Experience of a prisoner on the prison bus
The day I was transferred to another facility was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. It started early in the morning, before the sun had even risen. I was taken out of my cell, put into a black and white striped uniform and my hands were handcuffed tightly. A heavy belt around my waist bound my hands, making any movement uncomfortable.
I was taken to a solitary cell inside a huge prison bus. The solitary cell was small, barely bigger than a closet, and the air was stuffy and smelled of old sweat and metal. The heavy metal doors were closed behind me and the jangling of the locks echoed in my ears.
The drive itself was a nightmare. Every bump in the road, every bend, sent me crashing into the walls of the cell. I couldn’t see where we were going as there were no windows in my cell. The only sounds that reached me were the roar of the engine, the murmur of the guards and the occasional shuffle of other prisoners who were probably also being transported.
It was a long ride. Minutes dragged on like hours, and the constant feeling of uncertainty and loss of control gnawed at me. My thoughts raced and I imagined what would await me in the new prison. Would it be worse than the last one? Would I be safe?
The bus stopped a few times and I was able to breathe in some fresh air through the small vents inside the cell. But these moments were rare and brief. Mostly it was dark and oppressive, the tightness of my restraints adding to the feeling of helplessness.
When we finally arrived, I was exhausted and disoriented. My joints ached from the constant restriction of movement and the silence outside the bus was almost deafening after the hours of noise. I was dragged off the bus and led into another building that was to be my new home.
This experience made me realize how brutal and dehumanizing the prison system can be. It made me realize the fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of my fate. But somehow I survived, albeit scarred by the experience, which will stay with me for a long time.