It was raining - the mid evening light from the setting sun blew through glass, filling my room with a bronze haze wherever dust catches the light.
My neck twists, peering to the rightn I see my bed more importantly on the nightstand beside it a clock.
[08:34]
I didn't even notice that they were late..
I turn around fully facing the door and sitting on the bed, the light striking my back and carving my shadow into the floor stretching across the room to the base of the door.
I wait
Click
Practiced discipline or more likely excitement pushes me to stand as the door swings, it's Crane wearing his usual frown.
"I thought I would never be rid of you"
I step forward holding out my arms for him to bind my arms with his cuffs. Looking down at the man.
"I know! it's the end of an era huh? if it helps any I'm gonna miss ya!"
He grunts slowly leading me out through the door, responding in his monotone voice
"It does not"
We step out into the courtyard, the guards tower standing tall at the centre, rainwater streaming down it's glass as I catch some figures moving around inside.
Crane leads me past many cells, the other inmates are quiet save for a few yelling and singing some nonsense.
Finally we come to a heavy fortified door, the exit from the prisoners section into the proper facilities of the prison.
Crane raises his hand to the door, his eyes flash yellow for a few seconds, a few seconds pass as the door whirs to life making loud clicking noises before unlocking with a hefty thud.
Leading me through it's not long before we come up to a hole in a wall, a small sign next to her reading 'prisoner inventory'
"46" he says
'Yes?' I almost respond before the teller nods in affirmation. She walks back to one of the many shelves behind her before retrieving a bag.
"Hey that's my bag"
I speak aloud, the tellers face twisting into a smile while crane just grunts and shakes his head.
"Yes it is.. it also contains all your confiscated belongings' she says with a gentle smile heaving the bag onto the table
"And this will purge the restrictions we placed on your implants" she says placing down a single pill in a small cup
"no need to tell me twice!" I hurry reaching down to the cup and swallowing the pill, coughing lightly as It falls down my throat.
"Nothing is happening" I say aloud to the both of them as I tilt me head, and pick up my bag
"It has a delayed activation, so nobody tries anything funny " crane helpfully before waking off clearly expecting me to follow him.
"Thank you ma'am" I say quickly before jogging after crane the woman giving me with a small wave.
We continue down a few corridors, some guards and staff passing by as we move through the twisting halls, finally stopping at a pair of doors.
He raises his hand again, this door unlocking much faster then the previous one.
"This is it" he says pushing it open
It's still raining, I feel it splashing down on me, weighing down my clothes. Focusing i search the grounds eyes tracing over cars and small buildings before.
I see it
About 100 meters away to the left of us sits a bus painted dark blue unlike the bright red of the prison owned vehicles. On the side in bold black writing
Transport shuttle
And next to it the insignia of the CAF
It is at the point crane slowly looks back at me, his face for the first time since I met him betraying any emotion other then annoyance or contempt
"Crane? You oka-"
".. you'll be okay" he says before unceremoniously unlocking my handcuffs
"Thanks..." I say confused as I massage my freed wrists gently
I reposition my bag heaving the strap over my head and onto my shoulder while walking towards the bus.
Approaching the doors hiss opening slowly, the driver not even turning to look at me.
"Sit down" he says and I don't care to argue
The bus is filled with the sounds of life, about half full I hear people chatter to eachother, an air of unease filling the vehicle.
As I walk past a few people glance up at me eyes widening, before quickly looking away when I shuffle past.
With a thud I drop down on a couple seats, leaning back into the chair I spy a flyer sticking out of the seat pockets Infront of me.
It's for the mech corps 'seems unessary' I think to myself looking around at my peers. Before turning to look out the window.
'We're all going there.. if we want to or not'
I hear a girl whimpering behind me sobbing to herself 'not seems more likely'
The bus huffs to a start, Saint Godwin's penitentiary my home for five years slips away. The rain streaming down the window blurring it from my vision.
Silently I lean back vision drifting to pamphlet again.
I just hope I have some fun.