The Soft Boy Prison Ch. 01

Casper looked down at his feet while he sat. He was sad. Sad for where he was, where he was going, and what he had done. On the bus there were 10 other inmates, all dressed the same. Black and white striped jump suits, socks, and rubber slippers. Not to mention the restraints- each one in handcuffs, attached to a waist chain and leg cuffs, attached to an anchor point under the bench. The bus had no windows, only large double doors at the back behind a locked cage door. The light from the ceiling was blinding to look up at. Clearly, they needed this space to be well illuminated so the prisoners' actions could all be carefully and accurately monitored. The benches were continuous and formed a U shape inside the bus with one row of inmates facing the other. At the head of each row sat the guard, leaning back against the wall separating them from the driver's compartment. The guard was a tall dark-haired woman with a shotgun in her lap, ready to act if anyone attempted any funny business. Since the sound of the doors closing there had been complete silence, bar the sound of the engine.

Casper did not dare to look up to meet eyes with anyone else. His wrists hurt from the cuffs. He had been chained up like an animal all day and had been too afraid to ask any guards to loosen the cuffs worrying they might mock or yell at him for such a request. He was also hungry. He had not eaten since morning and he reckoned it must have been well into the evening by this point. He wondered how much longer it would be until they arrived at Soft Boy Prison.

It was 2035. The Third World War had been over for almost 5 years now. With Russia having conquered the entirety of continental Europe, and the UK and Ireland remaining defiant from Russian control, despite several attempts by the Russian armed forces to invade from when the war began in 2028. A truce was signed, and while the UK and Ireland was able to maintain their sovereignty, it came at a heavy price. The Country was subjected to constant aerial bombardments during the war with several cities being levelled by the Russian air force. London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow to name a few. Glasgow was Caspers hometown. He escaped the draft when the war started by going into hiding with his grandmother at her cottage in Oban. Just before the war ended Caspers grandmother passed away from a heart attack, leaving Casper to return to Glasgow when the war was over.

Casper was born in 2009. Casper's Mum died of cancer when he was just 10 years old. Growing up, he lived with his father who developed a chronic alcohol addiction following the death of his wife. His father since that point became very abusive towards him physically and verbally, dislocating his arm during one drunken confrontation with him. Caspers dad had died during the war, his body never found or identified amongst the many thousands killed in Glasgow under the rubble of the levelled buildings.

Casper along with many thousands of volunteers began the cleanup process of Glasgow following the armistice. A traumatic experience to say the least, with the job consisting of pulling several bodies a day in various stages of decomposition, from the streets and under rubble, loading them into skips for lorries to take them away to mass burial sites outside of the city. There was also the removal of rubble, which was collected in the same manner as the bodies. This was to be taken to a specialist site where it could be sorted into material that was either to be scrapped or recycled.

In the wake of the war society, order was trying to find its feet in the city again. Looting, theft, assault, rape, and murder becoming rampant with limited resources dedicated to law enforcement. The rations given out were barely enough to live on, since farming and supply lines had not yet been properly re-established. As a result, theft became the most common way of getting by. Stealing rations from others or crops from people attempting to grow their own, or even raiding ration trucks.

Casper was always hungry. Like many people during this time, he lived rogue among the rubble of Glasgow. Sitting most nights shivering around a fire with his blanket over him, always holding his pistol, praying he'd never have to use it but ready to defend himself at a moment's notice. He swore he would never steal but the hunger became unbearable. Relying on issued rations alone meant sometimes not eating for as long as 3 weeks at a time.

Every day he saw people on the streets, dead or dying from starvation and disease. He was becoming ever so skinny and did not want to end up that way. He had never stolen before and knew he would need expert advice or training to do so without being caught, since law enforcement by 2034 had begun to catchup with the rampant lawlessness in the city. There were more police, better armed police, and more prisons being built. He knew the risks were greater.

