Prisoner 138

"I think he's very lonely. Lonelier than he lets on. Maybe lonelier than he even realises"

| Ardian |

"I think we did well today, I'll talk to you next week" I assured, they nodded, offering me one of those weak smiles to fake the assurance back that they're 'fine'
I shut the laptop, sighing

Therapy is ten times harder across a screen
I can't read anyone properly, I can't observe a lot of body language
I filed my notes from the session away

Before I sat by the window, looking at the view
Of the hills, the grass, the trees
The... loneliness of it all
Witness protection threw me into a cottage thinking I'd fly under a radar

But they were wrong
This was the perfect place for a serial killer with a grudge to get me.

But she hadn't.
Not for twelve months now.
Over a year of sitting in this house, day after day, making small talk with neighbours at the nearest town.

Working across a screen and being... grateful to Stella that she allowed me back to work.
Only leaving the house for food
I had compulsory meetings with Stella over the phone and computer

And the... funeral
Standing beside my mother's grave knowing the last time we spoke... she was on her death bed
Cursing me out and calling me useless

Telling Matthew that he should have came sooner
Bitterly disappointed in us until the very end.

And yet after every fall, I clung to work.
But work did not ease my mind the way it used to
It didn't occupy my thoughts
Normally a case rattled through my mind and yet... in the quiet... in the silence...

All I can think about is her

Where she is. What she's doing
Why she left
Why she stabbed me
Why she hasn't come back
Why she hadn't been in contact of some sort

To completely abandon... everything after nearly killing me seemed... wrong
Unfinished
But the hopeful part of me should he thankful she is gone.

And it... isn't.

And the guilty shameful part of me, should be thinking more for my daughter
My little girl out there somewhere, growing up without her father.

Because I fucked everything up.

| Ivelle |

"You're sure this will work?" Deimos asked
"If it doesn't, what's the worst that can happen?" I chuckled
"I get stuck with your kid" he pointed out
I sighed

"You mean your nephew" I said
"Yeah, that" he said disinterested
"I'll only be a week or so" I said
"And if you get stuck there?" He asked again

I groaned
"Then I'll die and you'll have to raise him" I said
He's being paranoid.
This will be fine
Totally fine.

•

I strolled into the reception of the building, sitting politely in the chair of the waiting area, waiting for acknowledgment
And it came. Three minutes later when someone recognised me.

And guns went up, people began to shout at me.
To stop, to get on the ground. To put my arms on my head slowly and comply
I chuckled, slowly shifting forward in my chair.

Smiling at them all.
"Where's Don Carmona?" I asked simply
They zoned in on me, so I sighed, throwing my hands up and kneeling on the ground

One of them shook. Their hands actually shook holding their gun.
How funny. To be in the position of power and still be so scared of me.

No one moved. No one arrested me
They all stared at me. Waiting
Until Don appeared, rushing out of the lift and looking at me baffled

"Ivelle" he breathed
"You want to slap the cuffs on me? Captain? My knees are really starting to hurt" I frowned
He face hardened
And after a flicker of hesitance flashed in his eyes, he approached me

He cuffed me. He read me rights he surely didn't believe I should have
And I let him.
I let them catch me.

•

He left me there for two days. In that cell. A new cell granted but... the walls are all the same.
The feelings the same... trapped
He knew I wanted something
He knew he would have to talk to me eventually

Maybe he's scared too. Of what I'll do.

| Ardian |

The day I heard a knock on my door, was the first time I grabbed the gun I had bought a year ago
The first time my spine shot with nerves like she... she made me feel.

I neared the door, only for my fears to be eradicated immediately
"Ardian! You there?" Stella called, banging on the door again
She's here?

I opened it. Looking at her
Tired. Older. Smoking
It had been months since I last actually saw her, I mainly communicated through the phone
I dare not leave the house.

Trapped in my self made prison because of her
"You're here" I said stupidly
"Yes, you want to stick the kettle on? I have some news" she said.

•

She sat quietly at the table
Stella is never quiet
She's always complaining.
"What's happened?" I asked, sitting down.

