A Walk Through the Crowd

The corridor, only lit by a single light bulb, flickered on and off. When it was dark, it hid its secrets, but on for a moment, showed its true malevolence. The air reeked with the stench of unwashed inmates. My footsteps, slow and hesitant, moved further. My hands brushed against the steel icicles as I restrained myself from looking at what was behind them. The inmates thrashed against their cells incessantly. Screams sounded distant but there they were, beckoning me to come closer. They had crooked teeth, messy hair, and wide eyes as if they were excited for their next victim. Each one seemed hungrier than the last. I looked beyond them, fearing what I would see. A human carcass laid on the ground. Flesh festering, flies feasting. The lights went off again, but for a longer period this time. I heard a grunt, then a clang. I spun around, fearing for what I was about to see. The lights turned on again. I was met with the glaring face of a prisoner.