CZ Studio and Radio Verte presents The Wild Wind by Corey Zimmerman.
Chapter 12
The Wild Wind
Throughout history, the female criminal has been cast as a double deviant.
First, because she violated the law, and second, and perhaps more importantly, because she had violated the moral parameters of womanhood.
And seen as beyond conversion or reform, once behind the walls of the penitentiary, Fanny knew there was no escape.
The penitentiary was dirty, crowded, and each woman was isolated in a dry cell, with only a pot to piss in, locked up for 23 hours a day.
If you wanted a blanket, you had to steal one.
There was no exercise, no games or crafts, nothing more or less than a Puritan vision of hell, pure and simple.
The parameter of the cell house was lined with each cell, with the day room in the middle. As the guard with the master key released them for their one hour, they would congregate in small clusters about the floor of the day room to converse.
Is that a baby crime? asked Fanny as an attractive lady named Caroline jumped to her feet and ran off in tears. Did I say something to upset her? She's just jealous, that's all, said Irene, a slightly overweight black woman in her mid-forties.
Jealous? asked Fanny. Of what?
The baby, said Irene, as Fanny smirked in confusion. Guard Lewis is the baby's daddy, Florence is the mama, said Esther, a skinny pale girl, no older than 25, the exact type of gal that really makes you wonder what she must have done to end up in a place like this.
The guard brings his baby to work? asked Fanny. Ain't no one supposed to know it's his baby, said Irene. He sneaks his baby to work? At least till they find it a proper home. He lives here? asked Fanny. With Florence? said Esther, in her cell. Fanny was speechless.
Caroline just upset because she's dumb enough to think he'd only be doing it with her, said Irene. Who? asked Fanny.
Guard Lewis? said Esther, squirming on her hands. I sure hope you got family or some cash stashed away, because I know he gonna like you, honey, said Irene, squat on her round bottom, chin in her palms, bored out of her mind.
Irene had been there for a long time, after all. No money, no family, no food. As you can see, I got family. And she grabbed a layer of fat around her belly. So we're supposed to starve to death? Fanny asked, as it was truly her biggest fear in life.
And she knew outright she'd much rather be burnt alive.
Nope, you're supposed to let Guard Lewis have his way with you, said Esther, bouncing on her hands.
Honey, what do you know about having anything any which way, anyhow? asked Irene. And Esther looked down and grew quiet.
Money, family, or sex, honey? What's your name, anyhow? Allison, Anastasia, Betty, Bertie, Kathy, Diana, Dorothy, Eleanor, Ethel, Fanny, Franzen, Ginger, Helen, Jackie, Jacqueline, Kathleen, Lily, Margaret, wait a minute, Fanny? You mean you're Fanny? The Fanny? Irene's eyes lit up.
Well, I suppose I am, said Fanny. Good Lord, clever, swindler, and confident swum into every grace to Midwest Plains, sitting right here before me. I can't believe it.
Hey girls, it's Fanny. You know, Fanny the Fanner? She yelled across the room, throwing the back of her hand across her forehead, fainting to drop to the floor behind her.
All the women turned and looked and then whispered amongst themselves. Sex for food, Fanny asked, and to think the warden told me to take advantage of this opportunity to find God?
Come dinnertime, Fanny was back in her cell when Gar Lewis came along with a plate of bread, meat, cheese, and potatoes.
Well, hey there, darling, he said, as Fanny looked up at him in silence. He sniffs at the air. Hmm, you sure is ripe, ain't you? But Fanny said nothing.
What's the matter, birdie? Cat got your tongue? You really ought to watch your tail feathers. There's a mean cat a-roaming.
Fanny looked at the food as it steamed up toward his face, youthful yet tarnished with Satanism.
Well, here you go, little bird. Dinner's on me. Birdie lunged for the plate just as he yanked it away.
First one and only one, understand? Welcome to the cat house, little bird.
Late that night, Fanny awoke to his cell being closed, and she saw Gar Lewis walk past with a grip on Caroline's arm.
Later that day, Fanny asked Irene, where's Caroline? I saw Gar Lewis take her away last night.
She probably still sleeping then, said Irene. You say Gar Lewis got quite the stantama. Wait, you never, Fanny began to ask.
