The 5 Steps To Freedom

Here's another small side-project caused by procrastination!

I was wondering: What would happen to Scarlett after Total Drama Pahkitew Island? Hostage taking is a serious offense! She'd be sent to jail, definitely. And then she'd be there. Alone. Defeated. Humiliated. You get the idea from the dramatic monologue! But then someone's sent to help her! Who you ask? Read to find out!

Please note though that I have little knowledge of either Canadian laws and or prison therapy. So please beg you, be a little tolerant of any inaccuracies!

Like the title hints, I plan to make this a 5 chapter story.

Everything is from Scarlett's point-of-view and I hope I get her personality right as it would be after several years of prison.

Rated T for whining and mentioned themes.

Chapter 1: Samey.

It's been 7 years. 7?

Yes. 7 years since I was trialed for taking the Total Drama Pahkitew Island cast hostage in exchange for the million dollar main price. Total Drama, I wish I never heard of it. Sigh. I joined, convinced that I'd win it to buy me into any university I wanted. And that would've happened if everybody would've realized what a liability Max was and voted him off! I grit my teeth and pant heavily. I still get furious when I think of that…gnome! He was a complete no-good dipstick who just HAD to execute 1 great plan to capture me just as I was going to get the money! Then I was shot out of the Cannon of Shame, with Max.

And that would only be the least humiliating thing happening to me for a while.

I was taken into custody and my family got me a lawyer. But not just some lawyer! I happened to get Courtney Ochoa, attorney from Goodman & Hutz! Yes! THE Courtney Ochoa! Better known as Total Drama's Miss C.I.T! I was sure that Chris was behind Courtney becoming my defendant as additional salt in the wound. [1]

Courtney was fresh out of college and looking for ways to make a name for herself. I didn't care, my death threats were broadcasted over international TV, I've calculated that there was a 99.5 percent of prosecution. Courtney was still way too ambitious. Then the day of the trial came…

It became a blatant show trial.

The media couldn't stop gossiping about it and I was forced to hear every contestant of Total Drama Pahkitew Island testify in the courtroom about how much of a monster I was, even Leonard. Who I never even talked to. They could say everything they wanted and, let it be that Newton invented graffiti or that Edward Grieg was a vampire. The jury believed it. If Topher was the prosecutor and Chef Hatchet the judge, the scene would've been complete (The judge did look like him though). Courtney made a fool out of herself by stubbornly defending me despite everything being crystal clear. I remained quiet, and admittingly, I had to repress the urge to cry. [2]

When the trial was finally over, I was sentenced to 14 years on accounts of hostage taking. I was declared insane when I undertook the hostage and they were sure that I would've blown the island up. I was 17 back then, first I was sent to juvenile hall. It wasn't so bad there, all kinds of cocky punks who were only there because of their reputation. Mess a little with their minds, assure them no one loves them and voilá! They leave you to be for the rest of your sentence.

After 2 years, I was of age to come here, an all-women maximum-security prison somewhere in Ontario. The food was bad, the cell not much better, the fellow inmates were mostly psychopaths, child murderers and such (Unlike me, I was just released a big pileup of frustration back on the island), and while the prospect of a prison library sounded nice, if it are only a few shelves mostly containing self-help books, then you're quickly done there.

But the showers were the absolute worst. I got more intimate with some of the other inmates than I wanted to be, if you get what I'm aiming at.

So…Here I lay on my prison bed, Scarlett Neuer, 24 earth rotations young and world infamous. So far my wishes of getting into any renowned university now everyone has seen what they think to be the real me. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life after I'm out. But I've got 6 years 11 months and 29 days left to consider the very few options I have left. People are going to forget me now, but once I'm free, they'll find me again. I think I'm going to take my umpteenth nap today, which is among the only sensible things to do in this 3 square meters' cell.

''Neuer.'' A warden calls, knocking on the door just as I began to doze off. I groan miserably and take a look at the small hatch of the door opening up. As part of the procedure, I stick my hands through to get cuffed. They open the door and take me along. I'm not going to ask what they're going to do, I'll get to know what's going to happen in due time, so I don't have to waste a trivial question to it to these guards.

