An Unkindness of Ravens Read online

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  Hours later Jeff’s wall illuminated with the warden’s face. Warden Elizabeth Raven was a hard woman that believed in her job and did her damndest to let the inmates know that she ran their lives, that she owned them now. She projected a recording of her face every week on each inmate’s wall for several minutes and read them scripture, and then delivered a twisted interpretation of what they just heard, condemning them for the scum that they were. When her face appeared behind Jeff and he heard her familiar voice, he expected his berating but instead she offered him the deal that Jack had described. When Jeff still failed to respond or even move after she’d introduced the deal that many of his fellow inmates were eagerly accepting, she added that he would be well paid. Still he didn’t move. Then she added that five years of service helping with the power grid would equal his freedom. Jeff turned over, wiped the grit from his eyes, and nodded.