Dyker's Island Ch. 09-10

Rachel's eyes widened with terror.

"Oh my god. Is that?... Stephanie with..."

Cate finished Rachel's sentence for her, spitting out her porridge in the process.

"...Mabel Reilly?!"

Her eyes were as wide as Rachel's. The two girl's looked at each other. They remembered what Simone told them last night about Stephanie, and how she would get back at them.

"Oh my god, Mommy Lotti was right!"

"She is gonna get us!"

Maya and Taylah looked towards each other and considered this for a moment. Then they also panicked.

The spoon fell out of Maya's hand and she quivered in her seat.

"Holy shit!" She cursed.

Maya believed in reincarnation, but she wasn't ready for it to happen just yet.

Taylah's pupils shrunk to the size of a needle's eye. She put her hands over her mouth and wailed.

"She's gonna get us shanked!"

In fairness, it didn't look good, but the truth was more benign than their spiteful minds could imagine. The girl's had all made one major error in thinking that Stephanie was half as vindictive as they were. Steph was only being treated the way they might have been if they didn't decide to flip and become the most hated kind of inmates there were; Rats. Their kind couldn't be trusted by anyone. If they sold out their friend; Who else would they sell out?

Imogen and the others were further down on the service line from Stephanie's former "friends". Francesca unenthusiastically slopped porridge onto the girls trays and sulked when she recognized Stephanie's face.

"Ohh, you're the spoiled newbie bitch who's too good for my cooking."

Stephanie wanted to try to handle things diplomatically. She had calmed substantially since last night. It felt like things wouldn't be that bad for her, as long as she asserted herself.

"It's not that." She replied with the confidence she was known for. "I'm making a statement. Why don't you treat yourself with it instead?"

Francessca chuckled to herself. Seemed like a good deal for her. The porridge may have tasted like nothing, but she felt like the prison only ever gave them just enough food.

She was used to gorging at her leisure in the finest five star restaurants. At least this morning, after service had finished, her stomach would be a little more full than it normally was.

"If you want to starve yourself, then be my guest. I'll happily take it from you."

Imogen watched how Stephanie handled herself. She might be okay here if she kept her cool like that in the future. That was less than she could say for Ana. She was destined to be a bitch for life. The street racer led the others through the large cafeteria. She noticed Mabel sitting at a table with her crew, amongst the mob wives who didn't work in the kitchen.

"That's our table." Said Imogen, directing the others over to it.

Stephanie recognized Mabel as the older woman from the trip to prison yesterday.

"Hey, she was on the bus with us."

Imogen smiled proudly.

"That's Mabel Reilly. She's my new 'friend'."

Yuki gasped. She had been too distraught to recognize her before.

"Oh my god, did you say Mabel Reilly?".

Imogen's proud smile grew wider.

"Indeed I did."

Stephanie looked at Yuki with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you know her?" She asked.

"No, but I know all about her. She was an Irish gangster in Boston, the matriarch of the Reilly Crime Family. It was all over the news. She's done some seriously bad things."

Imogen flicked Yuki on the shoulder. She didn't want to hurt her, but she knew someone else would if they heard her talking like that.

"You better keep that opinion to yourself, because she's going to be looking after us in here."

Yuki gulped and looked down at the tray in her hands.

"Yes, Daddy, sorry Daddy." She responded obediently.

As they approached the table, Imogen caught sight of Mabel. She was sandwiched between Clover and Rose as they ate breakfast with the other Irish girls. The Irish woman looked up towards her and smiled, her arms open in welcome.

"Well, well, if it isn't my sweet little car thief. We were just talking about ya'." She mused in her Dublin tone.

"You were?" Replied Imogen as she sat down across from her. "Only good things I hope."

The girls sat next to Imogen. Stephanie sat on the end, hoping the others wouldn't mistake her for a bitch.

"Wonderful things! I 'tink yer gonna be a valuable addition to this little club of ours."

"About your little task, that you sent me." Whispered Imogen in between spoonfuls of tasteless porridge. She shifted her eyes to be sure that none of the screws were listening

"I just need some time to set it up."

Mabel smiled. She reached over the table and gently patted Imogens arm.

"I have no doubt that yer'll make me proud."

Despite her pleasant tone, the street racer couldn't help but feel a slight chill run down her spine. It was a threat, or perhaps, a warning. Which one it was, Imogen couldn't tell.

