Where the Story Begins

The girls line up outside.

"**Where the Story Begins**" is the fourth episode of season 1 in the show. It focuses on Taryn's tragic turn of events brought on by bad civil engineering at the local level, as well as discussing how Heidi and Sarah lost their way. Najwa keeps looking for a get-out-of-jail-free card, only to be met with one frustrating setback after another. The girls also play a very one-sided volleyball tournament, and get ready for Family Day.

## Synopsis

### Seriously, it couldn't wait?

The episode begins with Sarah complaining about how she needs to take a break to use the restroom, and feels she's being denied. She takes issue with the fact that when they're out of their cells, they can't use their cell toilets. They have to use a "public" restroom - which is only accessible for a few minutes every two hours. She argues that this policy is absurd.

A guard says to her: "Why didn't you go before the fire drill?" A frustrated Sarah explains that it's because she tried; but was denied due to the fire drill being called. Continuing to refuse to show any empathy to a young girl who is about to explode, the guards stop her from going *yet again* in order to berate her for using obscene language in her protest, demanding an apology before they'll let her relieve herself. Because they'd rather she wet herself in front of everyone and be completely humiliated, than that she be allowed to speak disrespectfully toward them. So the officers lacked empathy, and Sarah lacked tact. A failure to think practically, and a failure to communicate wisely.

Sarah tries to explain that her language is nothing personal against the guards; it's only her frustration that she has a bathroom emergency and feels like no one cares.

### A nuclear bomb named Sarah

Sarah's segment continues, with Lieutanant Ehrnreiter explaining that Sarah is "Zero to 100" with her anger. Brianna accuses Sarah of having an anxiety disorder, claiming it would explain the outbursts. It's mentioned that Sarah's time at Madison is her second term there. Her first term was foiled after she slipped back into drug use following having been abducted by her biological mother - Michelle Pfoust - and forced to use drugs - as well as having been repeatedly raped by Michelle's boyfriend of the time, William Chalfant. When the kidnapping occurred, Sarah was living with her aunt Sharon Maxwell - who had adopted her.

### Sharon's story

Sharon reveals that she adopted Sarah at the age of four months, due to fears that Sarah's brain cells would be permanently damaged if allowed to live with her biological mom any longer. The biological mother was a compulsive drug addict, the sort that would sell her soul - and anyone else's - just to get a few more drugs. She agreed to give Sarah over to the responsible side of the family.

For many years, Sarah was "a little angel." But then she hit puberty. Be it lack of proper upbringing, bad friends, or an elaborate concoction of all the usual suspects, Sarah became a rebel. When the bad friends got her into drugs and she seemed hesitant to quit, Rob got Sarah put in Madison in order to get to her before it was too late. Other than violating the state's runaway laws, Sarah was otherwise "clean" on her criminal record. She initially believed that her first time at Madison would be enough to set her straight - back in 2015. She straightened up more or less, in only a few months.

### A sadistic betrayal

After getting out the first time, Sarah found herself a part-time job. Life started turning around for her. That is, until Michelle claimed to want to touch base with her again. Being overly trusting, Sarah thought there'd be no harm in it.

A segment of Muncie news discusses Will and Michelle's rape and abuse of Sarah, forcing her to continuously do meth and heroin for an "8-day binge." Sarah was put in intensive care once discovered, due to the severity of her withdrawal symptoms. She claimed Michelle would beat her savagely every time she tried to escape. When caught, Michelle and Will took plea deals. They were designated as having "neglected a dependent," thus leading to serious injury. Chalfant was kept in jail until August of 2017, and then placed on three years of probation.

Because of this incident, Sarah states that she began to feel "an intense anger toward the entire world." She was given a case worker; but attacked the case worker over a poor choice of words - and got charged for it.

### Helicopters in no-fly zones

One of the guards begins to notice a helicopter flying overhead - and then reminds everyone that it's a no-fly zone. Sarah jokes that the helicopter is there "to rescue" her. The guard gets nasty, pointing out in a rude tone that the helicopter didn't even bother to stop. Sarah brushes it off. When asked about her sentence, she informs viewers that she'll be out by September - assuming she doesn't do something careless and get her date pulled.

Last checked, the poor helicopter was never mentioned again. Certainly not with an instant three-star wanted level, or with crazed military contractors shooting it out of the sky while discussing homicide as a path to virility. Wait...that's a video game.

