The Convict Lockdown · Part 1

The Convict Lockdown · Part 1 (1/2)
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Zoe was a student on summer break from college. She saw an ad for a prison museum which was offering an overnight ghost hunt and as a bonus the participants are dressed in period prison uniforms and get to sleep in a locked cell. They call the event Convict Lockdown. Zoe was super excited about the prison uniforms and being locked in a cell, though the ghost hunt was not a big deal to her. Zoe called them and reserved her spot, or cell, as the person at the prison museum put it!

The days before the Saturday night convict lockdown and ghost hunt, Zoe was driving cross country to get to the northern state that the prison is in. It’s way up north, hell, it was almost in Canada. After a couple of days traveling and 2 nights in cheap motels it was Saturday midday Zoe drove into the very small town. Zoe told herself that she had time to look around town, before checking in with the prison museum people. It didn’t take long to find out except for a small downtown built about the same time as the prison was built, there was not much. The prison complex was about a quarter of the town. Zoe of course didn't care, she was here for the prison and it was amazing looking.

It sat on the edge of the town, dark and foreboding, tall stone walls surrounding it, the buildings on the inside of the wall looked like fortresses. She was early for the event but she thought she would take the regular daytime tour first before embarking on her nighttime adventure and lockdown.

Zoe drove into the main gate and through the wall and then parked her car. A few cars and pickup trucks were parked but not many. Zoe thought they must not get a lot of tourists because of being off the beaten path. Zoe towards the museum’s entrance. As she walked in she saw a few people looking around the gift shop. Zoe walked up to the counter and a young woman looked up with a bright smile and said, “how can I help you?”

Zoe explained to her that she was here for the ghost tour lockdown. The woman at the counter said that she was a little early.

“I know, but I wanted to take the day tour also.”

“Oh, that’s great. Your event fee covers the day tour also, can I have your name?”

“Yes, it’s Zoe Ross.”

“Okay let’s find you on the list, here you are. Let me print out your wristband.” The woman turned and typed in some information into a keyboard and a special printer spit out a red wristband. The woman asked Zoe to hold out her wrist and then wrapped it around Zoe, then used a tool to pop the clips into place.

Zoe looked and pulled on the wristband, then said, “wow, that’s heavy duty.”

The woman behind the counter smiled and said yes it’s the same ones they use at the state prison in the next county over, we try to make it as authentic as we can. Zoe looked at the red wristband; it read ‘prisoner Zoe Ross, state prison’ and today's date.

“Wow this is cool,” Zoe said.

The counter woman smiled again and told her where the tour would start, and to be there in ten minutes; also that was the same place to meet for the lockdown ghost tour. Great Zoe said and thanked her and walked off towards the meetup spot. Zoe kept fiddling with her wristband thinking I hope they do everything this authentically.

As she walked through the prison yard she looked around at the walls and the guard towers. Then she saw the main cell block and it’s imposing gate. After a few minutes more people Strolled up to the gate area, mostly older tourist types a few looked like college age. The tour guide walked up dressed in guard uniform, belt, billy club, and handcuffs. She looked to about thirty, blonde hair up in a messy bun. She welcomed everyone and said her name was Megan.

The tour guide explained about the prison, it was 142 years old, how it was built in 1872 and was state of the art at that time. After that Megan said please show me your tickets everyone else was handing ticket stubs, then Zoe came up in line she held out her arm and showed her red wristband. Megan smiled. “Oh, a brave one, you’re going to be part of the ghost hunt and lockdown!”

“Yes!”

Megan smiled and said, “Great, I am going to be your warden tonight. Okay folks, let’s start the tour!” Megan pulled out a large key and opened the gate to the cell block. “Okay follow me,” and the group filed in. We crossed through a room with another heavy iron door. Again Megan opened the door to reveal the main cell block. One side of the room was open to the ceiling and the other side was 5 levels of cell, 10 cells on each level.