The guards guide me to a room I haven't been before, it was pretty nicely furnished, at least for the standards I've adjusted to the last few years. There was a lounge chair and a few cheap looking arm chairs.

''Lay down.'' 1 of the wardens ordered me.

''If it makes you sleep at night.'' I indifferently replied as I laid down on the lounge chair. I noticed that over the years I've began to lose my emotions, something I attribute to the humiliation of that show trial and the less than stellar prison life. It needs to be really emotional for me to be moved.

''She can come in.'' 1 guard said something through her radiotelephone. A few seconds later, the door opened and it was that I already laid with my head in that direction or else I wouldn't have bothered looking. But who I saw coming was really the biggest surprise I had these last few years.

It was Samey.

In the face she still looked the same, and she still had her hair down. As expected from someone her age, she had traded that degrading cheerleader outfit for a more representative looking brown jacket with tan pants. She looked more confident in the way how she walked to 1 of the arm chairs and sat down, laying out several files on her lap all the while I stare at her, confused.

''What is the meaning of this?'' I confusedly ask everyone as I honestly couldn't place for what reason she'd be here.

''On account of your good behavior lately, I was assigned to lead your therapy that could see your early release from prison.'' Samey formulated.

''A bit too coincidental that it has to be you out of all people right?'' I suspiciously asked as I shot up from the chair (Being reminded that I still have my handcuffs on) and glared at her, putting the guards in the room on standby. ''Are you even a qualified psychologist?''

''Yes I am!'' Samey confidently answered while she dug through a file and showed me a paper that looked like a genuine degree certificate. How could she get a degree in psychology and not me? I became a little envious of her.

''Can we leave you with her?'' One of the wardens asked. Samey nodded and the guard promptly undid my handcuffs. I rub my wrists as the guards leave the room and shut the door, presumably locking it. I look up to Samey, she puts her certificate away and eagerly looks at me for a few seconds. I really don't want to go through this. For multiple reasons. Why was Samey here? There are millions psychologists, why did this one had to be assigned to me? I don't trust her nor this whole therapy at all. What if I succeed and get released early? The whole world will be on my heels again, eagerly waiting what misdeed I'll do next. I wish I was back in my cell, and I should do something about that.

''Shall we begin Scarlett?'' Samey suggested, breaking the silence.

''That's a good idea Samey.'' I indifferently replied.

''Actually, It's Samantha now.'' Samey corrected me.

I raise an eyebrow. She blew me off that easily? She has really matured. I need to try something else to talk my way back to my cell.

''So, we both know why you're here.'' Samey said.

''Yes. Because I threatened to kill everyone present on that island. That is a crime. And so is identity theft.'' I countered. I could see irritation building up in Samey. Excellent, a little while longer and she'll get angry with me and I'll be sent back to my cell. ''But because you had the dumb luck of actually succeeding, you got away with it.'' I continued explaining.

''I got away with it because I didn't hurt anyone with it!'' Samey defended herself.

''Except for Amy.'' I replied, she didn't like it that I brought her sister up. Time to exploit that. ''How's she doing by the way? Are you still so incredibly close as you were years ago?'' I asked her.

''Amy doesn't matter right now!'' Samey agitatedly called.

''Is she perhaps the reason why you began studying psychology? Because you have experience being mentally dominated?'' I guessed. Samey growled in frustration and I calmly smiled, I had achieved my goal.

''Perhaps we should stop.'' Samey grumpily concluded. I saw her pressing the button of a device she had hidden inside her jacket and the guards came into the room and took me away. I felt satisfied, now I'll be left alone until my release, which will be devoid of sensation seeking journalists from poor tabloid magazines.

''Until next session Scarlett!'' She begrudgingly called after me before the door closed. My satisfaction faded as I heard her say that. I have to go through this again? Again?!

Getting Samey out of my life might be going to take a while.

R.I.P victims of the July 18 plane crash. Nothing needs to be said, everything of it is just terrible.

[1] Goodman & Hutz refers to Saul Goodman, a lawyer from Breaking Bad and Lionel Hutz, a lawyer from The Simpsons.

[2] Did you find the hidden Twilight reference in that paragraph?

So, did you like this side project? I hope you did!

;B),

L.W.