Zoe was a student on summer break from college. She saw an ad for a prison museum which was offering an overnight ghost hunt and as a bonus the participants are dressed in period prison uniforms and get to sleep in a locked cell. They call the event Convict Lockdown. Zoe was super excited about the prison uniforms and being locked in a cell, though the ghost hunt was not a big deal to her. Zoe called them and reserved her spot, or cell, as the person at the prison museum put it!
The days before the Saturday night convict lockdown and ghost hunt, Zoe was driving cross country to get to the northern state that the prison is in. It’s way up north, hell, it was almost in Canada. After a couple of days traveling and 2 nights in cheap motels it was Saturday midday Zoe drove into the very small town. Zoe told herself that she had time to look around town, before checking in with the prison museum people. It didn’t take long to find out except for a small downtown built about the same time as the prison was built, there was not much. The prison complex was about a quarter of the town. Zoe of course didn't care, she was here for the prison and it was amazing looking. It sat on the edge of the town, dark and foreboding, tall stone walls surrounding it, the buildings on the inside of the wall looked like fortresses. She was early for the event but she thought she would take the regular daytime tour first before embarking on her nighttime adventure and lockdown.
Zoe drove into the main gate and through the wall and then parked her car. A few cars and pickup trucks were parked but not many. Zoe thought they must not get a lot of tourists because of being off the beaten path. Zoe towards the museum’s entrance. As she walked in she saw a few people looking around the gift shop. Zoe walked up to the counter and a young woman looked up with a bright smile and said, “how can I help you?”
Zoe explained to her that she was here for the ghost tour lockdown. The woman at the counter said that she was a little early.
“I know, but I wanted to take the day tour also.”
“Oh, that’s great. Your event fee covers the day tour also, can I have your name?”
“Yes, it’s Zoe Ross.”
“Okay let’s find you on the list, here you are. Let me print out your wristband.” The woman turned and typed in some information into a keyboard and a special printer spit out a red wristband. The woman asked Zoe to hold out her wrist and then wrapped it around Zoe, then used a tool to pop the clips into place.
Zoe looked and pulled on the wristband, then said, “wow, that’s heavy duty.”
The woman behind the counter smiled and said yes it’s the same ones they use at the state prison in the next county over, we try to make it as authentic as we can. Zoe looked at the red wristband; it read ‘prisoner Zoe Ross, state prison’ and today's date.
“Wow this is cool,” Zoe said.
The counter woman smiled again and told her where the tour would start, and to be there in ten minutes; also that was the same place to meet for the lockdown ghost tour. Great Zoe said and thanked her and walked off towards the meetup spot. Zoe kept fiddling with her wristband thinking I hope they do everything this authentically.
As she walked through the prison yard she looked around at the walls and the guard towers. Then she saw the main cell block and it’s imposing gate. After a few minutes more people Strolled up to the gate area, mostly older tourist types a few looked like college age. The tour guide walked up dressed in guard uniform, belt, billy club, and handcuffs. She looked to about thirty, blonde hair up in a messy bun. She welcomed everyone and said her name was Megan.
The tour guide explained about the prison, it was 142 years old, how it was built in 1872 and was state of the art at that time. After that Megan said please show me your tickets everyone else was handing ticket stubs, then Zoe came up in line she held out her arm and showed her red wristband. Megan smiled. “Oh, a brave one, you’re going to be part of the ghost hunt and lockdown!”
“Yes!”
Megan smiled and said, “Great, I am going to be your warden tonight. Okay folks, let’s start the tour!” Megan pulled out a large key and opened the gate to the cell block. “Okay follow me,” and the group filed in. We crossed through a room with another heavy iron door. Again Megan opened the door to reveal the main cell block. One side of the room was open to the ceiling and the other side was 5 levels of cell, 10 cells on each level.
Zoe was amazed, she tried to take it all in. Megan explained that the cells were updated with a sink and toilet in the 1930’s. They walked up to a cell and Megan opened it with a key. Megan said come on take a look inside. Then, one and two at a time, they walked in and out. Zoe took a look inside and was beside herself thinking in a few hours she would be locked in and in a prison uniform.
