My name was included in the last group called upstairs for the night. As I stepped from the jail cell for the first time in hours, I lined up with 4 other men.

“My partner isn’t here and I don’t have enough cuffs, so you’re all going to put your hands behind your back” the CO said while he collected the paperwork that would accompany us to court.

We ascended three flights of stairs entering the hallway that I had been brought through hours earlier.

“Wait here, backs against the wall” The CO said as he turned to one of the many officers gathered in the hallway. That’s when the screaming started. It was barely understandable at first, mostly just frantic shouts and grunts.

I could see several people waiting to be searched and a line that stretched around the corner. The shouts and screams seemed to be coming from that direction. I immediately started to wonder if we were headed towards the screams next.

Moments later, the CO returned and we followed him around the corner, nearing the screaming.