I hope all is well. I am writing to you from Mansfield State Prison, it's midnight.
Hardly anything has changed since I first infiltrated the place.
The prison guards like to throw their weight around and do basically nothing else. All the prisoners can do is costume what little sanity they have in fights.
As for me, the prisoners and guards here are treating me with much—
Jesselton ponders at the word 'much' for a brief moment. He takes out a yellowed letter from his pillowcase. The sender of the letter is 'Mr. K,' and he is the recipient.
He quietly reads its contents to himself under the dim light from outside his cell.
Jesselton
'Please wait patiently, for the time being. Do not attract attention or cause trouble...'
Jesselton
'You are still an important asset to Beachbrella, and we will keep your position and benefits unchanged...'
Jesselton
'As long as you maintain good behavior while you are imprisoned, when the time is right, we will restore your freedom and double your compensation...'
Jesselton
Hmph.
Jesselton
The company's too slow to react. Look how long it took just for this letter to reach me.
Jesselton shakes his hand and neatly folds the letter, puts it into the envelope, and stuffs it into his pillow case.
Son of a bitch... That was such an intense dream, and a single piss ended it...
A-Zone Prisoner A
Yo, if it ain't Jesselton. Up late writing letters again?
A-Zone Prisoner A
You wrote one last week, and you're another one now. Who are you writing to anyway?
Jesselton
None of your business.
A-Zone Prisoner A
Come on, what's there to hide? Can't you show us? What'cha writing? Asking your folks for money? Threatening your wife to make sure she stays faithful?
A-Zone Prisoner A
I made a bet with another guy today. Ten cigs on the line.
A-Zone Prisoner A
C'mon, just tell me what you're writing. If I win the smokes, I'll give you half.
Jesselton
Sorry, but I have to ask you to please respect my privacy.
A-Zone Prisoner A
Fine, fine. You got your right to privacy. Sure.
A-Zone Prisoner A
You came in here dressed as a prison guard, ready to do some killing. And not only did you not actually kill anyone, you got locked up here. You might wanna stop acting all haughty, like anyone's got any privacy here.
He tripped when he left his cell and slammed his head on the bars!
Jesselton
Sorry about that. I was in the infirmary.
Jailer A
Infirmary? Must've been real bad, huh?
Jailer A
Alright, tell me who tripped you. You were my 'coworker,' and you've been behaving. I'll take it out on them for you.
Jesselton
No one tripped me. I just got clumsy, banged my own head.
Jailer A
Really?
Jesselton
Really.
Jailer A
Then stop going to the infirmary every chance you get! Just about everyone here knows you're sturdier than a steel bar!
Jailer A
Alright, all of you, get to work! Jesselton, come with me. I have a special assignment for you.
Jesselton
No, thanks. I can do the same work as the other prisoners—
Jailer A
Can it. With me!
Jailer A
Here. Take the bucket. And some soap, too. Now, go clean all the toilets in A-Zone!
Jesselton
Alright, if that's the mission you had in mind for me.
Jesselton
I don't see a brush, though?
Jailer A
What d'you need a brush for?
Jailer A
Mighty as you are, I bet you can make steel wool with your Arts. Now go! And those bathrooms better be spotless when I check 'em, or you ain't getting dinner tonight!
A-Zone Prisoner B
Ha... haha!
Jesselton
(Takes a deep breath)
Jesselton
As you wish, Jailer. After all, you're the one with the power here and now.
A-Zone Prisoner B
......
A-Zone Prisoner B
Damn, he got toilet duty, and he's still acting like it's nothing.
Nice work. Must be hard, doing a dirty job like that.
Jesselton
No big deal. Nothing I'd ever worry about.
A-Zone Prisoner
Here's a roll from lunch.
Jesselton
Thanks, Rick. I'm glad I went to the infirmary to poke around for you.
Rick
So you didn't actually slam into the steel bars. You faked it to help me out? How could I ever repay you?
Rick
So, how's my prognosis?
Jesselton
The doctor is a pain to deal with. It took a small sum of money to get him to talk.
Jesselton
He says your liver disease needs attention now—
A-Zone Prisoner C
Jesselton, you made new friends again, huh?
Jesselton
Grr.
A-Zone Prisoner C
I don't care what you do here, you're fighting with us today!
Jesselton
Sorry, but I'm not interested in your games.
A-Zone Prisoner C
Not interested? You know how we've been getting our asses handed to us by the Infected punks?
A-Zone Prisoner C
Ever since you let Anthony get away, the B-Zone assholes have been giving us less and less respect. This is all your fault, and you're telling me you ain't going?
A-Zone Prisoner C
If you ain't going, then just you wait. The next time you are on toilet duty, we'll have a surprise for you!
