Diversion Pt. 04

As Sheree's boots are being affixed to her feet, Beth Anne says, "We don't have enough staff to stay out here to watch you. These boots solve that problem. Just try not to break an ankle. It can happen if you fall the wrong way in these things; and our medical supplies consist of Band-Aids."

Sheree keeps her head down, and refuses to look at Beth Anne. She hasn't interacted with her since the bathroom experience outside the courthouse. But Beth Anne is determined to agitate Sheree. She must want an excuse to further torment her. So, she tries humiliation. As she moves Sheree's foot into place to secure the second boot, Beth Anne says, "Somebody needs a pedicure. His toes are prettier than yours."

Sheree refuses to take the bait. Any response could provoke this woman and Sheree refuses to do that. Things are bad enough! Again, she refuses to look at Beth Anne.

"Okay, stand up and I'll get the chains off," Beth Anne says.

We both awkwardly stand. It is a slow process. The boots prevent us from moving our legs as we normally would and our arms are restricted by the chains. Our sense of balance is impaired and the fear of falling is real. But we manage to stand.

She unfastens Sheree's cuffs, black box, waist and crotch chain, dumps them on the ground beside her, then turns to me. She removes my chains, and I rub my wrists as I move them about trying to get some feeling back in them.

After my chains are removed, Beth Anne points to the boots and says, "Heavy, aren't they? I've seen people move around with a kind of duck step - squatting and then picking up one boot at a time with both hands, moving it forward, then doing the same with the other foot."

Sheree is now looking at her, but she just stares with a blank expression. I want to ask why she's keeping our leg irons on, but it's not worth getting into it with her.

Beth Anne points to the rubble all around us, and says, "We're cleaning up this lot. It was the old courthouse, years ago. We need you two to get the bricks out of the rubble and stack them on the pallets. Once you've got them all, the bricks will be removed and the rest of the debris will be hauled away with that kind of tractor with a big shovel on the front."

We just stand and stare numbly at the mound before us. How can we do that locked in these iron boots? This is where we both should be fighting against this injustice and standing up for our rights, but we do nothing. We are totally subjugated out of fear of what will be inflicted on us by this woman.

"The last groups of labor inmates cleaned the mortar and crap off of the bricks; but they all got tossed back into the rubble. Now we need to get them out. That's your job."

Beth Anne picks up the waist chains from the ground and drapes them over her shoulders. She puts the handcuffs in a holster of sorts on the back of her belt, and holds the black boxes in in her left hand. Her right hand retrieves her police baton from her belt.

She points with the baton toward the side of the police department building next to us. "See that? A camera. We'll see you out here. And let me tell you what'll happen if you don't work. Remember what the judge said about 'labor for the county'? I wasn't there, but I know what he said because it's spelled out in that plea agreement you signed. You're legally obligated to work for the county. If you refuse to work or hardly work at all, you'll be taken back before the judge. We'll tell him about your refusal or failure to comply with the plea agreement, and ask that your sentence be extended. So, get to work."

Sheree audibly gasps upon hearing the threat to extend our sentences. She moves her right hand, which has curled into a fist, to her mouth and presses it against her lips to keep from screaming. She looks at me in panic and disbelief. I shake my head from side to side as I share her horror of where we have found ourselves and the slave labor that is being imposed on us.

Beth Anne slips her baton into its case on her belt, smiles at us and then turns to walk back to the police department. After a few steps, she turns back toward us and says, "Watch out for the rats."