly.”

“Go ahead.”

“Miss Russo, the center named in the plea agreement handles a variety of behavioral issues, not just drug rehabilitation.  But they do have a highly regarded drug treatment program, which is what you’ll be enrolled in.  Does that make sense?”

“Um… yes, that’s fine.”  She still didn’t like the religious connotation of the name, but it seemed like her only alternative was to back out of the deal and go to trial, which she definitely didn’t want to do.

“Good.  Unless there are any further objections?”  The judge looked back at her.

“No, your Honor.”

“Then I do hereby remand you to the custody of Haven Hill spiritual rehabilitation clinic for a period not less than three months, followed by nine additional months of probation, at which time this case will be dismissed with prejudice.”  His gavel smacking the desk made Penny jump a little, but it was as though a huge weight fell off her back all at once.  She took a breath and exhaled slowly as the guard led her back through the meeting room and back down the hall toward the rear exit.  She didn’t even care that much about him putting the shackles back on her wrists and ankles.

It was a much longer ride in the windowless van before she saw daylight again.  But when she did, it was an awe-inspiring sight.

The building was drab, white, not very interesting, though it looked clean, well-kept.  Surrounding it, though, was trees and grass everywhere, a landscape Penny had never witnessed before.  She turned around, and a forest (briefly) met her eyes before she was herded forward toward the entrance.  Living in New Gomorrah her whole life, she’d only seen foliage like this in pictures.

“Let’s move it, Russo.  This ain’t a nature walk.”  The cop gave her a shove toward the walkway which led to the building’s front entrance, and she stumbled a bit, but kept her balance.

The two cops marched her to the double doors, and a tan-skinned woman about Penny’s size opened the door with a smile.  “Come in, come in.”  Her voice was disarmingly soft and friendly, a welcome change from how law enforcement had treated her the last several days.

They led her in and stopped in a spacious reception area, the door shutting behind her with a loud click.  One cop handed the woman a form and a pen.  “Just sign here and she’s all yours.”

“Thank you.  And welcome, Penelope.  My name is Adweta, and I’ll be your primary nurse and case worker during your stay here.”  She signed the form and handed it back to the one cop while the other unlocked Penny’s shackles.

“Th… thanks…” was all Penny could muster, still expecting a hammer to drop on her here somewhere.

“Miss Patricia, would you hand me Penelope’s file and a gown and buzz the officers out, please?”  the tan-skinned woman said.

“Sure, Miss Adweta.  Got it all ready for you here.”  The woman behind the reception counter stood up and passed a pile of cloth and a remarkably full-looking file folder, from Penny’s perspective, to Adweta.

“Thank you Miss Patricia.  Right this way, Penelope.”  The woman put her hand on Penny’s shoulder and aimed her toward a large, heavy-looking door with a small safety glass window set well above Penny’s head.  A buzz sounded behind her, and the two cops exited the front door.  The heavy-sounding click as the door shut behind had an ominous finality to it, and Penny shuddered a bit.

“Umm… please call me Penny.”

“Alright, then, Penny.  We have a few minutes before the weekly dorm discussion group starts, so you’ll have time to get changed.”  She flashed a keycard in front of a panel, and the door clicked.

“Um… can I just lie down or something?  I’m exhausted,” Penny said as Adweta opened the door.

Adweta turned and put both her hands on Penny’s shoulders, looking her square in the eyes.  “I’m sorry, Penny, but because of your specific circumstances, full compliance is absolutely necessary.”  The nurse’s face took on a somber appearance, but there was no anger that Penny could detect.  “I have to report anything you miss - a group session, a counseling session, therapy, whatever it happens to be, to the DA for review, because technically it’s a violation of your plea agreement.  He has the discretion to revoke that agreement and send you to the work camps. I don’t want that for you, and I’m sure you don’t either, right?”  Adweta’s little head-cock and sad smile were disarming, but her words were like boulders falling on Penny’s shoulders.

Whatever fatigue Penny was suffering from swept right out of her.  “No!”

“Good, then let’s hurry, okay?”

As they marched down the wide hall, doors on either side, the idea that this “rehabilitation” was not going to be as easy as it sounded in court began to set in.