The Inmate's Play Thing

Six

My gaze wandered down to the floor as I sat on my cot, my feet swinging lazily below me. My pants were rolled up to about my knees, exposing my pale skin beneath. My feet were bare and the cool air felt good on them. I smiled a little to myself, enjoying one of the simple pleasures I allowed myself to have.
A couple bangs on the metal bars grabbed my attention and my head snapped up to see Henry, a guard I was on good standards with. He was charismatic and always getting into trouble with his coworkers. To me he always seemed like someone who should be on the other side of the bars he was leaning up against, as he was always teasing the other guards and pulling petty little tricks. It baffled me how he hadn't gotten fired yet.
He held a hand behind his back and he had a devilish grin on his face.
"Loverboy wanted to give you something, had to read through it first to make sure it wasn't anything incriminating or whatever, but here ya go,"
He slipped a folded, crumpled piece of paper through the bars and I quickly got up and caught it.
"Santiago?"
I questioned, looking down at the letter in my hands.
He shrugged and scratched the back of his head, his bun loosening and small whisps
of hair coming untucked from the loose hair tie holding his waist length hair in place.
"Yeah, the new guy, whoever he is. He really likes you, dunno why. Wants to be moved to a cell closer to you so he can hold you hand. Awful sweet, hm?"
I saw the lazy grin on his face and my cheeks burned rosy red.
"Aw, but what am I saying? You should read the letter for yourself, don't let me spoil it."
He waltzed off lazily, a slow, leisurely pace to his steps. He was usually high coming to the job and he always mumbled about gigs he'd gotten high at hours ago before coming in.
I sat down on the cot again, brushing the itchy sheets aside and I gently unfolded the letter, admiring the neat penmanship.
I read each paragraph carefully and felt my heart flutter, imagining the written words on the paper as his voice, gently echoing in the back of my mind. The smooth baritone calming my mind and sending me into the sort of high I'd seen Henry in most of the night.
I held the note close to my heart and hid it under the pillow in embarrassment as a guard ushered Jason back into our cell.
He had a wide grin on his face and he walked over to his cot, sitting down and grinning at me, his eyes shining with tears.
"I-I'm getting released.."
He whispered to himself.
I looked up at him and felt my heart stutter in confusion.
"That's amazing!" I put on a little smile for him and sat beside him, looking up into his eyes.
"Your wife, she bailed you?"
I questioned gently.
He shook his head, his hair falling into his face, a large grin on his face.
"No, actually.. the judge proved me innocent and I'm going home tomorrow, can you believe it?"
He beamed.
I felt tears well up in his eyes and I wrapped my arms around him, pressing my face into his shoulder, the uncomfortable shirt absorbing my warm tears.
"I'm so happy for you.."
My heart ached thinking about how lonely it would be in a cell all to myself, but I distracted myself with the thoughts of Jason being able to go home and hug his children and kiss his wife once again.
I smiled for him, for him running home into the arms of his family, for him being declared innocent. But that night I cried. I cried my heart out for the deathly silence his absence left me. I cried for the heartache, for the pain I felt being so alone, and the pain of knowing I'd never get out.
The next day was visitors day. It happens here about once every two months. I've been here for a good four and not once has anyone visited me. I wasn't expecting Henry's dopey smile in the doorway and a teddy bear in his arms when I woke up.
"From an anonymous person, but I think you know who."
He gently slid the teddy bear in through the metal bars and it landed on the floor, flopping over on its nose. I got up and rubbed my eyes, walking over and gently picking it up. I hugged it close to my chest and took in a slow breath.
Santiago.
Henry chuckled.
"You're gonna have a new roommate come Sunday now that Jason's gone. I told them it depends on who bribes me the most but lemmie hear it from you, little man. Who do you want to bunk with?"
It took me a couple minutes to decide as I looked down at the soft, chestnut fur of the bear.
"I think.. I think I wanna bunk with.."