The tour continues through the cell block to the chow hall. Zoe listened intently to every word Megan said about the prison. Megan then took the back in the main cell block to another hallway and a locked iron door. Megan turned towards the group and smiled and told us this was the death row. She opened the door and we walked into a room there was a hallway one direction with about five cells along the hallway. Megan explained these were the cells where the prisoners were held till their execution was carried out. The cells looked the same as the others in the main cell block.
Down another hall they followed Megan into a room that was empty except for one large wooden chair with straps and large wires connected to it. Zoe's mind raced with joy. It was an electric chair. Zoe hoped at some point she would be able to get a picture sitting in it. Megan told about the chairs' history and some of the more gruesome executions that took place. Across from the chair was a large window with three rows of theater chairs behind the glass. Megan explained that this is where the witnesses would watch the execution. After Megan finished telling about the electric chair and answering questions, the group moved through the rest of the prison.
The tour finished where it started at the main door and gate of the cell block. Megan thanked everyone for taking the tour. As everyone walked off, Megan walked over to Zoe. “Well how did you like the tour?”
“I loved it! Especially the death row and the electric chair, they were amazing!” said Zoe.
“So you really liked that kind of stuff?” Zoe was not sure how to answer that question, she did not want to look like a weirdo. Megan could sense Zoe’s hesitation. “I like it too, why do you think I work here?” Then she smiled warmly.
“Yes, I like all of it, the uniforms, the cells, handcuffs, shackles, and especially the electric chair!”
Megan smiled like a Cheshire Cat, and said, “well would you like to be part of tonight’s electric chair, execution demonstration? You of course will be the condemned prisoner.”
Zoe had a look of excitement about her. “Can I?” Zoe stammered out.
Megan smiled, and said, “that’s why I am asking you.”
“Oh wow, yes I would love to be the condemned prisoner!”
“Well that’s good, now I try to make everything as real as possible here. So are you willing to wear all the headgear, face cover, and be securely strapped into the electric chair?”
“Yes!”
“This is the real equipment they used in the executions, are you ok with it?”
“Yes! The more real the better I like it, I just don’t want my head shaved.”
Megan laughed and said, “Okay we won’t shave your head, but can I put a mouthguard in your mouth and tape your eyes, and mouth shut? It’s what they do at the real executions.”
Zoe thought about it for a second and said, “no problem!”
“I think you and I will have a lot of fun tonight! Okay you’re the death row prisoner, but don’t say anything about it to the others. We need it to look like we are choosing from the whole group, okay?”
“That's okay with me.”
“Okay prisoner, report back here at 5pm.” With that Megan walked away.
Zoe could not believe her luck, this was her dream come true. “Wow!”
Zoe had about an hour to kill so she walked over across the from the prison and over to an old style hamburger stand. She ordered a coke cola and a sandwich. After Zoe finished eating she casually walked back across the road into the prison yard and to the meeting spot for the lockdown and ghost hunt right, in front of the main cell block gate.
She was the first one there so she sat down on the massive stone steps. She just stared at the prison yard and thought about how great it would be tonight, locked in her cell. A voice broke her out of her day dream. It was Megan. “Hello, I see you're an eager beaver, first prisoner in line,” she said with a big smile.
“Yes, I can’t wait to start! It’s too bad it’s only one night.”
“Oh, I think you will have a good time. But, would you really like to be locked up longer?”
Zoe looked a little nervous, but said, “yes. It's kind of a fantasy of mine.”
“Well I know you will have a great time tonight, I will see to it!”
A few minutes later the people started showing up, about 12 in all. Some people are Zoe's age, others 30 to 40, and one older couple. Megan gathered the people, or prisoners as she started referring to them. They each were wearing the heavy duty wrist bands. “Okay, welcome to the Convict Lockdown and Ghost Hunt.” Megan introduced her two helpers and went over the rules of the prison roleplay. When she was done, then herded the group into two holding cells. Women in one, men in the other.
