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"Jailed"

  • Jan. 22nd, 2008 at 3:14 PM
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 When we think of spending time in jail, our minds often race to the worse possible scenario. Suddenly, we feel vulnerable by the thought of being confined to a small cell with other strangers, strangers who we assume are the most hardened criminals that existed. Of course, we can blame Hollywood for introducing us to such places as Cell Block H and Oz (I love that show!) and making us believe that we may be gang-raped by a group of ruffians or murdered by giving one wrong look to another inmate.

There's a certain unprecedented fear in knowing that you have been stripped of your freedom and are stuck in a caged-in area where seconds move like minutes, minutes like hours, and a day like an eternity. Our minds make an effective attempt at grasping for any hope to avoid being in such a place. And in that moment, in that stretch toward believing that you will be confined from society, the fear begins to mount. It is the fear of the unknown, a test to witness if everything you had seen on the television was true (or close to the truth).

We give so much horrid thought to what we are about to face, that we tend to forget about the horrors that may be happening while we are imprisoned.

Such were the thoughts that inspired my latest short story, entitled "Jailed."

Today, I finish finalizing the story. Yes, it's been read over repeatedly, edited, changed, re-edited, changed again and, hopefully, polished to publication form. After reading the short story one last time, I made the decision that Amazon Shorts was the place I would be submitting it to. I  have found many wonderful e-zine and magazines to submit a number of my short stories to. However, "Jailed" best suited the guidelines for Amazon Shorts.

The turn around time for submissions sent to Amazon Shorts is about three to five weeks. Therefore, if they decide to accept it for publication, it will be available in the coming months. I look forward to hearing their criticism of the story and I will keep you all updated on their response.