### Doubles as an orphanage

A girl can be heard complaining about the crew mopping floors, saying: "that's what the orphans do." Orphans are more complicit with low-level tasks, as they have no one to come and rescue them.

### Family Day

Every three months, an open house event called "Family Day" happens on a Friday. Family members - primarily parents - of the girls are encouraged to stop by and chill with inmates and staff. Galipeau takes it upon himself to describe the process.

### Different kind of courage, different kind of Heidi

This definitely isn't the Heidi of Johanna Spyri's imagination, nor the one in the film sequel *Courage Mountain* from 1990. This Heidi...has been all over the map in a very different sense. Her "entire family" that she knew of, in her own words, "had all been to prison already" for one reason or another. She claimed it's "in her blood." Her resignation to the inevitability of her path is particularly disturbing to watch. She mentions an incident where she nearly stabbed her step-father, labeling herself "crazy."

Heidi elaborates further about her relationship with her mother, mentioning a time that her mother threatened to attack a girl for spitting on Heidi. Her mother, in her words, even claimed to have reach in Rockville that could deal with such a woman. Also according to Heidi, only her mother elected to be supportive of her come whatever may. Yet, was unable to keep Heidi away from drug abuse. Her biological father, however, abandoned her and her mother to run off with some other woman - whom he immediately started a family with.

It's become a pretty clear pattern that men abandoning their families to chase fantasies has become an epidemic that is destroying America's children, proving the men responsible to be every bit as stupid as Proverbs 12:11 makes them out to be. And alas, their daughters pay the price, heaping extra condemnation on these men in the eyes of Heaven.

She states that her biggest motive for wanting to change who she is, is so that her brother Dustin - who idolizes her - won't repeat her mistakes. A picture of her stepfather Jerry, of her, of Dustin, of Gabby, and of her mother Rosanne hangs on the wall in the Lakin family's residence.

Jerry and Rosanne explain that Heidi was still very much a "good girl" back in 2012; but that the stress of teenage life amidst her difficult family's ups and downs led to her acting out afterward. Jerry and Rosanne then show off Heidi's room - which they state they haven't been inside of very often since Heidi arrived at Madison. They want Heidi back to her old self, and back with them. However, entering the room reminds them that she's gone.

Rosanne denies having said anything that could lead Heidi down a wrong path; insisting that the shoplifting and marijuana were entirely choices Heidi made on her own. Finally, Rosanne states that her biggest fear is of finding Heidi "dead in a ditch" after hanging out with the wrong crowd again.

### The post office hates Najwa

Najwa attempts to contact a friend on the outside. She's had prior success...but then the post office, according to her, decide to be dicks. Her second effort to write the friend results in her letter being returned. Apparently, the post office changed its policy without warning. J-Mail, or bust. Since Najwa is locked up, she's no longer allowed to send a non-parent any postage.

Najwa tries to talk some sense into Heidi, stating that Heidi really shouldn't take her family for granted. Heidi admits that Najwa helps her understand how important family should be; by seeing what happens to someone who doesn't have one.

### Don't get it Oliver Twisted

A sign in the chow hall states that the girls have to ask nicely for seconds. They can no longer help themselves without asking to more than the basic portions given; lest they get written up. According to Sarah, a high enough tier allows girls to work kitchen jobs. The pay is a lousy 93 cents an hour, but at least it's a job.

The honor squad gets to eat outside food once a month, as Officer Webster explains. However, the food is usually Pizza Hut. So if any of the girls has a barley allergy, they're screwed. Heidi and Sarah debate pizza toppings. Ramos congratulates some of the girls in his class for getting high scores in trigonometry 2. Heidi and Sarah then notice that Faith Holbert somehow is in the honor squad - and don't feel she's earned it.

As Heidi and Sarah are the cleanup crew, they're expected to stay behind and clean up after the honor squad. Sarah is having none of it, however; as she thinks the girls in honor squad are taking their sweet time just to torture her. She informs Ramos that the girls' dawdling is interfering with her chores. The guards threaten to fire her if she doesn't shut her loud mouth. She continues to melt down, resulting in her removal from kitchen duty.

### One flip too many

Taryn shows off her propensity for flips and cartwheels. The other girls, jealous and devoid of constructive thought, attempt to perform stripper-like dances. A guard stops them and insists it's "twerking," having no clue what twerking actually is. The girls protest that if the guard can make up new definitions on the spot to call their dances inappropriate, then there should be no reason that Taryn's gymnastics are acceptable either. The guard shuts them down, with a "because I say so" attitude that the girls have no respect for. (To be fair, it was a weak argument; fit only for weak minds.)

