Just A Little Insane

Released

     I wake up to the wall across from me just disappearing, just like always. Breakfast time. My favorite part of the day. I stretch my arms and climb out of bed. Right now, it's warm enough that they haven't given me a blanket, but I still get cold. "Breakfast is served." Says a rough voice from the other side of the wall. The weird thing is the wall disappeared, but it's still there. I just shake my head and go and grab my plate from of the cold, grey, floor. Eggs and cheese grits. Not a bad meal, but not the best either. I start humming an old favorite song of mine, Fix You. I didn't really like it until I got here. The lyrics explain my situation a little. At least the way I interpret it. I imagine Dan singing it, telling me no matter what happens, he will always make me feel better. Happier. It may be stupid and weird, but when you got nothing else to do, and life sucks, it's nice when your loved ones are telling you that everything is going to be okay. Trust me. I'd know.

After breakfast, I get dressed and just sit, waiting for my turn to go to the exercise room. They can't let any of in the same room as each other in fear that we might kill each other. I don't mind, as long as I see a real human being every once and awhile. I sit there for awhile before they finally come. "Zoe Handle, your turn for exercise." A man's voice comes from the other side of the wall. "Alright." I reply, standing up and moving towards the wall. It disappears, and a big man in a uniform cuffs me and escorts me to the spacious room, full of all kinds of equipment. The man takes my cuffs off and I just start running around. My little cell is not big enough for much, so this is the only time I really get to be free. I roll around on the yoga ball on my stomach. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the guard roll his eyes. I ignore it though. This is the little time I get to just feel free.

     After exercise time, I get taken back to my cell. I just wait for lunch, which isn't until 12 o'clock, and exercise ends at nine, so I usually just sit for three hours. I get bored just sitting here, so I start playing with my hair. It's pretty long now. I haven't had it cut since I got to prison, so it's been awhile and it was pretty long when I arrived so it's almost to my butt now. I should tell them to get it cut, but they may not go for that. They may think that I will kill them with the scissors. I smile and laugh at the thought, but, the happiness quickly fades. I haven't smiled in months, if not, maybe since I got here. Occasionally, the reality of my life hits me and I become overwhelmed, and now, it's happening again. Strangely, I enjoy it in a way. I think it's because it's one of the few times I'm sane.  I'm sitting here rocking back and forth, running my fingers though my hair and again and again when the wall disappears. I don't think it's time for lunch yet, unless I was spaced out for longer than I thought. The guard from before walks in and then I know that it's not lunch time because no one comes in unless they are escorting me somewhere. "Where are we going?" I ask standing up. The man just grunts and takes me by the arm. He didn't cuff me. When we make it to the hallway, he lets go of my arm and steps in front of me and starts walking and gruffly says, "Follow me." I do what he says because the last two minutes have been strange. I know this place has a strict schedule and the last time it was changed was when someone sentence was changed. I haven't seen him since, but, I never see anyone but the guards and Layla, so it's not really that strange.

     The man takes me to the room where I believe the owner of this facility. When we enter, there is a women in a white dress sitting in a chair in behind a desk. This room actually looks like an office. It is the first thing that's from outside this prison that is like the real world. I soak it all in, looking at what may be my last look at any type of reality. There's a painting on the wall but I can't tell what it's of. The walls are grey and the carpet is black. Carpet. I haven't seen that since I've gotten here. I only ever see my prison cell, the hall way, and the gym floors, all of them with the same plain grey ground. It takes everything in me not to just start rolling all over the floor.

Her desk is actually quite organized. All the papers are in a little paper holder that I don't know the name of, her writing utensils are in a coffee cup and that's really it except her computer. "Hello Zoe. I'm Jessica Summit. I run this containment facility and I am here to help you." The lady behind the desk says. "That's what my lawyer said." I murmur under my breath. "Well, I am not your lawyer." She replies kindly. I just roll my eyes slightly. "I have so news for you Ms. Handle." She says standing up and walking around to the side of her desk. "Well Ms. Summit,-" I start. "Please call me Jessica." She interrupts. "Okay. Jessica, the last news I got was that I was being thrown in prison, so unless you got something good for me, I don't want to here it." I  say fiercely and probably spitting a little. A smile creeps into Jessica's face. I become scared at first. I think of the worst thing possible. This lady sure seems like she would happily chop my head off. "Well then, you will be happy with this news." Jessica says. "I doubt it." I spit at her. She picks up a paper from her desk and begins to read it. "After further research on the case of Daniel Gates, the accused, Zoe Handle, has been found innocent and has been issued a release." It takes me a minute to figure out what it means. "You mean-" I ask with wide eyes and excitement coursing though my veins. Jessica nods and I snatch the paper from her. I read over it quick then pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. I scream and can't help but smile until my face hurts. I am going home. I'm being released. I am no longer a prisoner.