Soothsayer ⚡ Barry Allen

Black-n-Blue Necklace

My back smacked against the cold concrete wall, I was more careful to make sure my head didn't make as great of an impact as I stared up at another prisoner. "Hiya, Jason," I chuckled to myself, carefully watching his angered expression.

"Don't 'hiya' me, Andy," he growled as he came closer. "I was locked in solitary for two weeks because of you."

"Enjoy your stay?" I hummed, my smirk dropping when he slammed his hand against the wall beside my head.

"This isn't a joke, kid," he warned as he got closer, still keeping his hand beside my head. "I lost my chance at parole."

"Aw, lost your chance to terrorize the city again?" I pouted in mock sympathy. Jason's other hand snapped up and closed around my throat, pulling a surprised gasp from me as I tried to break his hold.

"Just because you worked with the Joker doesn't make you funny," he growled darkly. I tried to worm my fingers under his as his hold tightened, cutting off the edges of my vision.

"Doesn't it, though?" I wheezed, cracking a small smile. He pulled me forward just enough to push me back into the wall, the impact on my oxygen-deprived head causing the blackness in the corners of my vision to spread further inwards. The only thing I could see was Jason's angered face as he continued to strangle me.

"Don't get in my way again, or I'll make sure to kill you," he harshly whispered in my ear before releasing me and walking off. I dropped my knees and desperately gasped in air, my hands gently rubbing the soreness from my neck. Slowly, my vision came back to me, the edges blurred and hazy. I carefully stood again, rolling my neck a few times to try to ease the new pain.

I kept one hand on my neck as I made my way back to my cell, my breaths coming in coarsely. Terry stared at me with concern as I neared my bars. "You alright, Andy?" he asked, eyeing my neck.

"Just peachy," I grumbled with a sarcastic smile.

"You be careful out there," he advised as he opened up the door. "Betty won't be happy to hear you're getting beat on my watch."

"So tell her I won," I lightly laughed as I walked into the cell, my neck muscles tense with protest.

"She can sniff out my lies like a pig on truffels, but I'll try," he chuckled, closing the door and returning to his shift. I could feel Terra's eyes on me the whole time and when I finally turned around, her eyes fell to my neck before widening. Guess I was already bruising.

"What happened?" she asked as she slid down from the top bunk.

"Three weeks ago I dumped my contraband into someone else's cell before a search. He wasn't too happy with that, hence the retaliation," I explained, guesturing to my throat. "Happens all the time."

"You'd better hope your boyfriend doesn't see that." I rolled my eyes and dropped to my bed.

"Barry isn't my boyfriend," I informed, getting comfortable with my hands folded on my stomach.

"He might as well be," Terra chuckled. "He visits you every week, talks to the warden on your behalf. What next? Is he gunna break us out?" I laughed and shook my head.

"Barry's too much of a goody-two-shoes. He still thinks I'm staying here until the end of my sentencing." The blonde scoffed and I nodded in agreement.

"You're going to taint him." There wasn't a question about it. My darkness was already seeping into him, it was only a matter of time before it corrupted him.

"And enjoying every minute of it," I softly chuckled. My throat was starting to swell, making it difficult to swallow, so I opted to remain silent after that.

⚡

I leisurely walked down the hall of the prison block, ignoring the men at my left. Most of them hadn't seen a woman in a long time, so I understood the cat calls and whistles that followed me. Didn't mean I liked it. I was on the search for my beloved janitor, Kevin. It was only after most of the whistling died down that I could pick out his distinct -- at least to my trained ear -- whistle down the next hall.

I wasn't familiar with the tune, but I loved it all the same. I found my guardian angel mopping the hall leading to another block, a grin on my face as I walked up behind him. "Now, where have you been this last week?" I asked curiously, being conscious of the wet floor as I stood beside him.

Kevin turned to me with a light smile as he opened his mouth to explain but it closed and a frown of concern took it's place when his eyes instantly fell to the dark bruising that encircled my neck. "No where I should've been if this is what happens when I'm gone," he replied in concern as he pushed back some of my hair. "Who did this to you?"

"It's...actually why I'm here," I mumbled, giving him a soft smile. But, as always, he could see the deviance behind it. "I'm pretty booked for the next few months and I don't want to do anything until after Valentine's. I was just wondering who was on duty for that month?" Kevin knew I liked to plan things out, knew how methodical I could get. Besides, this wasn't our first tango; good ol' Kevin had been my informant for some time now, even before Martinez.

He studied my face and neck for a moment with a conflicted expression, but -- as always -- I won him over. "Shifts aren't posted until the middle of next month," he sighed, leaning against his mop. "I'll see what I can do for you." My smile widened and I thought it over for a moment before giving him a cautious hug.

My grip was light, allowing him an exit should he feel uncomfortable hugging a convicted prisoner, but he gently ran his hand down my head a couple times before I backed off. "Thanks, Kevin. You're the best." I gave him a genuine smile before I went back down the hall, his melodious whistle resuming as he continued to mop as well.

By the time I had settled on my lower bunk, the guard was gone and Terra was peaking her head down to raise her eyebrow in a silent question. "We'll have what we need before the time comes. It's your turn." I couldn't see below her nose, but her cheeks pulled up in what I knew as one of her rare smiles. She never let me see them, but I could see the signs by this point. Her eyes casually dropped to my neck for a few seconds before she got back into a comfortable position and stayed there silently.

I frowned and tenatively placed my right hand over my neck; Jason was left handed, it hurt less this way. I knew the bruising was extensively dark and prominent against my pale skin. One of the downsides of being a ginger. Other than not having a soul, I chuckled to myself before closing my eyes and relaxing for the night.