One at a time the people were led out of the holding cell and over to a locker room, before walking in, they were handed a bag with their own prison uniform inside, and a lock to be able to put their clothes in a locker and lock it. When everyone signed up for Convict Lockdown they had to give their size, so they would have the correct size uniform for them. After changing clothes, or being dressed out as the prison guards call it, then they were marched to the intake room. Once there each prisoner was fingerprinted and photographed. After that they were marched to their awaiting cell. Then the cell door was slammed shut and locked.
Zoe’s name was called and she was taken from the holding cell to the locker room. Megan handed Zoe the bag, and said in a low voice that she had put all prison issue clothing including sports bra, panties, socks, and shoes. Zoe smiled and walked into the locker room. Zoe quickly removed all of her clothes and pulled out her prisoner uniform. She grabbed the panties and saw that across the back it was stenciled ‘prison inmate’, the same with the sports bra but it was across the front of the bra. Wow! Zoe thought, this is amazing!
Zoe got dressed and walked out of the locker room. She marched to the intake room by one of the other guards. One inside the intake room, she was handed over to Megan and the other guard walked out.
“So prisoner how do you like your new attire?”
“Oh Megan, I love it,” Zoe said.
Megan got a stern look on her face and said, “prisoner, you will address me as warden, do you understand me?”
“Yes warden,” Zoe said.
“Okay prisoner, let’s get you processed.”
Zoe was photographed for her mugshot, then fingerprinted. Afterwards she was taken to her cell and locked in. She grabbed the steel bars of the cell door and looked out, and thought, this is amazing! I am a prisoner locked in a cell of a 140 year old prison.
A little later the sun was going down behind the mountains and the light was fading. The warden and her guards started removing the prisoners from the cells and lining them up. “Okay prisoners,” Megan smiled, “we are going ghost hunting. I want you all to stay together and don’t wander off, the prison is a dangerous place and at night we have the ghost to worry about.”
They passed out ghost hunting equipment. Little boxes that will light when ghosts are present. The group then followed the warden on the ghost hunt. Zoe didn’t believe in ghosts, but she did enjoy the stories and seeing the prison. Megan even took them down to the basement tunnels.
The last place Megan took the prisoners to was the death house. Everyone was allowed to walk around and hunt the ghosts. Some people were taking it very seriously and others were laughing. After a while Megan gathered the group around and said, “we have a special event tonight, we are going to demonstrate how an execution was carried out. I just need a volunteer. Any takers?” Megan asked.
Zoe and two guys raised their hand. Megan looked over the volunteers and said, “well we have not executed a woman in a while. Okay female prisoner, you're to be executed at midnight.”
Megan led the group back down to the main cell block and with the help of the other guards all the prisoners were put back in their cells and locked in. “Okay prisoners get some rest. We will be back for you at 11:30pm. Except for you prisoner Zoe, we will get you at 11:00pm to take you to death row and get you ready for your execution.” Then Megan and the two guards left, turning out the lights.
In the dark Zoe could hear the other prisoners talking to each other. The girl in the cell next to Zoe called out and asked, “are you sure you want to be the condemned prisoner?”
Zoe smiled, “sure it‘s going to be fun!”
“You’re brave.”
Zoe laughed, “no, just crazy.” She laid back in her bed and thought of what a great vacation it was. Out in the main cell block there was a flash of light and scary sounds once in a while. Zoe just laughed and thought, well they were trying to scare us!
Zoe had drifted off to a light to sleep. Next the lights came on in the cell block. A nightstick banging on Zoe’s cell door. “Wake up, prisoner Zoe,” Megan smiled.
Zoe got out of the bunk. Megan told her to stand against and face the back wall. Zoe did as she was told. Megan opened the cell door and said, “hands on your head.” As Zoe stood against the wall, hands on her head, Megan told her she had a few presents for her.