But she was in the big leagues now, and that meant the stakes were higher than a few years being added to her sentence. If she didn't play her cards right, she knew she'd end up with a shank in her back.

Ana and Yuki looked down at their bowls as they ate, and tried not to provoke the attentions of the violent and despicable women they were forced to make their company with. Stephanie buried her fears deep inside herself, and wore an awkward smile that nevertheless radiated confidence. That was good. The others wouldn't pick her as weak yet. Ashley cheerfully sat sandwiched between Imogen and Ana. She scoffed down her porridge with glee.

Mabel's gang looked over Imogen's cellmates with lust. Their mouths were practically watering. Apart from Clover, Rose and Mabel, there were three other women sitting with them. The brunette wore a patch on her uniform that said "Doogal, Colleen" and was built like a boxer. Stephanie thought she looked mean, but the other two, not so much.

Sarah Donnelly sat beside Colleen looking very out of place. The bookish, geeky girl had a kind of unconventional beauty and luscious, thick dark blonde hair. To be honest, Stephanie thought she looked quite innocent. Certainly a different type to the other inmates she had seen. Sarah didn't seem nervous, but she wasn't as cheery as the others. Instead she radiated an exaggerated confidence that reminded Stephanie of her own current predicament.

What she didn't know yet, was that the girl was only 27 but already had a life story that resembled the pilot for a rejected Breaking Bad spin off;

Unable to afford college tuition, Sarah Donnelly, a Chemistry Student, began making meth for the Reilly Crime Family, whom it turned out was associated with her uncle. When the house of cards she built over four years began to crash around her and Reilly, she refused to cooperate with the investigation.

It meant she got the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but she also knew it meant she would be looked after during her time there. Although otherwise unsuited to prison life, the geeky Donnelly has survived a harsher existence through her affiliation with Mabel and her gang.

The last woman sat at the end of the table in an orange prison dress, somberly eating her breakfast and looking uneasy. She had dead straight golden blonde hair and big wide blue eyes that would make all of the Aryan girls envious. The patch on her uniform read "Reilly, Margot". There was a slight resemblance between them.

Stephanie thought that she must have been Mabel's daughter, or perhaps, a younger sister, albeit with about a thirty year age gap. It was possible. Regardless, it made sense to her. After all, they were a Crime Family. There had to be at least more than one of her relatives that were part of "this thing".

Stephanie felt a jolt of invigoration. Bunking with car thieves, eating with gangsters. It all seemed rather exciting to her. Maybe prison wouldn't make her a good girl after all. Maybe it would just make a bad girl, even badder.

Clover sprung her head up and perked her nose towards Imogen.

"So Harper..." She asked with a luscious smile. "Who are your friends?"

"I'm Steph". Responded the eco-terrorist, asserting herself again. "I blew up a meat plant and killed some cops. How do you do?" She quipped before extending her hand to the Irish bank robber.

The gang members chuckled. It was clear they respected her. Imogen smiled. She knew that Stephanie would be alright now. Clover took the goth girl's hand and shook it firmly. She grasped her other hand around it tightly in a friendly gesture.

"Well I got no love of cops, but you better stay away from my bacon, love, or there'll be trouble." Joked the Irish girl with a smile.

Stephanie blinked and smiled awkwardly. Clover patted her on the back to reassure her.

"I'm only kiddin', cutie. They don't let us have bacon in here."

Her tone was far less cheery for that last sentence. It was clear that she missed the stuff. What she wouldn't do for a taste of crispy bacon, but she knew she had to wait until her sentence was done for such a mundane and earthly pleasure.

'That's one good thing about this place, at least.' Thought Stephanie, finding a small victory in her situation.

Imogen scoffed down some porridge and swallowed deeply. She pointed to each one of her bitches.

"This is Blondie, Ginger and Wolfie." Each one waved reluctantly as she said their names. Except Ashley. She was more ardent than most as always.

"They're new to the whole 'girl love' thing but ladies, they're enthusiastic about it." Teased the street racer with a lustful grin. "Isn't that right, bitches?"

"Yes, Daddy" They responded docilely.

Mabel moaned.

"Mmmm. And already so obedient." She leaned back on the bench and slapped Margot on the back. "See, I told yer she'd be useful."

