Upon arrival at Barton Prison, Julian is processed and taken to a cell occupied by a prisoner named Gordon, who soon becomes his lover. However, six months later, a jealous guard sends Gordon to another wing of the prison, separating the lovers. Not to be deterred, Julian sends a message to Gordon via Lanky, another prisoner, which starts a long correspondence between them.<br><br>Through their letters, readers learn more about the two men -- their backgrounds, their secrets, their hopes and dreams. The letters reveal the story of two lovers trapped inside a prison, separated from the world outside and from each other.<br><br>But prison life is hard. There are bashings and murders. There are corrupt prison officers and violent inmates. How can Julian, who comes from an upper middle-class family and is incarcerated for an accident, hope to survive against such odds, especially when he becomes the target of a particularly corrupt and vicious screw?

Letters from the Inside

We scrubbed our way towards each other and I kept catching you looking at me. Every time I caught you, you’d look away. It was kind of a turn-on. Then we were inches apart, scrubbing like hell, but this time when I caught you staring, you didn’t look away. I thought it was funny for a moment, but then I saw something in your eyes, something I didn’t think I’d ever see there, so I took advantage of it.


Chapter 4