Jerome walked into the day room, another boring day ahead of him no doubt. But as he walked to his usual table, he noticed a figure sat on the floor, looking out the window. He rattled his brain a little and didn't recall seeing her the day before, there was talk of a possible new inmate. Perhaps it was she? He decided to introduce himself.
He walked over to the window and leant against the wall, looking down at the girl. She had dark hair, making her skin look pale. She wore the usual striped uniform and was gazing out at the buildings. "Hi gorgeous, I'm Jerome." he smiled.
No reply.
"Hey?"
Still no reply.
He shrugged, few people talked in here, rarely on their first day. They usually kept themselves to themselves for the first few weeks. After than some talked, some stayed silent. He was hoping she would talk, he was bored of the usual faces. A new face was refreshing, but she seemed to be one of the silent ones.
He sat down next to her cross legged and followed her gaze. "Not much of a view, but it's better than staring at the same four walls." he turned his head to look at her. "You got a name?"
She didn't even seem to notice him, she hadn't moved at all.
Maybe she really was mental, he thought. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat doll, but I got things to do," he stood up, "See ya around." he made his way to the table on the other side of the room, he sat with a few others who were talking. Now and again he would flash a look her way to see if she had moved.
She hadn't.
He would try again tomorrow.
The next morning was the same as the last, the cell doors opened and the lights switched on, blinding those who were still half asleep. They were then all escorted into the day room.
She was there again, same place, sat in front of the window.
Jerome sat at his usual table with the others and nibbled on some food.
The others were talking about something or other, Jerome couldn't care less. He was still fixated on the dark haired girl. It looked as if she hadn't moved at all since the morning before. The guards didn't seem to care. Mind you, they didn't seem to care about anyone, not even their fellow guards. They just did their job and left.
After finishing up his food, he picked up some toast and spread some butter onto it. He walked over to her, plate in hand. "Have you eaten?"
No reply.
He placed the plate down next to her gently. "You should." he waited a few seconds for a reply, but doubted he would get one. He turned and walked away back to the table and watched her.
"What's with her?" Barbara asked as Jerome took a seat next to her.
"No idea. She doesn't talk."
"Don't blame her." Barbara smirked. "We are hardly a riveting bunch."
Jerome continued to watch her, there was something about her that captures his curiosity. He would get her to talk.
The afternoon was the usual bore, Jerome decided to take a stroll around the cells.
After a few corridors, he came across a cell that wasn't open before. He poked his head inside and realized it belonged to a female. The smell was familiar, it was the new girl's. He stepped inside, maybe there was a clue to who she was. It looked just like the rest of the cells, apart from one thing. As he turned to leave, he noticed something behind the cabinet. He moved it and saw something on the wall. He knelt down to take a closer look, it was a drawing, a good one as well. He ran his fingers over it, it was scratched in with rock. Of course, she had to hide it. If the guards saw someone had altered their cell, even changed the sheets without permission, there would be trouble. Jerome smiled as an idea flashed across his mind. He pushed the cabinet back against the wall and right a little, to hide the drawing a bit better than she had. He walked back to the day room.
She shuffled back to her cell that evening, her mind still elsewhere. She remembered someone talking to her, a man's voice. He was the one who left the toast. She didn't feel like talking, she didn't want to make friends. She also didn't plan to stay in this godforsaken building for too long either.
She slipped inside her cell door and noticed something on her bed. She picked it up, it was a pad of white paper, a pencil and a rubber. There was a note on the bottom of it.
"Saw your drawing, you're good doll. Thought you might make good use of these. J."
J? Was it the man who spoke to her?
Whoever it was who gave her this gift, it made her smile a little.