Freedom in the Air
The metal gates of the South Carolina Women’s Correctional Facility creaked open, releasing me into the world beyond. For seven years, I had been trapped within those towering walls, but now, the spring breeze hit my face like a long-forgotten friend. It carried scents I had nearly forgotten—fresh grass, car exhaust, and the unmistakable aroma of someone’s barbecue drifting from a nearby house, rich with the sweetness of smoke.
