(Ophelia)
***
As the sun later set through the small slits of our windows, a guard rattled the railing that acted as a barrier in our cell.
Koharu—complaining about how hard the walls and chairs were—had made an executive decision to use my lap as a pillow, mumbling something about soft thighs before falling asleep. I sat there and couldn't help but feel my mood become less volatile as I stroked her blonde hair, which was wiry as usual but quite oily. The black roots were still only barely visible, but I could see them when I lifted her locks. Lost in a daze, I smiled slightly.
However, the sublime expressions were wiped from both of our faces as the shaking grew rougher. I looked at the metal bars with a blank face that was washed over in bits of irritation. Koharu sat up as if she was violated by the sudden intrusion, scrunching her nose at the entrance.
"Get up," the man who had locked us in there before shouted. "It's time for the two of you to go to the interrogation room."
*The moon's already out!*
"I feel like I'm getting tried for heresy or something," Koharu grumbled.
"It might as well be. This all feels like a big deal out of very little," I said before nudging her shoulder. "Move."
I didn't want this to take all night.
Her mouth opened for a silent yawn, and she stood. I followed her as she tugged my arm, dragging my heavy feet along the concrete.
The officer stared at us wordlessly, seeming not to care about how we got to him as long as it was promptly. However, his stifling gaze grew ever stronger as we approached.
"Turn around."
I nodded and swivelled so that he could fasten the handcuffs on me through the slot in the door, wincing from the damage done to me hours ago.
He then told Koharu to come up to him. As he placed the cuffs along her wrists, I noticed bruises and marks dotting them from hours ago, and they darkened into an eerie blue and yellow color. The sight alone could have evoked tears. I could not imagine how much those hurt.
*Well… My forearms don't look any better.*
She flinched a little as the pieces of metal grew tighter and brushed against her skin, but she was soothed by their looseness when compared to earlier.
"You good?" I asked her softly as the officer flipped through a set of keys to unlock the door.
"Mhm."
She pretended she was fine, but a thin whine was present in her tone.
*I hope we'll get back quickly so that you don't have to suffer.*
A few more guards came to lead us down the hallway, clanging against the bars.
The short glances of the other inmates pecked against my back in short bursts—never too long. The attention was uncomfortable (I was never in the spotlight), but I understood them. There wasn't anything much to do inside the cell without knowing anyone among the half-dozen others cramped in the same fifty square feet, and only officers trudged freely down the halls with their imposing boots and muscular bodies. They incited fear in me each time they passed no matter how guiltless I felt about what I was doing each time.
Sandwiched between a few guards, though, it was hard to see where we were going. Maybe we were headed towards the entrance. Maybe we were being directed to the back. I couldn't see over their heads, so how was I supposed to know?
*Either way, I want out!*