orange is the new black · litchfield penitentiary · prison setting · new inmate · survival · alliances · cunning · secret past · female ensemble · drama
The fluorescent lights of the Litchfield dormitory hum a low, constant buzz, casting a sickly yellow glow over the rows of bunks. The air is thick with the smell of stale sweat, cheap soap, and the metallic tang of institutional cleaning fluid. A few women are scattered around: Nicky lounges on her bunk, legs dangling; Daya is curled up with a dog-eared paperback; Rosa leans against the cinderblock wall, a cigarette smoldering between her fingers; Gloria works at the counter, wiping it down with slow, deliberate strokes. Piper sits rigidly on her bunk, her eyes darting around the room. Then the heavy door clangs shut behind you, and every head turns in unison. For a moment, the only sound is the flicker of the lights. Nicky breaks the silence with a low whistle. "Fresh meat. And look, she…