"Thou shall not steal", "thou shall not kill". Those were last sunday's sermon, and the sermon many sundays before that. I still remember the once familiar expression on the bald priest's face as he demonstrated his sermons on this topic at the pulpit. Well, I still cannot believe that I would miss St Louis county church this much. If only I had paid more attention to the priest's sermons and to Mama's teachings, perhaps I wouldn't be stuck in this cramped desolate prison cell.

This is my first time sleeping in a prison cell. I must say, there is no fun in that. Other times that I had been caught, mom was always there to bail me out. She would scold me and lament on how hard she had tried to instill good morals in me, but it all seemed to be in vain.

Oh the tears that good woman shed yesterday when she was told I was to face the jury. The disappointed look in her eyes could not be compare to the look she usually have me every other time she came to my rescue at the station. 

Other times I had ended up here was for petty thefts and shoplifting, but this time, I had taken it up a notch. I had robbed an old man at gun point, and I may have ended his life in the process. 

It was a bet with a group of friends where I was dared to rob someone at gun point. I had believed the gun I was given to be a toy gun, but I realised otherwise after I pulled the trigger and my so called friends disappeared. The bullet had hit the man in the stomach. I really hope and pray he survives.

I really do wish I had listened to my mother and paid more attention in church. Now, because of the decision I made yesterday, I'll loose my chance of going to college, and mostly, I'll be known as a murderer.

Here I sit quietly in my prison cell thinking of what miserable life lies ahead of me. The police man says that prison is no place for kids, maybe I'll not survive it or better still, I'll be on death row. But one thing I know for sure is this, if I ever get out of here and if I ever get another chance at life, I'll make the most of it. I'll be sure to walk the streets of the world with this message; "Do not steal, do not kill and most importantly, mind your circle".

This is a fictional work