Margot grumbled. Her spoon shook with rage in her hand. A plastic smile slowly spread across her face. The only thing worse than the fact that she was in prison for a crime she'd been forced to commit, was that she was in prison with her mother-in-law.

"Yes, Ma". Replied Margot as she blinked to hide her rage. "Never said she wouldn't be. Don't know the girl, really."

Mabel scoffed.

"Shows how much you pay attention. Harper here is the best car thief Jason and I had working fer us on the outside."

Mabel's son Jason, had inherited the family business since she'd been put away. But the only reason he wasn't in prison himself, is because his wife Margot burned all the evidence and lied on the witness stand. Margot Reilly didn't want to go to prison. She was used to a spoiled and pampered life as a mob wife - But the way that Jason explained it to her - The sentence she faced was nothing compared to the time she would get if Jason went down like his mother.

It would earn her the favor of her long disapproving mother-in-law. At least that's what Jason Reilly told her to get her to agree to do it. She burned the family's dirty money, tossed guns into the lake and lied on the witness stand. When they came to serve her a warrant for perjury, they caught her burning the family ledger - But not in time to save the evidence.

The judge gave her five years. It would have been more, but Jason made sure to buy the Judge a new car for showing leniency. After all, his wife was previously a law abiding citizen who never had so much as a parking ticket. He didn't need to bribe the jury. It was an easy sell once she battered her pretty Irish eyelashes and said she did it because she loved her husband.

The truth was, she wasn't sure if she actually did love her husband. Especially now.

But both sides of the family were strict Catholics, and the only way out of this kind of Irish Marriage, usually seemed to be a hearse.

But, she did love his money, and that helped. It made her so wet the first time she met him. He'd beaten a man half to death with a pool cue that very night. It got her blood boiling in the best way.

But now she was in prison, and she knew he was out there fucking anything with a pulse and tits. She knew that he couldn't visit her here at Dyker's Island, but also that even if he could, he wouldn't. To top it all off, she thought at the very least that now, her demanding and constantly unsatisfiable mother-in-law would respect her.

But no. She was still demanding and still unsatisfiable. The woman was impossible. Margot resented the fact that Mabel insisted she call her "Ma", despite the fact that she clearly didn't consider her anything close to a daughter. To say she was bitter, would be an understatement.

Margot sighed with relief the first Christmas Day she was free of the horrid woman's influence - But now - Two years later - Here she was, unable to escape her for half a decade. It was the worst possible punishment there was. Mabel gave lip service to the deed by making Margot her Lieutenant, but the truth was the title was mostly honorary.

Mabel didn't only think that Margot still wasn't good enough for her son. She also thought that Margot wasn't good enough to be involved with the family business either.

Mabel's incessant nagging continued.

"Ain't you supposed to be first mate o' this ship? Can't have a first officer not knowing all the aspects of me vessel."

Margot sighed, the plastic smile still plastered across her face.

"Yes, Ma. I know. That's why I'm meeting her now."

The other members of the gang seemed uncomfortable by the display. It was clear this was something that was commonplace since Margot began serving her sentence.

Mabel tapped Imogen's hand.

"Have yer' met me daughter-in-law Margot?" Asked the Irishwoman.

Imogen shook her head.

"I don't think your son ever introduced us."

"Well she's a useless shite but I 'tink I know what my son sees in her." Cackled Mabel.

Margot grumbled. The plastic smile melted from her face and she crossed her arms.

"I'm right here, Ma."

Mabel scoffed. Again.

"Oh, I'm only teasin' 'yer, love. Need to find 'yer sense of humor. It's what I'm always telling 'yer."

The domestic spout was interrupted by a passing inmate. She had thick red hair and was flanked by three other women; A blonde, another redhead and a latina girl. They held smug smiles on their faces and looked everywhere bit as mean as Mabel's crew. The Irish stared them down. They rolled their eyes at the others and stood next to Stephanie.

"Stephanie Delgado?" Asked the ring leader.

The eco-terrorist was surprised the girl knew her name.

"Yes?" She said.

"Name's Heather. I'm a big fan."

Stephanie blinked awkwardly. She didn't know how to respond.

"You are?"

The girls giggled.

"Yeah. Bombing meat plants, taking hostages, shooting cops, smashing the state, sticking it to the man. That's our kind of fun." She looked up and over the others in disdain. "Why are you hanging out with these Micks?"

Mabel grumbled. Heather looked at her with a snide expression. It was clear she didn't think much of her.