Taryn elaborates on her life before coming to Madison, and is shown in a montage of advising other girls on how to not make fools of themselves and get in needless additional trouble. She explains that she only stays at Madison out of a feeling of needing to be there, as a consequence for her role in the accidental death of Ahjahnae Jones. However, she also expresses a wish to eventually return home and go back to living life. She states that the other girls seem to be uncertain about whether or not they ever do wish to return home. This is because most of them don't have very good homes to go home to; whereas Taryn has a very good and supportive home. She goes on to give her side of the story regarding the fatal car accident.

Taryn's mom Kim and friend Darian drive to the fateful location where the accident occurred, to show the film crew. She demonstrates that she keeps a picture of the cross on the road where Ahjahnae died in her cell, to symbolically speak to her at night. Officer Lewis remarks on Taryn's integrity, as most girls in there wouldn't have volunteered to accept consequences for the accident. Taryn, however, realized that she needed therapy of some kind for what happened. When local prosecutors wanted to prosecute, she chose turning herself in over making excuses.

Paige, not quite getting it yet, thinks Taryn has a moral supremacy complex for agreeing to go to Madison voluntarily. Paige argues that she would have gone the excuses route to avoid Taryn's fate, if the chance had been given to her. What Paige betrays with that attitude, however, is her own moral insecurity.

Taryn furthermore reveals that she tends to keep quiet about her situation when possible, as she gets annoyed by other girls using her charges as a way to make her feel small when she already feels small.

### Someone give Najwa a hobby

When Hawkins pushes Najwa a little too far, she blows up again. Sensing Najwa's vibes of feeling like nobody cares, Crawley elects to "take her under" her "wing," ensuring Najwa understands that not every staff member is "just there for the paycheck."

Najwa is asked what her single biggest concern is; and she states that it's the lack of respect for boundaries she gets from other girls that pushes her to swat them. However, she shows frustration that the other girls "never" get in trouble for touching her hair; while she always gets in trouble for swatting them away. Emphasis continues to be on Najwa; while deflecting from the issue of anything being done to other girls who don't respect boundaries.

### Are your ready for some (sub-par) volleyball?

Hank Williams Jr. would *not* be proud!

Since the center began operations, the gradual dwindling of numbers has led to more and more of the girls' buildings being repurposed. At the time of show filming in March and April of 2017, it was mostly just housing units 5 and 6 that were still functional. The girls in those units were issued tournaments once a month in a given sport, in order to encourage team building skills. This time around, it's a volleyball tournament.

Heidi and Page are confident that they'll win; as they have Taryn on their team. Taryn boasts of her volleyball skills, stating that the girls have good reason to suspect she'll help them. She admits to being a sore loser, and states that much of her competitive nature comes from not being able to tolerate losing.

When asked by the film crew which unit is better, Heidi unequivocally insists that Unit 5 is superior. She argues that Unit 6 has a far worse day room, a far worse group of girls living in it, and terrible beds.

The girls commence with their tournament. However, Taryn seems to be the only player with any skill, as she almost single-handedly destroys Unit 6. In Dick Vitale-speak, she was "super-scintillating-sensational."

The Unit 6 girls begin arguing with each other; and the guard does nothing but threaten to eject girls for their bad attitude - while ignoring or not even caring about their lack of coaching. The "here's a bright idea" scientist guy from those *How It Should Have Ended* videos on YouTube, who features in every Spider-Man film parody, would have been crying right about then, as no one dared call out the lady guard on the sheer irony of her tone of voice regarding attitude.

Yet another "failure to communicate" worthy of *Cool Hand Luke*; as they didn't strategize, pick a captain, or anything. By some sheer miracle, the Unit 6 girls got 2 points - thus, preventing a shutout. There'd be no *Mighty Ducks 3* glory for Taryn that day. Not that she was complaining.

To put it in PlayStation 2 *NCAA March Madness 2004* Brad Nessler-speak: "And so Unit 5 takes this, in a game that was never even close..."

The defeated Unit 6 girls were pinned against a wall, and threatened to be deprived of another game if they "had a bad attitude," even as they were pressured to explain why they - rank amateurs at sports - failed so horribly to keep up with a girl that had been training to be a sports superstar her entire life. *Seems a tad unfair*. Team McNobodies lost to Super Athlete Barbie and the Here-for-the-Ride Pixies; yet it was as if Darth Vader were telling them: "You have failed us, admirals! Do not get defensive about your failure again!"

