June 24, 1939

Angela stifled a giggle as she read the book in front of her, she didn't want to bother anyone but it was a very funny book. Boss Edgecomb had come to her earlier that day with three books. Angela had been delighted, she now had books to read to kill the time. It wouldn't be until later that it would occur to her that she really didn't want to kill the time, that she was quite content to have it drag on, instead of flash by. But for now she was glad to have something to do.

She looked up from her book when she heard a squeak. She put the book down and got up from her cot. She walked to the bars and peered at the office down the mile, pressing her face up against the bars. The tiny little mouse was sitting right in front of the door opening of the office. Percy Whetmore, who had been combing his hair, was staring at it, dumbfounded, his hands still in mid-comb.

"You little son of a bitch" Angela could hear him say.

"Well, I'll be damned" Terwilliger said "There he is, big as Billy-be-frigged. I thought Brutal was pulling my leg"

Angela didn't know who Billy-be-frigged was but he couldn't be very big if he was as big as the mouse.

"That's a goddamn mouse" a man named Bill Dodge said.

"Yeah" Terwilliger said "Brute said he was in Angela Davis' cell last night begging for food, sat right on her lap"

Angela didn't even hear her own name being spoken, she was thinking about what Terwilliger had just called Brutal. 'Brute'. Angela blushed as she thought of Brutal again and shook her head. She didn't know what was wrong with her but it was making her feel all funny.

"My ass" she vaguely heard Bill Dodge said "Give him some room, Percy, see what he does"

Angela was still contemplating the strange feeling in her chest and stomach when she was startled out of her mind by a bellowing cry let out Percy. Angela looked at the office, her heart pounding like mad only to see Percy march by, chasing the mouse while trying to stomp it.

"No" Angela cried "Don't hurt him"

Percy either didn't hear her or ignored her and continued to stomp down the Mile. The mouse won and zipped to safety under the restraint room door. Percy pounded his fist against the door in frustration.

"Fuck" he swore, fumbling with his keys.

He unlocked the door all the while yelling "I'm gonna rip your diseased heard off, you little piece of shit"

Angela heard Terwilliger say something to someone and next thing she knew, Edgecomb and Brutal came charging by. Percy was wildly throwing things out onto the Mile and Angela was getting very worried for the mouse's safety.

"You leave him alone, you animal. He's done nothing to you" Angela yelled, surprising everyone, including herself.

"You shut up, you little whore" Percy yelled back causing Angela to take a shocked step back "Or I'll let you have some of what I'm gonna give that mouse"

"Percy" Edgecomb warned.

Brutal seethed as he heard this and he advanced towards Percy only to be stopped by Edgecomb.

"No, he's not worth it" Edgecomb said.

Brutal looked at Percy for a moment before nodding.

"Knock yourself out" he said to Percy "Hope you nail the bastard"

Edgecomb and Brutal both crossed their arms and leaned back to watch Percy haul all the stuff out of the restraint room only to find that the mouse wasn't there.

"Gosh" Brutal said, keeping a straight face "Aint in there, huh?. Don't that beat the mousie band?"

Angela giggled as Percy scanned the room again, not quite believing that the mouse was gone.

"Percy" Edgecomb said "You want to think about what you were doing just now?"

"I know what I was doing" Percy said, glaring at Edgecomb "Trying to get the mouse. You blind?"

"You also scared the living crap out of me and Bill" Terwilliger said before pointing at the inmates "And them"

"So what?" Percy asked "They aint in cradle-school, case you didn't notice. Although you treat them that way half the time"

"We don't scare 'em any more than we have to, Percy. They're under enough strain as it is" Brutal said.

"People under strain can snap. Hurt themselves. Hurt others. That's why our job is talking, not yelling. You'll do better to think of this place like an intensive care ward in a hospital" Edgecomb said.

"I think of it as a bucket of piss to drown rats in. That's all. Anybody doesn't like it can kiss my ass. How's that sit?" Percy asked.

Angela put a hand over her mouth as she heard this.

Brutal stepped forward again, wanting to slug the little bastard. Percy shied back but kept his bravado up.

"Try it" Percy said "You'll be on the bread lines before the week is out"

"We all know who your connections are, Percy" Edgecomb said, stepping closer "But you ever threaten a man on this block again, we're all gonna have a go. Job be damned"

"Big talk" Percy said "You done?"

"Get all this shit back in the restraint room. You're cluttering up my Mile" Edgecomb said.

Edgecomb, Brutal and Terwilliger walked back to the office leaving Percy behind.

"I still don't get where that mouse went" Terwilliger said, passing Angela's cell.

"Same place he went last time" Angela said.

Brutal, Edgecomb and Terwilliger turned to Angela and gawked as they saw a tiny little head peek out of her sleeve. She giggled and smiled brightly, making her entire face light up. Brutal had to force the butterflies in his stomach down.

It was madness to fall in love with a convict, especially one who would be executed in just thirteen days, but then why did his stomach flip flop every time he saw her?. And why did his heart start beating faster?. He shook his head, it was hopeless but he couldn't help it. He was stuck in love.