Newt tensed. Burton was a dickhead but most of the other officers were fine. He heard the door close behind him and he took his first deep breath of freedom. Tainted city air, not the country air he’d have liked, but even so… Burton wouldn’t be seeing him soon. There was no way Newt would end up back inside. He wasn’t going to put a foot wrong.
This was the first day of his life. Maybe not the life he’dwanted but now it was up to him how it all worked out.
The quietness struck him the most. Not so far away it was a cacophony of sound: threats, yells, laughs, screams, howls, sobs, whines. And it never stopped. He took another deep breath, then strode across the car park. A snowflake drifted down in front of him and he gave a short laugh. Was he going to get everything he wanted from now on?
He’d let go of his anger about the way his family had treated him because if he hadn’t, he’d have grown more and more bitter and there would have been no end to the spiral. He’d had no contact with any of them for the whole of the time he’d been locked up. His choice. Newt had turned down every request to visit him. Phelan had written regularly, but Newt had scrawledreturn to senderacross every envelope. He’d written to no one, phoned no one, refused to accept any messages, though sometimes some inmate would have something to tell him, words from Phelan passed through the system. Hard to do anything about that apart from not show a reaction.
“Newt! Newt!”
Oh fuck.Newt looked round and clenched his teeth. His father and Sean were a few steps behind him.Shit.Newt carried on walking, but Sean ran to cut him off.
“We’ve come to take you home,” Sean said.
Home? Are you fucking kidding me?He’d never had a home. Not what a home was supposed to be like. How did they even know he was getting released today? Newt tried to keep walking but his father grabbed the shoulder of his jacket and jerked him to a halt.
“Stop being such a fuckwit,” his father snapped.
“We want to make things right,” Sean said. “For Phelan’s sake.”
They couldn’t make things right. How could they give back the seven years he’d spent inside? How could they take away all the obstacles he was going to face? Whatever they had to say, Newt didn’t want to hear it.
“Mum wants to see you,” Sean said.
He doubted it. The snow came down more heavily. It was pretty and they were spoiling it.
“Stop messing around and get in the fucking car,” his father ordered.
Sean grabbed the paper bag from Newt’s arms and Newt lunged to get it back. It ripped, but the moment he had it secure, he ran back towards the prison. Although running fast didn’t come as easily as it once had. There was no running behind bars. Running meant trouble either behind or ahead of you. It drew attention. Sean caught hold of him and Newt found himself tumbling down onto the ground, his possessions scattering. Sean pressed his face down, grinding his cheek in the wet tarmac.
“We’re trying to help you, you little fucker!” Sean snarled in his ear.
“Get off me!”
“What’s going on here?”
The weight came off Newt’s back and he turned his head to see Angus Leland, one of the PO’s he liked, looking down at them. Sean pushed to his feet and dragged Newt up beside him. Newt shook free of his hold.
“Family reunion,” Sean said. “Just excited to see my little brother again.”
Newt concentrated on gathering his belongings. He wrapped the remains of the paper bag around them and held everything tightly.
“Come back inside for a minute or two,” the PO said. “Let’s get you cleaned up. Your face is bleeding.”
Newt stepped towards him.
“Newt!” his father said. “We have a party planned. Your mother’s cooked. Your sister’s made a banner. Come home.”
Fuck off.Newt followed the PO back to the prison.
Of course, Burton stood just inside the first door. “Didn’t think I’d see youthissoon.” He sniggered.
“He had a welcome committee,” Leland said.
Newt swallowed hard when the door shut behind him.
“What the hell was that about?” Leland asked.
“They want me to go home with them, sir. I don’t want to.”
