The Slammer
Written by Jimmy
“Jayden.”
Jayden is fingering the bars on his window, but he looks up and
over at Gino, his brother.
The bars feel cold and hard. The steel of them feels permanent
like diamonds and is something that can’t ever be washed away. Jayden feels
like a damsel in a castle, trapped in the tallest tower unable to escape. This
is not his first time being taken forcibly from his home, and his mouth tastes
like acid and he can’t help but look out at the rain as it falls to the ground.
“Jayden” Gino says again, putting one hand on his younger brother’s
shoulder and gripping the muscle hard. “Did you hear me?”
“No.”
Jayden closes his eyes, shutting himself off and leaning putting
his forehead against the bars. They feel cool to the touch, and it helps the
ache behind his eyes. Gino rubs his back, the scratchy, overly washed clothes
that were given to them when they first entered Bartlet’s Juvenile Detection
Center don’t fit right on his frame. The fabric is thin, awkward and far too
big, he feels lost inside of it.
“We better go to bed. Get some rest, we won’t be here long.”
“You don’t know that!” Jayden feels a fire rage inside of him, and
he turns and grabs Gino around the middle and hugs him fiercely. “You don’t know.”
Gino sighs “Buddy, I do know that. Just like I know that you got
me, I will protect you. I’ve got you bro, your safe with me.”
Jayden only nods smelling Gino’s familiar scent as he breathes him
in.
“I love you.”
Gino chuckles above him and grabbing him back in a squeeze. “And I
you, bro. Always my little man.”
“I’m not little.”
Gino laughs again, and this time Jayden joins him.
