The prison warden ran his baton over the bars of each prison gate, barking out orders. "Up, up. You lazy lot." Dean hurriedly got down from his bunk bed. He grabbed the orange coloured shirt hanging on the edge and hurried out through the iron securtuty gates that had been flung open."Get in line, Get in line." Another warden commanded.The inmates quickly formed a line and were marched outside. Here each man went about his business, exercising, idle conversations or causing trouble when the officers were not looking.Dean looked up at the sky and inhaled deeply. The sky was clear and blue and the air felt fresh. "Enjoying your last day here, huh" Jasper said beside him. Dean looked down at one of the few friends he had here."I'm gonna miss you man." He said with a tight smile. He could not openly show emotions although he felt them. He could not afford to be seen as a sissy here."I will too." Jasper said, and surprised Dean by wrapping his arms around him in a hug. His head res

Three inmates who had been chosen at random came out and testified against Dean one after the other, he was not surprised. But he was left speechless nonetheless.Till the last moment, when he saw the look between Marshall and his mother, he never thought this could happen.He never thought people could lie and testify against him so badly. Were they bribed or threatened?"You can ask Jasper." Dean said after the last witness was escorted away. "Your little friend will always lie for your sake." Marshall said."The way your little friends just did right?" Dean fired back. "Enough." The Chief barked. "How dare you? In my presence?" He glared angrily at them."1722, it is a shame that you were so close to leaving this place." The Chief said looking at Dean with disappointment. "You have two options. You can either ask for forgiveness and only face punishment from us. Or you don't beg for forgiveness and have the estimable Marshalls press charges against you." He said. "Those charges

"We will play 36:1" The man announced as he resumed his seat at the table. Dean stood closely behind him."What is this? What do you take us for, bringing this filth to the table.""This is an insult to us.""My God, he stinks. Get him out of here." One of the men made gestures to his guards. The guards had begun walking angrily towards Dean when the old man gave them a dark look. The guards froze in their tracks."He is with me. If you don't like that you can leave." He said."You really think a gutter rat will help you win?" One of the rich men asked."Just be a good sport and accept your losses. We all have bad days too." Another advised."That's right." Two other men agreed. But the old man completely ignored them and the game began. He staked the exact amount he had lost so far, ten million.Dean won the first game. Even though he had been confident he could win, he was still shocked. The old man just smiled as the room went silent. He motioned for Dean to play again. By th

The woman smiled back at him sadly. "You know it has never been about money. We only authorize adoption to stable married couples." She said. "I understand that. But can't you make any exceptions? You have known me for years. You know I will treat Alanna right." Dean said "I do. But she needs the love of a mother just like she does a father." The woman explained. Dean felt defeated. He had heard all these before. That was why he and Leilani had been putting in extra time at their work so they could save up and get married quickly. Till that ugly incident happened and he went to jail and Leilani abandoned them.He really wished they had taken Alanna to some other orphanage. These religious ones took propriety seriously. Would he have to just find a random woman and marry her? He could afford to do that now, with all this money. But he did not want to give Alanna a bad mother. He stood up. "I'll come see her tomorrow." He announced and left after saying goodbye to Alanna.It was

"Leilani and I had been dating for three years and engaged for eight months when this trouble began." Dean began explaining. He took his first sip from the glass, the whisky with ice burned nicely at the back of his throat. "She said a certain young heir had a great interest in her. He came to the place she worked as a receptionist one day, and fell madly for her. I don't blame him. Leilani is extraordinarily beautiful, smart and kind." "I see." Jean said."But he began pestering her. First he brought gifts and offered to change her financial status. When Leilani turned all of it down, he resorted to more dangerous measures."Jean was listening keenly. All his attention was on Dean."We believe he was behind an allegation at Leilani's workplace that almost cost her her job." Dean explained as he sat up. He took another gulp from his drink. "And as expected this guy swooped in like a superhero and saved the day.""Who is this man?" Jean asked. Dean looked at Jean for a while before