He approached a gang of thieves after he witnessed them ambush a supply truck and followed them back to their hideout. The fact he made it all the way there on their tail, without being noticed until he confronted them, made a good impression. Casper showed he was quiet, fast, and agile, the qualities of a perfect thief. They took him in as one of their own.

They went on several missions together. Some successful, some not as successful, but they rarely came back empty handed. Casper was satisfied to be eating more often but still felt tremendous guilt for his actions. "It's kill or be killed in this new age" they would say, as if to absorb him of all his sins. He wondered if any others in the group felt guilt the way he felt it. He knew he deserved to be punished.

Casper didn't feel as if he could relate at all to any other members of the group. They were all boisterous, savage, and brutal. They held parties in their hideout drinking and taking drugs most nights. They went on to steal more than food; cars, clothes, jewellery, any riches they could get to elevate themselves appearance wise. Not to mention the fights that would break out between them and other groups of thieves for goods and territory. It was not about survival anymore. But being bandits for the sake of being bandits.

Casper was quiet, shy, sensitive, and loved to read. He felt he was the complete antitheses to what the group had become. He thought if not for his skills, the others would have long parted ways with him. He lived at the hideout but only interacted with them when it was time to go out on an "expedition" as they called it. The rest of the time he resided in his quarters where he lay in his hammock and read whatever books he could find.

One day he had had enough and made the decision to leave. He would rather starve than be associated with such a deranged and horrible group any longer. However, the leader of the group Calvin, would only grant him on his way if he were to partake in one more expedition. Casper agreed. This ended up being one of his biggest regrets.

It was another supply truck to ambush. It should have been just another day at the office for the thieves, but this was different. The police had anticipated them and when the thieves forced the driver out of the truck at gunpoint, armed police emerged from cover demanding them to drop their weapons. It all happened so fast. Instead of immediately surrendering, the thieves decided to return fire. Casper dived for cover under the truck in the ensuing firefight. When the shooting was over, Casper was pulled out from underneath the lorry and arrested. What he saw when he emerged left him traumatised. All his associates were lying dead, except for James and Molly who were both badly wounded. All 3 of them were taken into custody and the rest is History. Casper was finally going to face the consequences of his actions.

The bus hit a bump in the road, the whole bus jolted, along with the chains and cuffs of everyone in the bus. There were a few murmurs of discomfort. Casper looked at the guard again. She was beautiful. She wore knee-high leather boots and a navy-blue pencil skirt that matched her suit top, and an authoritative officer cap. She almost looked like a flight attendant, he thought. Just instead of offering you refreshments, she's ready to shoot you in the chest if you try to escape. She noticed him looking and smiled at him. Casper just about found the strength to twist the ends of his lips upwards back at her then turned to face the floor once again.

He remembered that first day locked up at the police station. He was terrified and still very shaken. He heard news of the death penalty being re-introduced to help curb the rampant crime rate. Though he was unsure what specific crimes carried that consequence. Was it just murder? Or do they hang thieves now as well? If not the death penalty, will I be given a life sentence? Will I ever see freedom again? The thoughts tortured him. They took his mugshots and fingerprints at the station. He was read his rights. He was kept in a holding cell on the first night and sobbed half screaming into his pillow.

The next day he was questioned by the detective and Casper told him everything from the beginning. How he got involved, what he did, who else was involved in which specific expedition from what he could remember. Whatever consequences awaited him, he would accept it. Even if it meant his death. After the detective was satisfied, he left Casper alone in the room handcuffed to the table. Casper then remembered when he attended Sunday school when he was a little boy. He remembered his Sunday school teacher one time telling him that one day, every bad thought and action you have ever done will be brought before you to answer for, in front of God and his angels. The thought used to terrify him. But now he thought it couldn't be any worse than how he felt now.