Zoe was amazed, she tried to take it all in. Megan explained that the cells were updated with a sink and toilet in the 1930’s. They walked up to a cell and Megan opened it with a key. Megan said come on take a look inside. Then, one and two at a time, they walked in and out. Zoe took a look inside and was beside herself thinking in a few hours she would be locked in and in a prison uniform.

The tour continues through the cell block to the chow hall. Zoe listened intently to every word Megan said about the prison. Megan then took the back in the main cell block to another hallway and a locked iron door. Megan turned towards the group and smiled and told us this was the death row. She opened the door and we walked into a room there was a hallway one direction with about five cells along the hallway. Megan explained these were the cells where the prisoners were held till their execution was carried out. The cells looked the same as the others in the main cell block.

Down another hall they followed Megan into a room that was empty except for one large wooden chair with straps and large wires connected to it. Zoe's mind raced with joy. It was an electric chair. Zoe hoped at some point she would be able to get a picture sitting in it. Megan told about the chairs' history and some of the more gruesome executions that took place. Across from the chair was a large window with three rows of theater chairs behind the glass. Megan explained that this is where the witnesses would watch the execution. After Megan finished telling about the electric chair and answering questions, the group moved through the rest of the prison.

The tour finished where it started at the main door and gate of the cell block. Megan thanked everyone for taking the tour. As everyone walked off, Megan walked over to Zoe. “Well how did you like the tour?”

“I loved it! Especially the death row and the electric chair, they were amazing!” said Zoe.

“So you really liked that kind of stuff?” Zoe was not sure how to answer that question, she did not want to look like a weirdo. Megan could sense Zoe’s hesitation. “I like it too, why do you think I work here?” Then she smiled warmly.

“Yes, I like all of it, the uniforms, the cells, handcuffs, shackles, and especially the electric chair!”

Megan smiled like a Cheshire Cat, and said, “well would you like to be part of tonight’s electric chair, execution demonstration? You of course will be the condemned prisoner.”

Zoe had a look of excitement about her. “Can I?” Zoe stammered out.

Megan smiled, and said, “that’s why I am asking you.”

“Oh wow, yes I would love to be the condemned prisoner!”

“Well that’s good, now I try to make everything as real as possible here. So are you willing to wear all the headgear, face cover, and be securely strapped into the electric chair?”

“Yes!”

“This is the real equipment they used in the executions, are you ok with it?”

“Yes! The more real the better I like it, I just don’t want my head shaved.”

Megan laughed and said, “Okay we won’t shave your head, but can I put a mouthguard in your mouth and tape your eyes, and mouth shut? It’s what they do at the real executions.”

Zoe thought about it for a second and said, “no problem!”

“I think you and I will have a lot of fun tonight! Okay you’re the death row prisoner, but don’t say anything about it to the others. We need it to look like we are choosing from the whole group, okay?”

“That's okay with me.”

“Okay prisoner, report back here at 5pm.” With that Megan walked away.

Zoe could not believe her luck, this was her dream come true. “Wow!”

Zoe had about an hour to kill so she walked over across the from the prison and over to an old style hamburger stand. She ordered a coke cola and a sandwich. After Zoe finished eating she casually walked back across the road into the prison yard and to the meeting spot for the lockdown and ghost hunt right, in front of the main cell block gate.

She was the first one there so she sat down on the massive stone steps. She just stared at the prison yard and thought about how great it would be tonight, locked in her cell. A voice broke her out of her day dream. It was Megan. “Hello, I see you're an eager beaver, first prisoner in line,” she said with a big smile.

“Yes, I can’t wait to start! It’s too bad it’s only one night.”

“Oh, I think you will have a good time. But, would you really like to be locked up longer?”

Zoe looked a little nervous, but said, “yes. It's kind of a fantasy of mine.”

“Well I know you will have a great time tonight, I will see to it!”

A few minutes later the people started showing up, about 12 in all. Some people are Zoe's age, others 30 to 40, and one older couple. Megan gathered the people, or prisoners as she started referring to them. They each were wearing the heavy duty wrist bands. “Okay, welcome to the Convict Lockdown and Ghost Hunt.” Megan introduced her two helpers and went over the rules of the prison roleplay. When she was done, then herded the group into two holding cells. Women in one, men in the other.