Jesselton
Sorry, but I'm not quite as vulgar as your kind. I don't find such lowly violence satisfying in the least.
Rick
Jesselton, you should go...
A-Zone Prisoner C
Hey, you. Rick, is it? You've been here for a couple days, right? Here's some serious advice: you better stay away from this guy. He's not the kind-hearted soul you think he is!
Rick
What do you mean? Jesselton's helped me out a lot—
A-Zone Prisoner C
Aww, and here I was actually trying to be nice.
A-Zone Prisoner C
Jesselton, the rumble's happening real soon, and you better head on over right now! If you're late, I'll give you a good beating myself!
Jesselton
(Shrugs)
Jesselton
If you want me there so badly, I'll go take a look.
I'm not going to stoop to the level of a bunch of thugs.
B-Zone Prisoner C
Coward! Wimp!
Jesselton
You can say all you want and do whatever pleases you, but your filth won't hurt me one bit. Your underhanded moves do nothing but demonstrate your senselessness.
Jesselton
Now, I bid you good day.
A-Zone Prisoner B
Jeez, I'm starting to look up to this guy some.
A-Zone Prisoner A
Get lost! Your stink is killing us here!
B-Zone Prisoner C
Go back to your cell and cry, and remember to change your clothes before you get back into your bunk if you don't want your sheets to stink too! Haha!
Prisoners
Hahahaha!
Jailer A
So, how's that? What do you think?
Jailer B
I gotta give that kid from B-Zone an extra portion for his meal—Wait, what do we do about our bet?
Jailer A
I win, obviously.
Jailer B
What are you talking about?
Jailer A
Don't you remember what I said? I bet he wouldn't work out for A-Zone.
Do you have a spare uniform? Lend it to me, will you?
Rick
I only have one extra set myself...
Jesselton
......
Rick
Jesselton...?
Jesselton
Please, go back to your cell. I'll clean myself up and wash my clothes.
Jesselton
You're here.
Rick
Your clothes are wet?
Rick
Sorry... I shouldn't have been so stingy. Here, I brought you my extra set.
Jesselton
(How naively sympathetic... I can't wait to see his reaction after he reads this letter.)
Jesselton
(He is already thankful enough. Now I just need a little spark to ignite his hatred...)
Jesselton
(Ah, how lucky I am to have such recreation during my brief incarceration.)
Rick
Jesselton? What's the matter? Are you alright?
Jesselton
Nothing. Don't worry.
Jesselton
Let's talk about you instead.
Jesselton
The report says that your liver problems were caused by your alcoholism, and even though you haven't drunk since coming here, the chemical products you come into contact with during work can still cause damage to your body.
Jesselton
The doctor told me himself that your outlook isn't good, if this keeps up.
Rick
Good lord... My wife, my kids... They're only seven and eight... I'm so sorry I'm putting them through all this...
Jesselton
Speaking of which, not only did the doctor show me your physical, he also gave me the letter your wife sent you.
Rick
A letter? From Patty? Why would he have it?
Jesselton
The doctor said it's out of concern for your health. He doesn't want you to get too agitated.
Jesselton
But now that he has told me about your situation, there isn't really a point to hiding it from you anymore.
Rick
Thank goodness, Patty's still writing me. If I have to die in here, at least I can die happy! What did she say?
Jesselton
Well... Maybe you should take a look yourself.
Jesselton
(I only hope my handwriting resembles the wife's enough after all that practice.)
Rick
'It is with sorrow that I must tell you this. I cannot bear the life you've left me any longer. I have decided to marry Bill—'
Rick
What?!
Rick
I—Jesselton, this is really—
Rick
Patty wants to marry my brother?! He's just 15!
Jesselton
(Shit, his brother's named Bill?!)
Jesselton
You—Think again. Do you know anyone else by that name?
Rick
Other Bills huh...? Bill Dickinson, the carpenter? The one who just lost his wife before I was arrested?!
Rick
I—I need to talk to Patty face-to-face! How could she abandon me just because I'm in here? She's gonna have our kids call that old, lame carpenter their father?!
Jesselton
I'm sorry, Rick.
Rick
Jesselton, I really—I don't know what to say. If you hadn't brought me this letter...
Jesselton
Rick, it's not yet time to thank me.
Rick
What do you mean?
Jesselton
We both know that money and power rule Columbia.
Jesselton
Think about it. Why did Patty elope with the carpenter? All for money.
Jesselton
You were sent to prison, and you became a burden. That's why she decided to marry a lame old man instead of staying with you, the one she loves.
Jesselton
If you want revenge...
Rick
Revenge? No, I was just going to ask Patty face-to-face...
Jesselton
What happens then? Will you let her go? And even if you let her marry Bill, will you just abandon your children like that?