Hell no, Irene answered abruptly. I told you, I'm fat. Look at me. I got family who helps me out.
Besides, I got caught bringing myself off one night a few years back by this guard named James, real stickler, by the book kind of guy.
Anyhow, he took me to the warden. He sent me to the doctor, said I was hysterical and fixed me. You what? asked Fanny. He cut off that thing, said Esther with a blush.
The thing? asked Fanny. Yeah, the thing, said Irene, nodding down toward her crotch.
No, said Fanny. Yep, said Irene. No more ring around the rosy for me.
Wait, why does Caroline, how could she have feelings for such a creep? asked Fanny.
Daddy issues, said Esther. Guess she thinks she goes along with it. She ain't gonna get hurt again, said Irene.
Again, asked Fanny. Esther shook her head yes. Daddy issues, said Esther with white eyes.
The following day, Gar Lewis arrived at Fanny's cell with no plate of food.
Hey there, little bird, making yourself at home in your new nest? Fanny stared at him with disdain.
Jeet yet? he asked. Of course you hadn't. So, little bird, I'm sure you know how this works. So what you got for me?
He unlocked the door and walked in and took a look around.
Doesn't look like you got much to offer, little bird, he said with a grin. Come on, stand up.
Go on now, turn around, face the wall. Fanny stared him down. Now, he ordered.
Fanny turned toward the wall. Hands on the wall.
Hmm, now let's see what you got tucked away in this pretty little get up of yours.
As he placed his hands on her hips, working his way down her thighs, and then back up toward her pelvis, upper belly to her chest where he stopped and fondled her breasts.
Fanny cleansed her teeth and stared angrily at the wall, but remained still and silent. After all, she had known worse than this.
See, you ain't got no cash. How's that clear you plan on getting anything to eat around here? You think you're gonna get a free ride, little bird, because you a hot little number?
Well, why don't you come with me and we'll fix you up a plate.
No, said Fanny. She had known worse than this.
No, he asked with the squeeze of her breast before dropping his hands to his side.
No, and in the voice of bewilderment. Didn't you know you ain't allowed to say no?
Nope, not in here. Not in the cat house. In the cat house, you got one word, and that word is yes, sir.
That's two words and no, said Fanny, just as he backhanded her across the face, knocking her to the ground.
Carl Lewis then walked out of her cell and slammed the door shut, saying, Oh, you gonna eat, or I'm gonna eat you, little bird.
You see, around here, you're gonna learn to be nice to me, just like the rest of them. You hear me?
In the day room. Oh, my, look at that shiner, said Irene.
Carl Lewis? asked Ethel. That son of a bitch is gonna get his, said Fanny.
Calm down, honey. Go get Fanny a blanket. Esther returned quickly and wrapped the blanket around Fanny.
Hell, I should have gave it to you once I learned who you was and all. Slipped my mind.
I can't tell you what a hero you are to me, hell, all of us. We've been hearing about you for years.
You've been the freest woman I ever heard of. Now I can say I knew you.
Irene paused before saying, Fanny, just be careful. He a dangerous man.
Esther nodded. You looking awfully skinny.
Esther go get Fanny some bread from my cell. Don't worry about me. I can handle Carl Lewis, said Fanny.
I've dealt with men like him all my life.
For five days, Carl Lewis skipped Fanny's cell, but Irene kept her fed in the meantime.
Fanny watched once more as Caroline was led away by the arm.
Caroline looked over into Fanny's eyes, and Fanny saw a mixture of delight and pain, and she gave a slight grin.
But once she was out of sight, she frowned, cried, and then spoke to Cecil.
What am I going to do, Cecil? I just need to think.
No, no, no. I can't do that, Cecil. What do you know about how to survive anyhow?
You think I've been living on the high hog? No, Cecil, no.
I've been scrapping by ever since you decided to get comfy in the ground, damn you.
I saw him take Caroline again, said Fanny.
You're going to have to get used to it, said Irene.
They're in love, said Esther. He doesn't love her, snapped Fanny.
There must be something we can do to help her.
Honey, you're going to have to save all these girls then.
I say you do what you've always done and save yourself, said Irene.
