4 of 75

Write now Article Tools

Excerpt from an untitled novel:

The night before the trial was scheduled to begin all hell broke out at the County Detention Center. Literally.

The melee started somewhat innocuously. The lights in the Western Wing on Levels One and Two had begun to flicker. The malfunction had slowly escalated until the entire western cell block was affected. The phenomenon spread like a growing wildfire until all the cell blocks throughout the detention center were impacted by the electrical anomaly.

Corrections officers ran through the cell blocks attempting to discover the source of the malfunction. In the basement the fuses and main circuit breakers were carefully scrutinized. Nothing seemed out of order.

For ten minutes the lights continued to flash and flicker throughout the building. The inmates yelled profanities, laughed, screamed catcalls and whistled. A few applauded. The lights died entirely and the backup generators failed. The emergency lighting system remained dark.

Abruptly, real disaster struck. All the power completely failed. A moment later it flared back briefly and then died again.

Most of the cell doors and the doors separating the cell blocks-and all of the doors accessing the east and west wings-employed electrical locking devices. When the power flared all the locks had sprung open. Suddenly more than 3,500 detainees were freed into near total darkness.

Makeshift weapons emerged as well as the enmities behind them. Mostly rival gangs fought each other. Since more than eighty percent of the detainees were gang members, however, a violent brawl soon broke out on every level of the center.

A small band of screaming skinhead zealots, brandishing knives that had somehow escaped every security check, went on a crazed knifing spree. They gashed and slashed anyone who stood between them and the way out.

In near panic, the corrections officers hurriedly suited up in riot gear grabbing flashlights, batons, shotguns, handguns, pepper spray and Tasers. Splitting off into teams they ran to assigned areas in an attempt to quell the chaos.

The Assistant Warden, Brian Greeley, carrying his loaded Colt .32 Detective Special, waded through the pandemonium in the Eastern Wing/Level Two. There he found a clutch of officers attempting to drive back a small mob of angry, cursing detainees.

"Williamson! Slade!" he shouted hoarsely. Two of the officers wearing heavy riot gear turned to face him. Both were panting and sweating profusely.

"Follow

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Novel excerpts: Horror?
We want to hear your view. Write now!