Day 1: A Fantasy Story
Day 1
It was a hot summer day. Jake, 18 and skinny with pale skin, had been caught stealing from cars in East London. They smashed windows, took sat-navs and bags, and got arrested. The trial was quick. The judge said he showed no respect for other people’s property and sentenced him to 18 months in a Young Offenders Institution.
The prison van felt like an oven. Jake arrived sweating at HMYOI.
Intake and Strip Search
In the reception room the air was sticky and warm. “Strip. Everything off. Now,” an officer ordered.
Jake removed his hoodie, T-shirt, jeans and underwear until he stood completely naked. His thin body was pale and fully exposed under the harsh lights. He was already sweaty from the hot day.
“Hands on head. Legs apart.”
The officers did a full pat-down. Rough hands moved over his shoulders, under his sweaty armpits, down his chest, stomach, pubic hair, foreskin, behind his balls, and over his arse.
Then came the cavity search. “Bend over the table and spread your cheeks.”
Jake bent forward, gripping the cold metal, his arse up and completely exposed. A gloved finger coated in lube pushed slowly but firmly into his tight hole. It went deep inside him, twisting and probing. Jake gasped and tensed up. The officer added a second finger, stretching him wider while searching thoroughly. Jake’s face burned with deep shame.
After the search they did a quick medical exam, still naked. The nurse checked his height, weight, and on a peice of paper marked every scar, tattoo, and mark on his body. Then Jake was taken to the communal open shower room.
It was empty except for him. Hot water poured from the shower heads along the tiled wall with no partitions. He washed up alone, and once dried off, was given a grey tracksuit, white prison underwear, socks and slippers.
First Night in the Cell
Jake was marched to a small cell on B Wing. A bigger, muscular lad named Justin was already sitting on the top bunk. Justin had been in the institution for a few months already.
The cell was tiny with two bunks and a stainless-steel toilet with a sink on top of it, right beside the bottom bunk.
The summer heat made the air feel thick and stuffy.
After dinner, Justin looked at Jake. “You’ll have to get used to this, new boy. No privacy here.”
A short while later Justin pulled down his tracksuit bottoms and underwear and sat on the metal toilet just feet from Jake. “This is the worst part,” Justin said quietly, face slightly red. “Having to shit right in front of someone. No door, nothing. Feels proper humiliating.”
Jake turned his face to the wall, extremely uncomfortable. “Yeah… this is messed up. I can’t believe we have to do this in front of each other.”
Justin finished and wiped. “You’ll get used to it. We all do. There’s no choice.” He flushed and pulled up his clothes.
Later that evening Jake had to go. He sat on the still-warm toilet while Justin lay on the top bunk. “This feels so wrong,” Jake muttered, embarrassed. “Doing this with you right there.”
Justin sighed. “I know. It’s horrible at first. But you just have to get used to it. Everyone in here does. No privacy at all.”
The strong smell from both uses filled the tiny cell and lingered in the hot air. Both boys felt deeply awkward but knew there was nothing they could do.
Night checks came. The lights went out, leaving a dim orange glow. The hot summer night made the cell feel like an oven. Both stripped to their underwear because of the heat. Sweat made their skin sticky.
Morning of Day 1
The next morning the cell smelled bad — a strong, heavy mix of sweat from the hot night, body odour and the lingering smell from the toilet. The air felt thick and unpleasant.
At roll call Justin dressed quickly. Jake was slow and nervous. They stood on the landing with the others.