Dambran is an island of the coast of Africa just to the north of Madagascar. Unlike Madagascar which was colonized by the French, Dambran was colonised by the British. While British rule over the island ended in 1962,its legacy was still seen in Dambran. English was the language spoken on the island and only half of the population were native Africans, the other half was made up of Europeans and Indians whose ancestors arrived during British rule. British administrators and civil servants that left in 1962 were replaced by British tourists who flocked to island in droves, drawn to the island's palm lined beaches and warm climate. One of these tourists was 22 year old Jenna Norman.
Jenna Norman was from London and had just completed her Bachelor's degree in Sociology. She had been looking forward to a holiday in the tropics and chose Dambran due to the fact it was cheap and that there was a direct flight available from London Heathrow. Dambran seemed like a nice place to unwind before she returned to uni to begin a masters degree.
The flight from London to Dambran was delayed for a few hours, Jenna didn't mind, she could already picture herself lying under a coconut tree in a bikini on a beach sipping a drink. The delay however made Jenna very thirsty and she drank a lot of water on the flight as well as some cola and some wine.
The flight touched down in Dambran 12 hours later. Jenna felt the heat as she got out of the plane. She took of her jacket and wondered why she had worn jeans with sneakers and socks rather than shorts and flip flops. Jenna collected her luggage and headed towards Customs. The line at customs was massive, it seemed like two hundred people were queuing at one bench. Jenna decided to wait before queuing, she bought a burger from the airport McDonald's and relaxed at a lounge. She left her bags on the lounge as she got up to go to the toilet. Nothing could happen to the bags, and they'll only be there for a few minutes, she thought.After an hour Jenna went to the customs bench, the line had gone. Jenna was quickly frisked and she was allowed to move to the area where baggage was checked. Jenna handed her carry on bag to a tall bearded black officer. He said nothing while he searched her bag. The officer then motioned for Jenna to open her suitcase.
"Do I have to open it?" asked Jenna.
"Yes," grunted the officer.
Jenna opened her suitcase. The officer looked through it. Jenna was annoyed that her carefully packed suitcase was being ransacked by this officer. The officer then opened the side compartment of the suitcase.
"Well, well, well," said the officer with a smirk on his face.
"What," replied Jenna.
The officer held up a small bag with white powder inside it. He moved the bag close to Jenna's eyes. Jenna looked shocked and terrified.
"That isn't mine," she whispered nervously.
"Follow me," said the officer.
The officer lead Jenna into what looked like a school science lab. He opened the bag and took a small sample of the powder. He added a liquid into the sample. The sample turned blue almost straight away. The officer's smile widened as he turned to Jenna.
"Cocaine," he said.
"What no way I didn't pack that, no, no no!" screamed Jenna hysterically.
The officer took Jenna's passport,handcuffed and motioned her to sit on the floor. He left the room locking the door behind him. Around fifteen minutes later he returned this time with an older looking white man, who was dressed in the same customs uniform as the black officer.
"Jenna Louise Norman, that is your real name right?"
"Yes," replied Jenna.
"This is your real passport is it, Miss Norman."
"Yes it is."
"Well Miss Norman you have been caught red handed trying to bring drugs into Dambran."
"It isn't mine, They were planted on me."
"Silence girl!" roared the officer as he slapped Jenna. "You were caught with the drugs, don't make excuses, In my capacity as the legal officer of the Customs Agency of Dambran, I sentence you to a term of four years imprisonment at the North Haywood Prison For Women."
"Sentence me!" cried Jenna. "You aren't a judge, and I haven't even been charged yet, let alone gone to trial". You can't do that. I demand a lawyer and to talk to the British embassy."
"Silence girl!" roared the officer again giving Jenna an even harder slap. "You have no right to talk to a customs officer like that, As for a lawyer and a trial, why do you need either?, you were caught with drugs, we don't need to waste time and money going to court. Your embassy will be notified soon but there's nothing they can do."
The two officers grabbed Jenna by the arms and moved her out of the airport building and into a paddy wagon. The wagon traveled for an hour before making an abrupt stop. Jenna thought that they had arrived at the destination and that she would be asked to get out of the van.
"Well I guess it starts now," muttered Jenna under her breath.
Jenna, however had to wait in the paddy wagon. It seemed like an eternity but eventually a female guard opened the paddy wagon doors, before she could get out of her own accord she was dragged out by the female guard. It took a little for her eyes to get used to the light of day after being in a dark paddy wagon, but after they adjusted she saw that she was on a dusty driveway. In front of her was a large building. She had no time to get her bearings as the guard dragged her into the building. She was dragged into a room where a two guards, one male and the other female were chatting at a desk. At the sight of Jenna, both stopped talking and looked at her. The guard that dragged her in left Jenna in the hands of the other two guards.
"Miss Jenna Norman, I am Mrs Johnson, the warden of North Haywood you are now a prisoner of the North Haywood Prison for women, you will obey any order that is given by me or the guards of this facility, is that understood?" asked the female guard.
"Yes." replied Jenna.
"That's yes ma'am to you girl!" yelled Johnson as she pulled Jenna's ponytail.
"Sorry Ma'am," squawked Jenna.
"We are going to start your processing into prison, if you do not co operate with us, you will by punished and by punished I mean you will be caned or whipped, is that clear girl?" barked Johnson.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Take off all your jewelry, and give them to the officer," said Johnson, gesturing towards the male guard.
Jenna took off her wrist watch, earrings, rings and her necklace and gave them to the male guard. "Wow,Thousand pounds" he muttered She watched with a stab of annoyance as the male guard casually tossed her precious and rare earrings into a cardboard box.
"Now take off your top," said Johnson.
"What, no you cant make me do that," replied Jenna.
"Take it off now or it will be thirty lashes and I mean that," barked Johnson.
Reluctantly Jenna took her pink T shirt off. She handed it to the guard who muttered "Twenty pounds" Johnson nodded her head in agreement.