One at a time the people were led out of the holding cell and over to a locker room, before walking in, they were handed a bag with their own prison uniform inside, and a lock to be able to put their clothes in a locker and lock it. When everyone signed up for Convict Lockdown they had to give their size, so they would have the correct size uniform for them. After changing clothes, or being dressed out as the prison guards call it, then they were marched to the intake room. Once there each prisoner was fingerprinted and photographed. After that they were marched to their awaiting cell. Then the cell door was slammed shut and locked.

Zoe’s name was called and she was taken from the holding cell to the locker room. Megan handed Zoe the bag, and said in a low voice that she had put all prison issue clothing including sports bra, panties, socks, and shoes. Zoe smiled and walked into the locker room. Zoe quickly removed all of her clothes and pulled out her prisoner uniform. She grabbed the panties and saw that across the back it was stenciled ‘prison inmate’, the same with the sports bra but it was across the front of the bra. Wow! Zoe thought, this is amazing!

Zoe got dressed and walked out of the locker room. She marched to the intake room by one of the other guards. One inside the intake room, she was handed over to Megan and the other guard walked out.

“So prisoner how do you like your new attire?”

“Oh Megan, I love it,” Zoe said.

Megan got a stern look on her face and said, “prisoner, you will address me as warden, do you understand me?”

“Yes warden,” Zoe said.

“Okay prisoner, let’s get you processed.”

Zoe was photographed for her mugshot, then fingerprinted. Afterwards she was taken to her cell and locked in. She grabbed the steel bars of the cell door and looked out, and thought, this is amazing! I am a prisoner locked in a cell of a 140 year old prison.

A little later the sun was going down behind the mountains and the light was fading. The warden and her guards started removing the prisoners from the cells and lining them up. “Okay prisoners,” Megan smiled, “we are going ghost hunting. I want you all to stay together and don’t wander off, the prison is a dangerous place and at night we have the ghost to worry about.”

They passed out ghost hunting equipment. Little boxes that will light when ghosts are present. The group then followed the warden on the ghost hunt. Zoe didn’t believe in ghosts, but she did enjoy the stories and seeing the prison. Megan even took them down to the basement tunnels.

The last place Megan took the prisoners to was the death house. Everyone was allowed to walk around and hunt the ghosts. Some people were taking it very seriously and others were laughing. After a while Megan gathered the group around and said, “we have a special event tonight, we are going to demonstrate how an execution was carried out. I just need a volunteer. Any takers?” Megan asked.

Zoe and two guys raised their hand. Megan looked over the volunteers and said, “well we have not executed a woman in a while. Okay female prisoner, you're to be executed at midnight.”

Megan led the group back down to the main cell block and with the help of the other guards all the prisoners were put back in their cells and locked in. “Okay prisoners get some rest. We will be back for you at 11:30pm. Except for you prisoner Zoe, we will get you at 11:00pm to take you to death row and get you ready for your execution.” Then Megan and the two guards left, turning out the lights.

In the dark Zoe could hear the other prisoners talking to each other. The girl in the cell next to Zoe called out and asked, “are you sure you want to be the condemned prisoner?”

Zoe smiled, “sure it‘s going to be fun!”

“You’re brave.”

Zoe laughed, “no, just crazy.” She laid back in her bed and thought of what a great vacation it was. Out in the main cell block there was a flash of light and scary sounds once in a while. Zoe just laughed and thought, well they were trying to scare us!

Zoe had drifted off to a light to sleep. Next the lights came on in the cell block. A nightstick banging on Zoe’s cell door. “Wake up, prisoner Zoe,” Megan smiled.

Zoe got out of the bunk. Megan told her to stand against and face the back wall. Zoe did as she was told. Megan opened the cell door and said, “hands on your head.” As Zoe stood against the wall, hands on her head, Megan told her she had a few presents for her.

The Convict Lockdown · Part 1 (1/2)
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