"It's okay, Mabel." She said her name like it gave her a disease. "I'm Irish too, remember?"

The redhead turned back at Stephanie.

"Anyway, these clowns aren't your friends. We are. You should sit with us."

But Stephanie read the room. She knew that wouldn't be a good idea. At least, not under the current circumstances.

"I think I'll have to take you up on that another time. I'm still getting to know people. I like to make up my own mind."

Heather smiled.

"A free thinker? That's dangerous around here. Offers always open."

Colleen flicked some porridge from her spoon onto the breast of Heather's uniform. Clover laughed and high fived her.

"You're pretty chipper for a walking dead woman, McDonnell." Squawked Colleen in her Boston accent.

Heather groaned. Now the guards would write her up on her poor presentation. The girls with her made themselves look bigger. Like a pack of wild cats.

"You've made me mad, Colleen, but you know what? I forgive you. I walk the path of least resistance. It's not your fault you're a loathsome little hoodlum who should be careful what wing of the cellblock she stumbles into."

Clover spat back something she thought was incredibly witty.

"What are you gonna do? Burn yer bra and throw it at her?"

The Irish girls laughed. Imogen laughed too. Not because she actually thought it was funny, but because she knew it would earn her their favor. Heather and her friends made guns with their hands. They pointed them at Mabel and her closest three stoolies and pulled the imaginary triggers.

"Bam." Said Heather in a cold, flat tone. "You're dead."

The four of them giggled. Steph found it slightly unsettling. It was like something from a horror movie, or maybe a Charles Manson documentary. They looked at her before turning away.

"See ya round, Delgado."

The Irish girls grumbled to each other. Stephanie looked at Clover in bewilderment.

"Who was that?" She asked.

"That's them Bikini Bandits, or whatever. Mad buncha feckers them. Hang around with that feminist lot."

Colleen lent over the table, glaring Stephanie in the eye.

"You don't want to get yourself involved with them. They're trouble. Always up to stuff that blows up in their faces and gets everyone punished."

They were big proponents for collective punishment at Dyker's Island. It was among the many comparisons one could make to being in High School. Stephanie had heard of the Bikini Bandits, and honestly - They did seem like more like her crowd.

Inspired by feminist serial killer "Ms 45", Heather McDonnell (Ms Orange), Victoria Ray (Ms Green), Betty Louis (Ms Pink) and Cynthia Diaz (Ms Yellow) began a nationwide crime spree dressed in nothing but bikinis, gym pants and masks that correlated with each girls alias.

The four robbed businesses that they saw as benefiting the patriarchy, killed rapists and terrorized misogynists. Many called them murdering criminals, but others hailed them as heroes, fighting against a broken system. The only thing that anyone knows for sure, is that none of these naughty ladies are seeing the light of day anytime soon; All of them were sentenced to life here at Dyker's Island.

Stephanie looked over at the list of jobs. It was a no brainer to her. She got her pencil and filled out the form, ticking the box next to Seamstress. Everything else seemed far too unpleasant.

Imogen watched Ashley as she looked over the form. Sure enough, her eyes lit up at the option for the chain gang. But Imogen couldn't afford to have that. Nobody would pay good money for a bitch who had callused and rough hands from breaking rocks.

She flicked Ashley's leg and pointed to the Seamstress box on the sheet.

"You're going to be a seamstress. I want to keep your hands nice and soft."

There was disappointment in Ashley's eyes. She wanted nothing more than to be forced to break rocks in the hot sun for hours a day. The perverted woman reveled in the idea of her own misery. She wanted to be chained to mean women and made to swing heavy pick axes.

But, she also wanted to please her mistress. She happily transitioned into role as an obedient slave.

"Yes, daddy." Replied Ashley as she filled out the form.

Yuki signed up to work in the kitchen. It seemed to be the only thing she might be good at. Ana's stomach churned at the thought of having to work with her hands. The laundry seemed like it might be the easiest, so reluctantly, she filled out the form. '

Clover looked over at Imogen.

"What are you signing up for, Harper?"

"License Plates. I'm gonna pretend I'm still a mechanic."

She hadn't even been in prison for 24 hours yet, but still she missed nothing else more than her sexy ride. The street racer knew that the police had impounded it. Someday soon it would be sold at an auction to one of Imogen's amatuer rivals that wouldn't know how to like after it.