Juniper Falls - Ch. 108
Mr. Biggs Say Hello
WINTER
Scrap is lifting weights in the yard at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, California.
Bench pressing 180 with two 45-pound plates each side.
After his second set, he’s feelin’ jacked.
Adds another 35-pounder to each side.
250 big ones.
Sits back down on the bench.
Rolls his shoulders.
His eyes scan the yard. Reflexive habit.
He likes to be aware of his surroundings at all times.
The yard is full of prisoners.
Small groups huddle here and there.
A few loners mill about.
Another weight lifter is off to his right.
Big guy.
He’s been pumping iron for the past half hour.1
Minding his own business.
Everybody’s enjoying the cool-ish winter weather. It’s 68 degrees, which feels like heaven. Six months from now it’ll hover at 110.
That’s when the inmates get crazy and the yard turns into a zoo.
Scrap lays down on the bench, grabs the bar and inhales.
“Hey, you want spot?” a voice calls.
A face appears over him upside down.
The big guy with the weights.
Shaved head and stubble on his face.
“Sure,” Scrap says. “But don’t help unless I’m struggling.”
“Da,” says the guy.
Scrap exhales.
Lifts the bar.
Pumps out four reps.
Slows on the fifth.
“You can do it,” says the spotter. “Push!”
He bangs out the sixth.
“Two more,” says Scrap.
“Da. Push it up.”
Scrap struggles to hit seven.
Does it.
Brings the bar down.
“One more,” says the spotter. “Come, you’re huge!”
Scrap’s veins bulge in his neck.
His chest muscles strain.
Shoulders quiver and sweat.
He heaves the bar.
It hovers just over his chest.
Not going anywhere.
Arms shaking.
“Spot,” Scrap says.
The spotter puts his hands on the bar.
“All you,” he says. “Push it up.”
Instead of lifting the bar up, the spotter adds pressure.
“Hey,” Scrap sputters struggling against the weight.
“You can do it,” says the spotter. “Push!”
The spotter guides the bar just over Scrap’s neck then puts more of his weight into it.
“Oh, by the way,” says the spotter. “Mr. Biggs say hello.”
Vitya Usenko pushes 250 lbs of steel down on Scrap’s Adam’s apple.
Scrap’s eyes bulge.
They both hear the crack of bone as his throat is crushed beneath the weight.
Vitya beams his mad jack-o-lantern smile.
“You’re huge!” he shouts.
AI image by Ideogram / Prompt & Design > N. Allen.