### The long word typed left-handed only

Stewardesses. Yep. Sarah does what she can to get over the outlandish farce that was the volleyball tournament very quickly. She moves on to telling the film crew that she would love to be a flight stewardess, and travel the world.

### The caravan arrives

Family Day finally arrives. Having been cooped up since February, Taryn is eager to see her family arrive for a visit. Sarah is eager to see her family also, stating it gives her something to do besides stare idly out her window. As the families prepare to be let inside, they're patted down and frisked - standard protocol.

Rosanne greets, hugs, and scolds Heidi upon seeing her. Sharon runs into Sarah, and congratulates her on "behaving well." *About that*...

Moving on, Kim greets and comforts Taryn, while bringing other family members over. Taryn comments on how big her brother is getting. Sarah introduces her family to Hawkins, who elaborates on her progress in class and assures them that she isn't a total failure at life simply for winding up in Madison.

Hawkins has a less-impressive overview of Heidi, stating that she goes back and forth between Ms. Ultra-Focused and Ms. Scatterbrained "with no in-between." Rosanne argues that this is why Heidi kept getting kicked out of schools.

Upon touring the rec room, Rosanne asks if the girls play volleyball in there frequently. A guard fed up with Heidi's vulgarity and antics finally vents her frustration, angrily telling the family that "this is usually where all the fighting and cussing starts, over a volleyball." Bob dismisses this by saying: "Just like at home, right?"

Now, if the girls *really* wanted to troll the huffy guard, they would have learned how to gripe about their losing at volleyball *in Japanese*, imitating the voice work in *Dead or Alive Xtreme 3*. (Let's face it: that's never going to happen. Madison isn't Camelorum.)

### Planet Slouchness

Sarah shows off the gym area of the rec room, with herself on an exercise bike. She has to have it explained to her that slouching is bad posture, as well as explained to her that there's a pulse meter inside the handles on her bike.

### Everyone loves Najwa (except her parents and the post office)

Heidi shows that she *is* capable of compassion after all, when she tries to lobby for Najwa to get adopted. Skinnari tells viewers that the orphans are the saddest bunch on the campus, as they get to watch everyone else have a family that loves them, but have no such thing for themselves. Najwa isn't the only de-facto orphan inside the campus; just the most senselessly so. As soon as this clip hit Netflix, thousands of viewers began flooding the web, asking about Najwa's status and wondering what became of her. It seemed as if the whole world suddenly wanted to adopt her. Najwa decides not to get her hopes up; as she knows that it won't be easy for anyone in particular to follow through.

Heidi finally admits that she misses her family and feels she was stupid to turn her back on them. Taryn states that it may take a while before she can finally forgive herself for what happened to Ahjahnae; but she'll keep trying.

## Featured cast

### Emphasized inmates

* Sarah Maxwell
* Heidi Lakin
* Najwa Pollard
* Taryn Twine

### Staff featuring

* Jessica Ehrnreiter
* Sgt. Edrington
* Officer Webster
* Officer Lewis

### Guest stars

* Sharon Maxwell, Sarah's aunt / adoptive mother
* Robert Maxwell, Sarah's uncle / adoptive father
* Kimberly Twine, Taryn's mother
* Dustin Lakin, Heidi's brother
* Gabby Lakin, Heidi's sister
* Rosanne Lakin, Heidi's mother
* Brielle Twine, Taryn's niece

### Cameos

* Michelle Pfoust, Sarah's biological mother (mugshot photo only)
* William Chaulfant, Sarah's alleged rapist (mugshot photo only)

## Music

"Redemption" by David O'Dowda plays during the section in which Taryn tells her story. "Just Say" plays as Heidi hugs her mom. "Born to Survive" by Lee Richardson, Richard Macklin, and Tom Ford off the album *Epic Hip Hop* can be heard playing during the end credits.

## Trivia

* Ahjahnae's Culvert is located at 39°44'9.5"N and 84°58'36.8"W.

## References

1. ↑ Walker, Douglas. "Man admits giving teen OD victim heroin." (article.) *Star Press*. June 12th, 2017.
2. ↑ TuneFind.
3. ↑ Shazam (app.)

## See also

* Sarah Maxwell
* Taryn Twine
* Heidi Lakin
* Najwa Pollard
* shammoy clarke