She stared at the table. Then at me
Cautiously?
She hasn't...
"What's happened Stella? Has she... has she killed someone?" I asked

In the year she had gone missing... ten people have been found dead. Connected to... her
Two people went missing, yet to be found.
But Stella never showed up at my house to tell me about those murders.

Yet she's here now
"Stella" I said calmly, all but begging in my mind
"She..." she composed herself
"She's handed herself in" she said

She...
"What?" I let out
"She walked into DuskView prison and... handed herself in" she said
"What... but what happened? Why? What did she do?" I reeled out confused

"Nothing. She walked in. She complied with officers, she's in a cell" she relayed, like she couldn't believe it either
And the next question fell out of my mouth by itself
"Can I see her?" I asked

And I immediately regretted those words
Why would I want to see her?
Why should I?
Why do I?

She stabbed me. Left me bleeding
She kidnapped Enora.

"No" she shook her head
I knew she'd say no. It was a bad idea.
A stupid idea.

But... since Ivelle, I've only ever felt smart when she let me.
She let me have moments of genius.
And she assured me when I was being stupid, not living up to the fantasy potential in her head.

I thought about it for a moment. As Stella let it sit with me
And I grounded myself
"Can I speak to Enora? Witness protection will stop now she's locked away, can I see Enora?" I asked instead

Can I see my daughter?...
"No" she said again
"Stella-"
"You know she doesn't want to see you. If she reaches out, I'll let you know. But for now, I can't tell you where she is Ardian, you know that" she said

I sighed
"It doesn't make sense" I said
"She's hurt, women always-"
"No. Ivelle. It doesn't make sense, why would she hand herself in? What does she gain from that?" I asked

"Every killer reaches a breaking point" she offered
Yeah. And Ivelle hit hers a year ago when I... hurt her.
So why has she only come forward now?

Knowing she'll be locked away with no contact.
It made no sense

"I... I can't wrap my head around this" I said
"Because you're confused, relieved or disappointed?" She asked
I looked up at her.
"Don't do that. Don't analyse me" I said

"I can't help it. You can't either. So... which is it?" She asked
"Confused" I lied
It was a mix of them all
"And why would I be disappointed? She's a murderer" I said

"A murderer with a fascination for you. That doesn't make you a little disappointed? That she's now locked up. Now you can move on" she said
Move on.

She said we'd never move on until one of us were dead.
"Ardian. You need to process this, thoroughly. So you can move on" she said slowly.
Like I truly was one of her patients

Is that what Ivelle's broken me down to?
A patient.

| Ivelle |

Finally.
I waited. And waited
And even after actually agreeing to meet with me, he left me sitting here for an hour
But I don't mind. It's good to know your surroundings

To... plan future events.
He eventually came in, shutting the door hard, sitting down silently but stiffly
He was trying to appear... hardened
Not to be messed with
Maybe he really is.

But if the sharpest minds can break. So could his
Because he wasn't sharp at all.
Dione Lowell thought I wrecked her life in months. I wrecked her life the day I met her.
She was easy to read

Ardian... Ardian took a whole week.
He was impressive. Intellectual
Perfect.

He watched me across the table like I was crazy
Like he was trying to figure out how to approach me.
Some of the most famous and adored artists went completely 'insane'
Writers and poets

They all eventually lost their minds
Maybe that's what happens when your head is too full of... everything.

It's too much to handle.

"Ivelle" he finally said
"Don" I replied
"Warden" he corrected
"I thought we were closer than that Don. The way you grabbed me downstairs" I teased

"Drop the act. And tell me what you want" he said
"Maybe I want to repent. Serve out my hard earned time" I shrugged, sitting back, the handcuffs straining against my wrists.

He crossed his arms. Not buying it huh?
Such a psychical action. Blocking me out
Like a child wanting protection

"You really should talk more... warden. Face like that" I commented
"Tell me Ivelle" he said shortly
Ivelle... not prisoner 138 anymore?

I smiled. I suppose the quicker I tell him, the quicker I get what I want.
"You're going to bring Ardian to me" I said simply.

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