Dying became Darren Rainey’s revenge.
Dying in a scalding prison shower was the perfect act of defiance against his torturers and the institution that abided their cruelties.
After all, he wasn’t supposed to die. He was only supposed to suffer the excruciating punishment that guards at Dade Correctional Institution enjoy inflicting on mentally disturbed inmates.
He was only supposed to scream in pain, locked inside a steaming shower closet, the hot water tap jammed open, inescapable torrents of searing water pouring over his body until his skin blistered like burnt meat.
That’s all that was supposed to happen. An hour later, according to the house rules of this perverse sport, Rainey should have gone back to his cell in whimpering acquiescence.