Short Fiction - Correctional

CO Miller laughed as the blood trickled from Inmate Brumfield’s nose onto the stained linoleum tile floor. “WHAT DO WE DO BRUMFIELD?!” yelled CO Miller.  “We walk.” Brumfield responded through gritted teeth, head cocked parallel to the floor.

I stand there in my oversized, state issued medical scrubs watching just in case my services might be needed. I know better than to stay out of whatever drama the guards - and the prisoners for that matter - got going on around here. Plus, they’re right in front of the clinic and, legally, a nurse can’t leave the medical supplies unattended. We don’t have enough stock to support the guards habits. And mine.

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU BOY.” CO Miller says inching closer to Brumfield’s face.

“We walk.”

“WE WALK WHAT? INMATE.”

“We walk...sir.”  Brumfield says with a hiss. CO Miller stares at the back of Brumfield’s head for a longtime. I take a step back into the clinic doorway just in case.

“Well all right now. That’s a warning.” CO Miller says as he pulls a faded red bandanna from his pocket. He gently wipes the blood from Brumfield’s nose after making sure to wipe the the floor first. “But next time it’ll be a shot for you. And we can’t have any more of those on your record now can we?” CO Miller stands, straightening his permanently wrinkled uniform.  “Go on now.” Inmate Brumfield unhurriedly stands. CO Miller takes a few cautious steps back, ensuring that both Brumfield and I see him place his hand on what I and the other nurses call his ‘dick stick’. Brumfield turns and walks away. But, as he passes me, his big black eyes stare right into mine for longer than I’m used to. My heart races and in that moment, I remember what my late grandmother, and former Head Nurse at Johnson County Correctional, said to me all those years ago at our last family dinner, “You wanna know where all the good looking men are? They’re in prison.”

Author - Cené Hale