Day Four

"Babe, you know what would really make bank? You should write a memoir of all the shit they're putting you through."

"What are you talking about Em?" She hated talking on the landline, she could only stand by the desk or sit on the straight backed plastic chair. She'd been annoyed when Emmett didn't contact her; now that they were talking she was even more annoyed.

"The holding you against your will, the bad food, all the trauma—"

"What trauma? They get me whatever kind of food I want. They're all nice to me, and I'm a pediatrician. What kind of message would I be sending if I ignored the current medical protocol?"

"You could make something up."

"Maybe that works for you Em, but my medical ethics do not allow me to 'make something up' and call it a memoir. The service people are just doing their jobs, it's not their fault and they've been very nice."

"You're too nice, Babe."

Bella could hear papers being flipped in the background before he said goodbye. The memoir idea wasn't bad. She just wanted to watch the last two episodes of "Orange is the New Black" before she started anything new.

-21days-Day 4-

Edward thumped his head against the door to the hall. "I am so freaking bored!"

He'd always been a little bit hyper; his mother used to call him 'Taz', for the animated Tasmanian devil. It was one of the reasons he was good with the kids in his care: he had a similar energy level. If he could bounce against the walls he would. He had to settle for banging his head, over and over.

The guard rapped back. "Man, ya know youse can go for a walk in da yard. Din they tell ya dat when youse came in?"

Bouncing in place, arms over his head, Edward shouted, "Ben, you da man! Let's go!"

"Cool ya pits, I gotta check wit da CO."

Ben mumbled into his radio. Edward had lucked out with Ben as his guard. A Staten Island native, he was a regular on the Jersey Shore and knew all the best places to eat. From wings to pizza to subs, Ben had been right on the money.

Edward could hardly wait to see something besides his room. Now he remembered part of the 'welcome speech' was that patients could walk outside as long as they maintained a ten foot space between any other patient, if there were any other patients in the yard at the same time. He'd asked how many other patients were at the facility but he'd been informed that that was secure information. The uptight lieutenant also said they could choose to visit with other patients who were on the same day of quarantine, but only if both parties agreed. When he asked who else was on his day she said, "I can't tell you that."

The short side of the yard was fifty three paces from one end to the other, eighty one lengthwise. Brick buildings formed three sides of the rectangle; the fourth side was a fence. The windows of two buildings were boarded up. The third, the one he was kept in, seemed half occupied if he could make a guess based on the number of windows with shades instead of plywood. He squinted, trying to see through the shades for other people being detained, with no luck.

Most of the enclosure showed its age, but the chain-link fence and padlocked gates looked brand new. It reminded him of a dog park, without the chew toys. He walked, making long strides, then short, then jogged backwards, anything to break up the monotony. At the center four concrete benches surrounded a dry fountain. He examined the green cooper pipes poking out of the concrete, measured the benches with his feet. Edward was on his sixth lap of the path, the brisk air and blowing leaves not deterring him. He'd been issued a green parka; with his hands in his pockets it wasn't too bad. He was willing to stay out as long as they'd let him. Anything, even watching dry brown grass and the federal facility aging around him, was better than hanging out in his cell. Room. Whatever.

He kept an eye on Ben, expecting to be summoned back, but that didn't seem to be an issue. His guard remained by the entrance to the building, sheltered from the wind. The door opened, and Ben nodded to another guard, stepping back to let his ward pass. A woman wearing a beanie and a Government Issue coat, just like Edward's, strode out.

Edward froze, waiting for her to catch up. She stopped, at least twice the required distance from him.

He smiled, raising an arm and waved. "Hey, how are you?"

She stood her ground. "How many days?"

When he didn't answer right away, she said. "I've been here eighteen days. How many for you?"

"Oh," he stepped closer, "I'm on my fourth day."

She shuffled backwards, putting her hand up flat towards him. "Whoa, no closer!"

He held his hands up in the universal sign of surrender, "Sorry, I just wanted to talk…"

Shaking her head, she said, "Look, I'm almost done. I don't want—"

"Hey, you and I know that we're not going to transmit anything by talking a few feet away from each other."

"You know it, I know it, but the dingdongs that came up with this," she waved her hand in a wide circle, "aren't looking for a reason to let anyone out early, and every reason to keep us right here. Sorry pal."

.

.

AN: He just wants some company!

Slightly early post; I need to watch the Walking Dead