The door to the room swung open and another man walked in. He introduced himself as Mr Willow. An American. He explained he was a solicitor assigned to Casper by the court. Mr Willow explained how Caspers' associates, who were arrested alongside him, both testified against him. They had banded together against Casper to lighten their own consequences. Even with their testimony being false, it would still be two against one. Mr Willow explained that Casper was looking at 30 years as a result. Casper was shocked. The two others he was arrested with, Molly and James, had been saved by him on more than one occasion. He'd always had to kiss their arses since he was the new guy in the group and had made up for them time and time again in their shortcomings. This is how they repaid him. Casper for the first time in his life felt genuine anger. A feeling so alien to him it even frightened him.

"The thing is..." Mr Willow continued, "You don't strike me as a thief. Not to say that I believe you're innocent, I mean all the evidence is there clear as Hell, it's just that you don't strike me as a violent criminal. You don't seem like the type. How old are you?".

"I'm 25 sir", replied Casper.

"That's what I'm talking about" .... Continued Mr Willow, "I was listening to your conversation with the detective earlier. You're polite, soft spoken, honest, and seem to put the needs of others before yourself. Heh, except when it comes to when you're hungry it appears". Casper looked away and blushed slightly.

"You've made a mistake, and a bad one at that. Your little clique of banditos, or what's left of them clearly don't give a fuck about you. They're sending you up the creek without a paddle it seems. I mean with the info you gave about the hideout location and names of the others; sure, it could help your case but not much. Matter of fact, dunno if the detective told you, but we've been trying to hunt you guys down for months."

"Yeah, the detective told me". Replied Casper.

"You smoke?" Asked Mr Willow.

"No."

"Ah, thought so. You're a good boy after all". Mr Willow began to light a cigarette.

"Are you sure you can do that in here," asked Casper.

"I don't think you're in a position to take the moral high ground here kid".

"I'm not, I just.....I just don't want you to get in trouble, that's all."

"Listen kid, you worry about you, and I'll worry about both of us". Mr Willow took a long inhale and exhale of his cigarette and continued, "I may know a certain warden of a certain prison who may or may not want to have you incarcerated at her facility."

"I'm flattered" replied Casper in a condescending way not like him.

"Ah, but this prison is a lot nicer than a normal prison. Believe me I've visited it many times. The governor. She likes guys. Cute guys, like you. Ones that are thoroughly traumatised by their arrest and wouldn't dare to even so much as jay walk again. Cute young guys she and her staff can have fun with."

"What are you talking about!?" Butted Casper.

Mr Willow took another puff of his cigarette. "Before the war, there was this broad. Her name then was uhhh....... Lady Crimson? Or something like that. She was a dominatrix, made a living tying guys up, whipping their ass, locking them up in a cage, stuff like that."

"Well, during the war she volunteered and got a job working at a POW camp in Germany before the Russians took it over. When she got back, I guess she wanted to have a similar career and established her own prison legally. So, in 2031, she founded this facility near Aviemore called Soft Boy Prison, where all the inmates are guys between the ages of 18 and 30. Inmates are not convicted of a sexual crime, murder, assault, or vandalism, and are screened by the staff prior to them being admitted."

"A place like this would never fly before the war, but now with so much crime and the many arrests they needed places to put away people like you, so it got green lit. A kind of kinky twist to the justice system. I'm tellin you kid this is what you want. Cause here's the deal: I can have one of their staff come interview you and make the decision for you to go there. You'll serve 5 years flat, and that's fixed. None of the bullshit about getting an early release on good behaviour or nothing. Then you're out."

"Alternatively, we go to trial with all the evidence you presented and if it goes in your favour, you could do as little as 3 years. However, if it goes completely south, you're lookin at 30 years plus. Not to mention it would be at a normal facility where beating, stabbings and rapes are well too common. You'll be much safer in a place where all the inmates are like you over at Soft Boy. But the choice is yours."

Casper was quiet. He looked side to side with his head facing down. "Can you... Can you set up the appointment with the Soft Boy Prison representative?" Mr Willow exhaled another puff of smoke and smiled, "You got it kid."