Jesselton
You thought Patty loved you, and you love her, but how much is love worth here in Columbia?
Jesselton
Patty betrayed you, and she will even teach your children to betray their own father! Is there really not the tiniest bit of hatred in you?
Rick
Jesselton, please... stop it...
Jesselton
(How naive can this man be...? Looks like I'll have to get straight to the point.)
Jesselton
(It'll be okay. Even if I told him I'm getting out soon, he wouldn't be envious, only jealous.)
Jesselton
Right now, we only have one choice, and that is to seize wealth and power for ourselves!
Rick
Wealth... and power? How will those help me get my children back?
Jesselton
If you had money to make bail, you could leave this place on parole and take your children back from Patty.
Rick
If I had money, I wouldn't have been set up in the first place...
Jesselton
Then there is only power left.
Jesselton
Truth be told, I have some connections both inside and outside of the prison.
Jesselton
I have some friends I can count on, and they will come to get me soon.
Rick
Really?
Jesselton
Of course.
Jesselton
After years of hard work, I've managed to earn myself a tiny bit of influence, too.
Jesselton
The only reason I'm trapped here in this prison is because of an unfortunate accident and a minor delay. This is only a brief interlude.
Rick
Wow...
Rick
Jesselton, thank you. Thanks for talking to me, and picking me up when I've hit rock bottom.
Jesselton
Have more confidence in yourself, Rick.
Jesselton
As long as you can make yourself useful enough or someone is willing to give you a hand, you will never hit rock bottom in Columbia.
Jesselton
And it's no exaggeration to say that I'm the former and you're the latter.
Rick
The latter—Someone's willing to give me a hand... You're going to help me even more?
Jesselton
Certainly.
Jesselton
I'm going to introduce some of my connections to you so that you can perhaps get a conversation going with the men up top, and when the time comes...
Jailer A
Rick!
Jailer A
Rick Grey!
Rick
Yes! Here!
Jailer A
Out. Someone's looking for you.
Rick
Alright...
Jailer A
Get moving! You hit dogshit jackpot this time. Your family's raised enough money for bail. Now hurry up and get your parole paperwork done!
Rick
?!
Rick
My God—I—
Rick
Who... Who raised the money for me? My old man?
Jailer A
Can the questions. Do you want out or not?!
Rick
Please, tell me. Who paid my bail?
Jailer A
Enough blabbering! It's a Patty, same last name as yours. You satisfied? Now get a move-on!
Rick
Patty?!
Jailer A
Hey, my old 'coworker' buddy. We meet again.
Jesselton
How could a poor bastard like this afford bail? Could it be that you—No, impossible!
Jailer A
Don't look at me. Like I'm gonna blow money on a prisoner?
Jailer A
Still, you'd better not assume we don't know your tricks. Your habit of 'making friends?' Even the warden knows about it now.
Jailer A
He had me come keep an eye on you. Make sure you don't get any funny ideas.
Jesselton
So it was you after all?
Jailer A
Don't get the wrong idea. Luck's actually on his side. His wife apparently sold their house or something and scraped enough together to make bail, that's all.
Jailer A
And if you have to say we pulled any tricks... All we did was take our time with the paperwork and cause a little extra delay.
Jesselton
Delay?
Jailer A
We knew a week ago that his wife had the bail money.
Jesselton
?!
Jailer A
Just thinking about how you spent the whole week running all over the place to spend the little cash you had to pull strings—Pwahahaha!
I hope all is well. I am writing to you from Mansfield State Prison, it's midnight.
Hardly anything has changed since I first infiltrated the place.
The prison guards like to throw their weight around and do basically nothing else. All the prisoners can do is costume what little sanity they have in fights.
My most respected sir, please get me out of this prison as soon as possible.
I know better than anyone that, given your influence, saving me should be a trivial matter.
<i>In your letter, you called me an important asset to the Beachbrella Company, but I understand that I am merely one of the company's countless employees. The only reason that I am considered a more valuable asset than others is the greater power I possess.</i>
<i>I implore you to help me out of this place as soon as possible. Prolonged incarceration will cost me the edge I had. The value that I could provide you would be diminished.</i>
<i>Your loyal...</i>
Jesselton stops at his signature.
He grips his pen with force and grits his teeth, crossing out his original signature.
'Your humblest servant, Jesselton Williams.'
Jesselton
This... This will do.
Jesselton
Chin up, Jesselton. Chin up... You've been Beachbrella's employee of the year for five consecutive years now. They will not abandon you.
Jesselton
They will not abandon you!
Jesselton
That's right. They will never abandon you!
Jesselton
Soon. It will be very soon.
Jesselton
Once I get out of this place, I will find a way to get back at these prisoners and the guards—
