“Follow inline, inmates!” The guard bellowed as we all fell into place, dragging our feet further into the prison complex. My eyes flickered around in timely shifts, never catching another prisoner’s eye for too long, least I show them disrespect. It was cold and damp in here, the smell of mould and mildew stuffed up my nose. I pulled at the edges of my sleeves to give myself some semblance of warmth. This was such a waste of time. I shouldn’t be in here. I’ll give twenty four to forty eight hours tops before my lawyer finally lands the bargain for my bail. What a shit show. The guard drops us off to our chosen cells one-by-one. I hope to God I don’t have to deal with a cellmate. I’m not interested in a pissing content on who’s more hard. On whose story is more fucked up to land themselves in here. “This is you.” The guard says to me as he holds the bar door open to my allotted cell. I take a look in and sigh. There’s some long-haired fellow sitting in a meditation pose on his bed. Well at least he looks harmless. Falling onto the bed on my side, I can’t help but reach for my head. It’s been pounding ever since I got brought in. Some shit about tax fraud but I know it’s my brother’s doing. The shifty snake. Always running my name through the mud for a quick buck. Well, it will be the last time he does this once my lawyer is done with him. I’m sick of saving his ass. After this shit he’s pulled, he’s going to be cut off for good. I look over to my cell mate. He hasn’t even moved since I came in but from the rise and fall of his chest, I know that at least he’s not dead. Is it possible for someone to fall asleep like that? One emerald green eyes pops open. It looks me up and down until a half-gummy smile spreads across his face. He’s missing more than a few of his teeth. “The name’s Harry.” He says. “Ed.” I reply. “Nice to meet you, Ed.” He says. “Likewise.” I reply, wondering how this will go. But, instead, the wild looking man closes his eyes back down and continues to breathe slowly. Now, I’m not daft or anything but I can’t help myself when I ask, “What are you doing?” “Living.” Is all he replies back. “What do you mean, living?” I ask. Harry taps the side of his head, “There are worlds upon worlds to be explored up here, Ed.” Great, he’s lost it. I wonder how long the poor guy has been in locked up. He must have done something really bad to land him in here for so long. “Oh yeah?” I say. “The mind is a wondrous thing, isn’t it?” Harry says. “I guess so.” I reply, laying onto my back to stare at the ceiling. “So, what are you in for?” Harry asks, continuing on the conversation even though his eyes remain closed. “Nothing done by my hand. I won’t be in here for long, Harry. So don’t worry about getting used to me.” I say. “Ah—sorry to hear your loss.” He says softly. I flick an upturned eyebrow his way even though I know he’s not looking. “Excuse me?” I ask, utterly confused. “Sorry to be hearing you’ll be heading back out there. It’s a tragic thing isn’t it?” Harry says. “Ah, don’t you mean good thing? Why would I want to stay in here?” I say. I don’t even know why I am indulging the man. “What more could you want! Free food, free accommodation, free mind! I feel sorry for you folk who think otherwise.” Harry says. I take a look around at the cell, it’s shabby to say the least. Hard stone walls, threadbare sheets and small sink and open toilet. He can’t be serious, can he? “I don’t know about you Harry but I’d take my thick duvet over these scant scraps any day.” I say lifting the tattered blanket for effect. Harry opens his eyes and looks over me again. My gut twists. It feels so personal. Like he’s looking into my soul. “And what costs?” He asks. “Just $29.99 at my local in fact.” I try to joke but all it gets me is a soft smile. A smile of pity. “And what are the other costs, the ones that allow you to buy those sheets? What does it cost for the car? The fuel? The bed to dress in the first place? And where does that bed live? In a room? A house?” He questions me with his hands folded in his lap. “Of course life costs to live but it’s worth it, don’t you think? Far more so than being imprisoned in here?” I argued back. “What is a normal day for you, Ed?” Harry asks me. I don’t know why answer him but I do, “Well a normal day for me is like anyone else’s. I start off the day with a coffee. Hot. Black. No sugar. Before I head to the gym for a quick session. Gotta get that blood pumping before I get into the firm. It’s a jungle in there, so we have to be on our A-game. Once the sun sets and my eyes hurt from the computer lights, I call it a day and head back to my place. A nice glass of red wine or two to bring it all back down. Maybe a hot shower. A couple of pills to help me sleep. And then I do it all over again.” I say missing my routine, the normalcy of it all. The safety in it. “Can one be considered a prisoner if they are unaware of their captivity?” Harry asks me, his eyes solemn. Serious. “What?” I ask. “What makes you living out there, like that, any different than I?” Harry asks another question. “What do you mean? Everything is different. That is freedom. That is choice. I can do as I please.” I reply annoyed. “Could you go a day without your coffee?” He asks. “I mean yeah but why would I? I’d just feel tired the whole day.” I say. “Could you head to the museum instead of head into the office?” He asks. “I’d have to call in sick and that boss hates that so I wouldn’t do it, but it’s not impossible, so yes.” I say. “Could you go without the red wine at night and instead pack your bags to head to another country?” He questions me again, his train of thought more and more outlandish than the last. “Well yes I guess but why would I do that?” I ask him wondering where he is going with all of this. “I was like you once. Thought I had it all. The life, the car, the job of my dreams. Successful was what my mother called it. Until I fell into a bad crew and landed up here. Twenty years to life they gave me. And you know what I found, Ed?” Harry says but I just wait knowing the question is rhetorical. “Peace. Peace like I have never know it before. And freedom. Freedom from the system, from the bills, from the pressure, from the expectations. And once I found that I knew I could never go back.” Harry says to me and for a moment I am silent. Understanding. The guard comes back and opens our cell. “Ed Riley, come with me. Your bail has been paid.” He says, bored. I don’t know why but a part of me wants to stay. To talk with this Harry character and dissect his brain. “Rest easy, my friend.” Harry says with the wave of his hand, something like concerning marring his face. I stand and head towards the prison cell door, making my way back to freedom before I say, “I’m not dying Harry.” “Aren’t you?” Is all he says back before he closes his eyes once again.