Megan moved up behind Zoe and slid a wide leather belt with a D ring in front around her waist. She buckled it, then locked it with a small lock! Then Megan had Zoe turn to face her. Megan took one hand at a time and placed them in handcuffs, with the chain running through the D ring, keeping Zoe from raising her hands up. Next went on the leg shackles with a chain running up from the shackles to the handcuffs.
Megan looked at her handywork and said, “you look like you will be safe to transport to death row now. Follow me.” She turned and walked out of the cell. Zoe slowly walked out of cell chains, jingling as she walked. As they stepped out into the main cell block, all of the other prisoners stared out of their cells at Zoe. Megan said, “we have to take prisoner Zoe to get her ready for her execution.”
Someone called out, “why do you have her all chained up like that?”
Megan smiled, “because she is a dangerous prisoner going to her execution, so we don’t want her to hurt us or herself. It's all about safety.” Megan laughed, and they walked away with Zoe’s chains jingling.
After they arrived at the death row cells, Megan opened up the cell door, and told Zoe to step inside the cell and sit down on the bunk. Zoe complied. Megan walked in and said, “I know this is overkill but I just want to make sure you can’t escape.” She pulled a chain that was attached to the cell wall and locked it on the shackle chain between Zoe’s legs. “So how do you feel, Zoe?”
Zoe smiled “I feel great, this is so cool! Being in a complete prisoner uniform, in a 142 year old prison, locked in a prison cell, in full restraints, and chained to the wall, I am in heaven! Thank you so much for this!”
Megan smiled warmly, “I am glad you like it. I think you will really like your execution.”
“Can you tell me more about it?”
“I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but I will tell you it will involve tight restraints and sensory deprivation. Is that something you can handle?”
“That would be fantastic!”
“I like how you think! Okay prisoner, I will come and get you when it is time for your execution.” And with that Megan laughed maniacally as she walked out and locked the cell door behind her.
Zoe sat and took the atmosphere all in, this was her biggest fantasy, and she was living it!
A little later Megan and the two other guards lead the rest of the prisoners up to the death row viewing gallery. After they were seated, Megan walked back to Zoe’s cell. “Well prisoner, our chaplin has the night off, so if you want to confess your sins you can confess to me,” she said with a smile!
Zoe said, “my only confession is that I am having a great time!”
“Okay Zoe, just a little business about your performance tonight. I am going to place a little device on your lower back. It’s just taped on. It’s radio controlled, so when I push this button you will get a little shock, to let you know when and how long to shake and strain against your bonds. When the shocks stop, you stop moving and play dead, till we let you know the performance is over. Okay?”
“That sounds fun!”
Megan opened the cell door and said stand up and turn around. Zoe got up off her bunk and turned to face the wall. Megan opened the cell and walked up behind Zoe and lifted the back of her prisoner uniform shirt and then placed the remote controlled device on Zoe’s back, then taped it down. She pulled Zoe’s shirt down. “There we go, now you’ll know when you’re being executed.” Then Megan unlocked the wall chain from Zoe’s shackles. “Okay prisoner, let’s go to your execution!” she said with an evil smile.
Zoe was so excited, walking down the corridor in her black and white striped prison uniform, handcuffed to a transport belt, shackled and a chain running to her handcuffs! She felt like a real prisoner! Megan opened the door to the execution room and said, “dead woman walking,” as she led Zoe by the shoulder into the execution room. The prisoners in the gallery watched as Zoe was led in chains to the electric chair.
Megan turned Zoe around and sat her down in the electric chair, putting a thick leather belt around her waist and tightening it up. “Okay prisoners, this is how an execution is performed. First we secure the convict to the chair. Then we strap down their arms and legs.”
One to each leg, the guards strapped down Zoe’s legs with wide leather straps and buckled them tight, leaving the shackles on her, as Megan supervised. Next Zoe’s handcuffs were removed and her arms were strapped down to the arms of the chair. Zoe tested her bonds, she was strapped down tight and would not be going anywhere without help and she was loving it. As this was happening, Megan was explaining what the guards were doing and why. The gallery of the other prisoners just watched in amazement.
