The Stand

Six and Thirty

Arkham Asylum, an institution for the criminally insane. Where the most notorious mentally disturbed of Gotham's criminals are housed. Lucielle Starlet was no exception. She was wearing the loose beige uniform, and had her hair up out of her face. She sat alone on the bare floor of her cell, humming a familiar tune and completing a puzzel.

"what is your problem really?" she asked, "Why is it that you want to visit me?" she looked up at the woman who stood on the other side on the glass. The woman was wearing jeans and a white blouse, her blonde hair hung around her cheeks, and she had stylish black framed glasses on her face.

"I saw your picture on the news and I wanted to see you,"

"yeah, and so does half the city. What makes you so special?"

"well I... I wanted your opinion on something..." the lady opened her purse and pulled out a small photograph of a young teenage girl who had long blonde hair, green eyes full of joy, and a smile so bright it was blinding.

Lucielle's expression softened and she showed interest, "who's that?"

"It's... it was my daughter Lucy," the woman stared down at the inmate.

"hmm...?"

"do...you know her?"

"I don't associate with chipper teenagers, lady,"

"of course," she sighed.

" you can go now," Lucielle looked down at her puzzle. The woman waited for a moment looking at Starlet. Then she walked away. When she was half way down the hall Lucielle got up and said at a decent volume, "Hey Harley...glad you kept that one..." she looked down the hall as the lady walked on, she hadn't heard the inmate. One of the orderlies passed her. He came to Starlet's cell, making sure she was clear of the door, he set a bouquet of flowers on the night table and exited quickly, locking her in.

She went to the flowers, they were roses, red roses. She picked up a note that was attached. Upon reading it she smiled. She wouldn't be locked away for much longer.