Casper stopped wondering how much longer it would be until they arrived, and instead began to wonder how long it had been since the bus left Glasgow. Aviemore, he thought. He was trying to figure out where that was again. He remembered going there a couple of times when he was very young with his family, when his mother was still alive. He felt sad when he thought of her. What would she think if she saw me now, he thought. He felt tears swell in his eyes but then realised he couldn't cry. Not here. Even if this was a less threating prison than usual, he knew he couldn't show weakness. How long could he keep it up though? He felt like he wanted to cry all day but couldn't let it out. Was he supposed to hold it in for the whole 5 years? He looked away, shakily inhaled, exhaled, and a tear ran down his cheek. He hoped the engine muffled the sound.

A few days had gone by since Casper had been arrested. He was taken to the interrogation room again. The same one he talked to the detective and Mr Willow in. The door gently swung open and in walked a woman who looked as if she was in her mid-30's. She was very beautiful he thought. She was around 5"10' and had long blonde hair. She wore brown high heel boots, tights, a black pencil skirt, a brown turtleneck, and black glasses. He felt rather miserable compared to her wearing the orange jumpsuit and being handcuffed to the table. He looked away and blushed a little. She smiled gently and sat down.

"Hello Casper." she said. Her voice was very calm and comforting, it immediately put him at ease.

"I've had a look at your case and have been talking with Mr Willow. From what we know and from what he's told us about you, I think you'll be a perfect addition to our facility." She clasped her hands.

"However, there are a few questions I want to ask before we proceed any further. My name's Vicky". She held out her hand for him to shake. He tried to move his hands forward to meet hers but the chain on his handcuffs was too short and tugged on the table stopping him.

"Aw, poor thing," said Vicky. She stood up, leaned over the table to shake his hand, then sat back down.

"I'm one of the directors of the soft boy prison and have been for almost a year. Our facility houses young men and as of last year young women as well. Our male inmates are offenders between the age of 18 and 30, at the time of their offence and who are first time offenders whose crimes do not include assault, murder, sexual assault, rape, or vandalism."

"All staff at the prison are female, a tradition founded by the warden Samantha as a way of providing employment opportunities to women in an industry traditionally male dominated. You're being charged with theft, and big time. But you still comply with the offence requirements."

"The next requirement is your character. At soft boy prison we want to protect young men who would otherwise be at risk of harm and/or harassment from regular inmates at a prison for general population because of their character traits. Simply, boys who are sensitive, submissive, and incapable of defending themselves properly if circumstances came to it. Would you say these traits described you somewhat Caspie dear?"

Casper looked up to her and gently nodded. She giggles softly, "Perfect" said Vicky.

"However, our facility isn't all cuddles and comfort. We do inflict punishments and discipline in quite an unorthodox way to what a normal prison would. For example, your bum will be smacked with riding crops, with the number of hits and velocity determined by your wrongdoing. This is just one example of our many forms of discipline."

"As a male prisoner you will also be required to wear a chastity device 24/7 at our facility. If you are unsure what that is, it's a plastic cage that locks around your penis that will prevent you from masturbating or even getting an erection. This is to protect our female inmates from sexual assault. In the year since we've been incarcerating women, there been a total of zero incidents of rape or sexual assault and we plan to keep it that way. You'll still be able to urinate in your cage and you will be released from it every day for a short period while you shower. This will be done under supervision so that you won't masturbate."

Caspers face turned bright red. What a bizarre set of rules. As crazy and outrageous as it all sounded, it also made him a little excited. They really are going to play with me, he thought.

Vicky continued. "As an inmate, you will also be required to help maintain the working order of the prison a few times a week. Either working in the cafeteria, laundry room, or on cleaning duties. I have the contract forms here outlining how the prison is operated and how you as an inmate will conduct yourself accordingly, as well as your rights as a prisoner." Vicky pulled a few sheets out of her backpack and presented them to Casper.

"Do you mind if I take some time to read all this?" he asked.

"Of course, dear" replied Vicky quirking up. "Tell you what, I'll ask the officers if I can get us a cup of tea in the meantime, how do you take yours?".