At Light's Edge - Chapter 23: Northern Light

Twenty-Three

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Northern Light

Current Svalbard Super Y-MAX Perimeter Temperature: -3 Celsius / 27 Fahrenheit

“I miss that swirly lookin’ stuff in the night sky,” lamented Cornell. “It just be reekin’ peacefulness.”

Renie joined his work partner to gaze out of the warehouse’s second floor window. “Yeah, but they’ll be back in full force this winter when it’s always night and never day. Sometime we can see them even now, just not as well as at night.”

“They be called the Northern Lights, right?”

“Yep,” Renie replied, “and also by the name Aurora Borealis.”

“Aror… what?”

“Aurora Borealis.”

“I think I better be stickin’ with Northern Lights until I practice that a-roar-a-bori-alice stuff,” Cornell laughed.

Renie reflected, “I liked those red colored ones we saw once.”

“And the blue, light blue streaks, remember?”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that night. That was somethin’.”

The two youths finished up cleanup duties in the warehouse, put on their snowsuits and shoes, then preceded back to the mainline of the prison through the open yard in view of observation Tower-3. 

“You think they can actually see ok from these towers?” Renie sought Cornell’s opinion.

“I suppose so. I don’t know. Why, you thinkin’ of escapin’?”

“No thanks,” Renie pointed off to the horizon.

“I hear ya, man,” Cornell replied, “that polar bear looks mighty hungry if you ask me.”

Renie and Cornell stopped for a moment before continuing through the billowy snow drifts to take in the beauty of their surroundings and the antics of the roving polar bear.

“Man,” Cornell commented, “this reminds me of the peacefulness of God… his peacefulness in the middle of harshness.”

“And his light always shining.”

Cornell looked around and replied, “I like the way the sun goes round and round the sky and never goes down this time of year.”

“Me too.”

Inside and warming up, the two youth met with the maintenance supervisor for another assignment. Mr. Laroux sent Cornell over to the administration section to empty trash and Renie over to assist one of the correctional officers with assembling some shelves in the recently opened housing unit K-10.

“Hello my friend,” greeted the legendary officer. “I am Vladimir Volchesky.”

Renie responded, “I know, it’s not like--”

The officer proudly interrupted, “I know, I just like to say that.”

“I bet you do,” replied Renie.

“Anyway, I have little problem with shelve stuff. I think I am missing some…” the officer did not know what the English word was for the items, but pointed to a picture on the shipping carton and said in Russian, “болты и гайки.”

“Bolts and nuts,” Renie informed him.

“Ok, boltz and nutz.”

Renie looked through the items for the missing pieces with no luck in finding them. “Oh, wait!”

“Wait for what, comrade?”

Renie grabbed the shipping carton and peered inside, “Sometimes they tape an envelope or a bag with the hardware items to the box so it won’t get lost and fall out if the box gets a hole in it.”

“So simple,” responded the C/O, “I should think of things like this.”

“Here they are.”

As the two assembled the shelving unit, Officer Volchesky provided Renie with a little background information relating to his life. The C/O enjoyed a good conversation and having someone who had to listen made it all the more enjoyable for him. “Спецназ… Spetsnaz you say in English is where my father served for his homeland in military. My mother, God rest her soul, was cook. We always had great dinner at my home, my friend.”

Renie listened patiently to the man share details of his life for over an hour. Finally, Renie was asked if he could sweep up the unit while C/O Volchesky completed some paperwork in his office. Renie agreed happily to the chore. He hoped to have a peek around the unit now that it housed some of the new inmate arrivals.

“I know what you thinking,” the officer commented, “It is ok to flip the little metal plate on cell windows to look at criminal. For now it is also ok to talk a bit with them if you like, but be careful my friend, those criminals are very dangerous and can mess with your mind. Just harden your thoughts like piece of steel fresh out of tempering fire, ok?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I see you later. Take your time, after all, why not?”

Renie retrieved the unit’s broom while thinking over some Bible verses he was very familiar with concerning girding up the loins of his mind, remaining sober and alert, guarding his heart, and taking his spiritual sword. Is someone going to show up to a gang fight without a weapon? How can a Christian face their daily battles without the sword of the spirit in their hand and heart? Put on your armor, Renie.

The first cell Renie peered into contained a youth who gently banged his head against the acrylic glass inner second cell door over and over. He wondered if this teen was mentally ill, demon possessed or just putting on an act. He moved on to another cell as he swept. Upon opening the second observation plate, Renie met the eyes of Ángel Cataño Valdez, the notorious South American Drug Lord’s son. The teen greeted Renie, “Oye Carnal como te va. What's up, homeboy?”

Renie replied, "You ain't from Mexico and I ain't your homeboy."

“Orale, orale carnal. You don't have to get all in a huffy puff, American prison boy. Si vienes por esta puerta te mato.”

Renie replied, “You wish!” and closed the flap. He could still hear the other youth banging on his acrylic glass door as he swept on down the tier.

After completing his cleanup of the second tier, Renie mopped the stairs down to the first tier where he started sweeping again. He heard singing coming from one of the cells and went to investigate. Opening the door’s peek panel revealed a youth, Lester Pinman, staring straight into Renie’s eyes. A sudden flash of fear overcame him. ‘Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes,’ Renie comforted his mind with God’s words.

“Who are you?” the teen inquired.

“Renwick Stone, I work here.” Renie did not volunteer the information that he was also a convicted criminal to Lester.

The inmate stared with the gaze of a cold-hearted snake back at Renie before responding, “Work here… you look too young for that, maybe seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen years old is all. Are you an inmate criminal worker?”

Renie didn’t answer.

“You know,” the caged youth continued, “I can have your little brother and sister killed if I want to. It ain’t nothin' to me.”

Renie knew enough street psychology not to answer this question. He had made that mistake before, replying hastily to another inmate back during the construction of the female Y-MAX prison that he did not have a little brother. That inmate surmised that since Renwick only mentioned not having a brother, he must have a sister. Renie closed the flap and finished his duties for Officer Volchesky.

Next Chapter: Temporary Importance