Inescapable Game of Tag

Forty-Seven Days

Sophie

The traffic was still really grueling, adding another hour into the drive. Visitations were most definitely over when I got there. Thanksgiving, anniversaries, birthdays, they'd be extended and given more space to celebrate such a thing inside the walls, but it was far too dark now, and the parking lot wasn't as packed.

However, they hadn't called me or messaged me about a cancellation. Plus, I spotted George's car in a unit of the parking lot, so I parked there. The air was chilly and I already sensed the upcoming rain. The front office was pretty empty, and after finally being noticed, I was checked in and taken over through the staff units.

It was pretty different from the usual halls, where it would only last a couple of steps before there's a locked door, and then over and over. Locked doors after locked doors, only leading to hallways. Now, it was much more open, and there were some people walking around.

After a long walk, the secretary finally stopped at a door. She opened it to lead me inside, and I did, instantly finding the couches with people I was familiar with. The couch at my left sat Juliet, and the one at my right George and Lauren. Of course, I was expecting this, but I was still a little stunned and nervous.

Juliet smiled and nodded towards George and Lauren, so I walked in, sitting next to them. I noticed that they all had the emergency buttons but me.

"You didn't eat with your parents?" Lauren was quick to ask, and I jumped. "We can go get food after this, if you want-"

"N-No, I'm fine, I ate enough before I left." I said, and noticed Juliet smirk with a raising brow. I shook my head, "A-Anyway, what's going on? Why'd I get called?"

George and Lauren shifted, the latter running his hand over his face. Seeing that the two were hesitating, Juliet spoke up, "George and Lauren told you that they'd be gone until February, yes?"

"Until-?" I almost spat, my eyes bugging out. The two beside me hid their faces even more, shoulders tense. "I thought it was just until, like, mid-January."

"They changed it until late January." Well, motherfucking shit. "And, well, we should have established all of our plans earlier..."

"I have no plans."

"Exactly."

I scrunched up my nose, squinting. And here I thought, after seeing her in person again since the wedding, she'd stop the mind games. Judging by George and Lauren's expressions, it seemed she was pulling the same thing on them before I arrived.

"So, as I told you back on the day of the wedding..." She cleared her throat, "Taking him out and giving him a job to perform, it was apart of a process, of something more we wanted to do. Do you remember what it was?"

I hated questions like that, solely there to make me talk. Yet another thing Blake used way too excessively. "Yeah, of course. Something about rehabilitating him and..."

There was a rise in tension, and my hair stood on end.

Juliet paused, "Yes, that's what I said. And, like I also said, I wanted to tell you guys of this once we've reported back here, with everything in order. I see now that it was a mistake." Just as I was about to take a breath, she snapped back, "Not because of what you said, but because it hinders with what we have planned. We didn't think such big plans would be made. We should have discussed it ahead of time."

"What plans?"

"Just as I said, rehabilitation. The job went well, apart from that minor little setback right before we left. But, apart from that, everything went extraordinarily well. We've reported the details to everyone we need to, now, and it's been approved that he get forty-seven days starting on the first of December."

"He gets forty-seven days? Forty-seven days for what?" I was not stupid, I knew the answer, I just didn't want to believe it.

She gave me that look, the one where she clearly knew that I knew. "To be rehabilitated. Out of here, and with other people, outside." What the fuck, she was still on this? When would she realize that putting a mentally unstable murderer of six out of his confines was a bad idea?

"That's... A terrible idea, really."

"We've already got the permission to follow it through."

"All but our permission, really."

"Neither the Jacobsons, Macks, Wilsons, or the rest of the Clarks." She clasped her hands together over her lap, "Especially since today is the anniversary... I doubt the Jacobson's would want to know this."

Fuck.

"We decided on this because we think it's best. Just for forty-seven days, just a pinch of the time he's spent here, and he will still be supervised and on parole. Trust me, things like this happen very frequently, it's just, of course, we wouldn't shout out the plans. I'm very sure that you've driven or walked by people just like that without knowing it." Christ Almighty, stop trying to fuck with my head.

I growled under my breath, putting one leg over the other and rubbing at my temples with a hung head, "Well, whatever." I looked back up at her, hand still up, and eyes narrowed. "I'm guessing that everything's already decided? Set in stone? Where exactly will he go for those forty-seven days, huh? It's not like he knows how anything works out here. He can't be expected to get a job and a home. It's been ten years, he's never been an adult except for that one night!"

Beside me, the Pedersens sat back and hid their faces. I noticed instantly, giving them a quick look before Juliet spoke to me.

"That's why I wanted to talk to the Pedersens here about it. They've been enormously supportive for all of the processes here, they still want the best for their nephew. So, we had been assuming that they'd be able to house him with our visits, but, as we learned, they'll be unavailable for some time."

I leaned back, eyeing her, "Yeah... So, they can't do it, so he can't come out."

"Oh, no, we're setting up backup." She said, and, once again, the Pedersens sunk back further with shuddering sighs. "What we wanted to ask, is if you'd like to house him."

I wanted everything to crumble to dust.

"Th-That wouldn't be necessary...!" Lauren stammered, sitting up with a heavy breath. George was groaning and rubbing more at his face, his feet kicking at the floor. All the while, I could only stare blankly at Juliet, who remained looking as if she didn't insult me and everything I went through. "I thought you said there were other... Sophie can't do that!"

She shut her eyes, snickering. "Of course, of course. I could also house him, but given that I'm always busy and will be giving bias..." As if I wouldn't give bias. He could be sleeping and I'd call, screaming that he was going to stab me. "I truly, honestly doubt that would be allowed. And, I heard that Sophie's work schedule is pretty limited. Spending days just lying in bed..."

You little freak...

"We can't force you to do anything. We'd just like to tell you this is something you can do, and if you don't, then, well, that'll be a lot of trouble. From having to cancel the procedure if we could, trying to sign for his housing and supervision, again, if I could..."

"But..." I was speaking through clenched teeth, "They'd let me, his victim, supervise him?"

"It's not such a baffling concept here. Afterall, you're the one who visits him frequently, as if he's your family." A shock going through my body. "It's not that crazy based on your repetitive behavior with him, is it?"

Silence flew, the only thing breaking it was George's scratches at his stubble and his shoes tapping at the floor.

"You have until tomorrow to report your answer. Afterall, I'm sure you'll visit Blake tomorrow, anyway, huh? Since visitations are closed right now."