Megan looked at Zoe and said, “well we are ready for the next step,” as she picked up a leather helmet. Megan pulled Zoe’s hair back and off her face. “I knew we should have shaved your head.” Megan then slid the leather helmet down over Zoe’s brown head of hair. After adjusting it Megan tightened the chin strap. Zoe was smiling ear to ear. The execution helmet was a leather skull cap that had two copper studs with nuts on the right and left side of the helmet, they were to connect the electric cable to. Megan continued to tell the observers about the equipment and how it worked. The other guard connected a big cable to the copper studs on the helmet. At the same time the other guard placed a leather ankle cuff with a copper stud and nut on it. He also attached an electric cable to it.
Megan explained that the electricity would enter from the helmet and exit through the prisoners leg. She went on to say, “we are almost finished, but what we are doing next is not for the prisoners' benefit, but for you in the gallery watching. During the execution the electric current can make the eyeballs explode, so we tape them shut. Are you ready, prisoner Zoe?”
Zoe was so excited she almost couldn’t stand it. “Yes!”
“Okay then, close your eyes.” As Zoe did, Megan placed medical adhesive eyepatch over both eyes and smoothed them out. “Can you see anything, prisoner Zoe?”
“No,” Zoe said.
“So now to keep the prisoner from breaking her teeth and screaming we will put into her mouth, a mouth guard. Any last words prisoner?”
Zoe smiled and said, “I am innocent of the crime I was accused of.”
“Well if that’s all, open your mouth.” Megan pushed the mouth guard in, and took a piece of medical tape and sealed Zoe’s mouth shut; she took a few more pieces to really seal it shut. She asked the prisoner, “are you okay, can you breathe?” Zoe nodded. “Now for the last piece of the execution equipment, the face hood.”
Megan held up a leather mask, it was molded like a face with no eyes or mouth, just two little nose holes. Two straps on both sides of it. Megan softly said to Zoe, “already here we go,” as she lined up to the mask and placed it on Zoe’s face. Megan made sure the nose holes lined up so Zoe could breathe. She attached the straps to the four buckles on the headrest and cinched them tight, pinning Zoe’s head to the headrest. She reached down and asked Zoe, “do you still want to continue? Squeeze my hand once for no and twice for yes.” Zoe squeezed two times. “Okay then we shall continue.” By this time Zoe was so excited that she was about ready to orgasm. Megan told the onlookers stories of execution that went wrong and other gory details. The whole time Zoe sat strapped in and hanging on every word that Megan spoke, she was in her own private heaven!
Megan looked at her watch. “It’s time.” She walked over to a large switch that looked like it was out of a Frankenstein movie. “All is ready.” She placed her hand on the switch then said, “Prisoner Zoe Ross, may god have mercy on your soul!” With that Megan threw the switch. The special effects started loud electric sounds, sparks flying around, lights flashing on and off! The device taped to Zoe’s back shot a small tingle into her, she moved her body as much as she could, the tingling stopped and Zoe went as limp as the straps would let her. At the same time, Megan flipped the switch back to the off position, lights came back on and all the other noise and effects stopped.
The prisoners in the gallery were amazed and a little in shock. Megan walked over to the electric chair with Zoe strapped in and took a stethoscope and pretended to check for Zoe’s heartbeat. She whispered, “great job, stay dead till I tell you.”
Zoe was just loving this adventure, she thought, I hope they took pictures and video!
Megan said a few things about the history of execution and had the guards start to take the prisoners back to their cells for the rest of the night. One of the prisoners asked, “is Zoe okay?”
Megan laughed and said, “no we just executed her... Just kidding, she will be back in her cell in a few minutes!” The prisoners were marched to their cells and locked in. Megan walked over to Zoe, “okay my dear prisoner, let’s get you out of this chair!” Zoe was having a great time just strapped into the electric chair and didn’t want it to stop just yet. She waved her hands back and forth for no! “So you don’t want me to release you?” Zoe gave a big thumbs up. “Okay, well, I have some things I need to check on for the other prisoners, so I will be back with you in an hour or two! Is that what you want?” Another thumbs up! “Okay, I'm going to turn off the lights and lock you in the execution chamber so no one can get in here with you. See you later.” And Megan laughed to herself and thought, Zoe is a keeper.