That bastard, said Fanny.
The three then sat in silence a moment.
How does a person get out of here anyhow, Fanny asked?
You mean break out? asked Esther.
Has anyone ever broke out of here? asked Fanny.
Hell, I've never seen it happen, said Irene.
And I've been going on 12 years now.
So how do I break out?
You've got to go mad, said Esther.
Cuss and scream and lose your senses.
Which you've got to do, honey. You've got to break things.
Hell, break your own arm if you've got to.
You've got to break something to break out, said Irene.
Yep, said Esther.
You ever seen anyone break their arm on purpose? asked Irene.
No, that would be insane, said Fanny.
Exactly, said Esther and Irene simultaneously.
When Gar Lewis came around, Fanny had to act weak, as though she had not eaten in days.
So, little bird, stomach a-growling? I know mine sure is.
And as he unlocked the door, come on now, let's go get you a plate,
Fanny stood up and went with him, and he took her by the arm to a storage room,
where he locked the door behind her.
Looking around, he said, well, shit, I guess this ain't the kitchen.
Must have made a wrong turn.
But I'm sure we can find something to eat around here somewhere.
Huh, there you go, he said as he pulled his penis out of his pants.
Now go on. But Fanny turned her head away.
He shoved her over into the wall, and in a rage,
kicked her right in the face, knocking her out cold.
All the other women locked in their cells watched in silence,
as Gar Lewis drug Fanny back to her cell by the arm.
Later that day, she sat with Irene and Esther.
Esther cleaned the gash above her eye, when another inmate walked up
and sat a piece of bread before her,
and then another approached with another piece of bread.
She was then given a chunk of cheese and a cup of soup,
a chunk of meat, as almost every inmate came to sit food at Fanny's feet.
But all Fanny saw was a pile of sexual favors,
a pile of rape, coercion, and blackmail, and a constant fear of violence.
Later that night in her cell, she told Cecil,
I think I got an idea.
That's it. That's it, Cecil. I don't figured it out.
I'm getting the hell out of here.
When Gar Lewis passed by Fanny's cell the next day, she called for him.
What the hell you want? He asked.
Please, sir, I'm starving. I'll do anything you ask.
I promise you, just please take me.
By the time Gar Lewis stumbled from the storage room,
he was doused in vomit with his pants at his knees,
moaning in agony with a look of total disbelief on his face.
Fanny had already torn her clothes to shreds,
and had begun to climb the bars of the cells,
howling like a rabid beast as the vomit foamed about her lips.
Gar Lewis screamed in pain,
You crazy bitch! You bit my dick off!
As he collapsed, Fanny wailed on in bloody terror on his behalf.
It took a dozen guards to pull her down from the bars
and drag her out of the cellhouse by the legs.
She was so scared, she couldn't even walk.
So she pulled her down the bars and dragged her out of the cellhouse by the legs,
as she dug her nails into the floor until they bled.
Fanny had managed to lift the keys from Gar Lewis while in the storage room,
and amongst the commotion, the guards had failed to notice
that she slid them into Irene's cell.
With the last of the guards helped Gar Lewis to his feet
and walked him out of the cellhouse, Irene unlocked her cell,
and then Esther's, and then another, and another,
until all the women inmates came out howling in hysteria.
Fanny, having instigated the first female prison riot in modern history, was thrown
into solitary confinement under the care of the doctor.
Six weeks later, everyone stood at their bars in silence as a despondent Fanny was led back
to her cell.
A half a day went by before two guards returned with the warden and entered Fanny's cell.
A moment later they escorted her out with shackles around her wrists and ankles, and
she carried a folded blanket under her arm.
As they passed Irene's cell, Bertie said wait, and she handed the blanket back to Irene.
Irene smiled and whispered, You broke out.
Fanny grinned and the guards pulled her along.
She walked in the tiny steps one may take with shackles upon their feet, the same tiny
steps she had taken for a lifetime, as Esther began to clap, and then everyone, until the
applause turned to chants of Fanny, and then Bertie as arms began to flap within their
cages, circling in jubilation.
The roar sent chills of inspiration and hope down their spines.
And long after Fanny turned and bowed, each woman stood taller, and proud to be a double
deviant.