Zoe sat there and thought, this was better than I dreamed of! Locked in a 142 year old prison, in a vintage prisoner uniform, strapped in a real electric chair with the helmet, face mask and all! She was in heaven. After a while she could hear the prison making noises. Later she thought someone was whispering in her ear, “what are you in for kid?” This did not scare her, she just felt like she was accepted as one of them, a prisoner, or maybe she was just dreaming.
After taking care of the other prisoners and some other odds and ends, Megan walked back to the death house and went into the execution room. Quitely opening the door and walking towards the body strapped into the electric chair, she got close and could hear that Zoe was asleep. Megan turned on the lights and started to unstrap the face mask. Zoe moved a little, like she woke up and forgot where she was for a second.
“It’s okay, you’re safe in my prison.” After the face mask was removed Megan started to pull the tape off of Zoe’s mouth! “This may hurt a bit.” The tape came off and the mouth guard was removed.
Zoe moved her jaw and asked, “water?”
Megan got a water bottle and gave Zoe a drink. “So how was your execution my dear prisoner?”
Zoe still had her eyes taped shut, but she smiled and said, “it was an amazing experience!”
“Great, let’s get you off of here and back to your cell.” Megan removed the eye patches and removed the helmet and the straps, but put Zoe back in her handcuffs. Megan smiled and said, “well, you’re still a dangerous prisoner.” They both laughed. Megan walked Zoe down to the main cell block to Zoe’s cell. Megan removed the handcuffs, belt and connecting chain, but told Zoe that she was going to leave her shackles on, to remind her that she is a prisoner. Zoe smiled and thanked her.
Zoe laid down in her cell bunk and went over the events of the night, it was amazing. She had dreamed of something like this, but tonight far exceeded her expectations. After a while Zoe fell into a happy sleep. A loud sound woke her. It was the banging of nightsticks on cell bars! One of the guards yelled, “it’s time to get up!”
Zoe rolled out of bed and on to her feet! She walked over to the cell bars and looked out, thinking it was sad that it was over so soon. Everyone was lined up and marched to the dinning hall. After breakfast they were marched back to the cells for the final time and locked in. Megan walked out and addressed the group from outside their cell, thanking them for participating in the lock up and ghost hunt. Then one by one she opened the cells and walked the former prisoners out the door.
Zoe was in the last cell. Megan walked up to Zoe’s cell door and said, “so have you enjoyed your time with us, here in prison?”
Zoe smiled and told Megan how much she enjoyed everything, especially her execution.
Megan smiled back and said, “so would you like to stay with us longer?”
Zoe looked a little confused. “But how?”
“Well I am the director of the prison museum, so I have free run of the prison, and we do have out of the way cells. The question is, do you want to continue to be my prisoner?”
Zoe thought for a minute. Did she dare? Zoe loved this game of prisoner and warden, but she never thought she would be able to play this way in a real prison. “How long would you want me to stay?”
Megan smiled and said, “as long as you want.”
Zoe thought that she could not pass this up. To be a real prisoner in a real prison. “Okay, I need to be released before college starts up this fall.”
“That's easy! So you’re agreeing to be my prison till the end of summer?”
“Yes,” said Zoe, enthusiastically!
“Okay, will anyone be looking for you, parents, boyfriend, friends?”
“No, I can send my parents and friends an email that I met some people. That I am going to be spending the summer in a commune in Canada with no electricity or internet, in the backcountry. They would not be surprised that I would do something like that.”
“Okay, it's settled then. Prisoner, you do realize that you’re going to be here in the prison at night, and most of the day alone locked in your cell?”
“Yes warden!” Zoe said.
“But don’t worry prisoner, I will find things to do to keep you amused!” Megan said with an evil smile. She opened the cell and said, “come on, we need to get you to your permanent cell in the solitary cell block.” Zoe was thrilled, it’s going to be a great summer vacation.
The End