Romy Marlowe Morais | non-binary, she/they | 15 | song: Unwell by Matchbox 20 TW for murder and insanity probably "Taking Prisoner Outlaw their food?" The guard looked up from his book, glancing the skinny girl carrying a plate of food up and down. She cracked a smile at his use of Prisoner 3901's notorious nickname and nodded. "Alright. In you go." He waved her in through the cave passageway, and she scurried through. The girl slowed down, avoiding eye contact with the prisoners. Some merely glanced up and snorted scornfully at the sight of her, others leaned against the bars and begged for a scrap of food, and occasionally one would throw themself at the bars, desperately struggling for freedom. The terrified girl squeaked and hurried past those prisoners. At last, the girl reached the elevator, which she entered and pressed a quick succession of buttons. The elevator doors shut and it started to descend rapidly. The girl grabbed a strap of leather hanging from the ceiling and closed her eyes, waiting for the arduous voyage to end. Finally, the elevator clanked to a stop, the doors opening. In front of her, a short passageway ended abruptly in bars, behind which a small cell waited patiently. The cell, like all the rest, held a small cot with a blanket and a curtained-off area, which a crude toilet and sink resided in. Sitting on the cot, Prisoner Outlaw, also known as Prisoner 3901, was humming and weaving their slim fingers through the air. She looked up at the sound of the girl and her eyes brightened. "Anja!" they said happily, standing and reaching out a hand towards her. Anja made no move to greet them. She slowly walked towards the cell and pressed a button on the wall, opening a section of the bars, which she slid the food through. "Don't leave," Romy begged, grabbing her wrist through the bars when she turned to leave. "Anja, please. I'm sorry-" "Sorry for KILLING my SISTER?" Anja screamed, wrenching her wrist free. "Dalia was INNOCENT! Our fight was between us! She had-" "It wasn't me! Anja, please, you have to believe me!" Romy threw themself against the bars, seizing her wrist again and pulling her back against the bars. "Anja," she whispered, tears in their eyes. One of her glasses lenses was broken, and their jacket was slightly torn. "Anja, I- I didn't. I loved her. I love-" "Don't, Romy," Anja whispered, tears filling her eyes. "Don't. You said you loved me, and then you used your Airweaving to kill my sister. Just don't." "I DID NOT DO THAT." Romy's eyes blazed with fury, and she pulled Anja into the bars, making her yelp with pain and hold her arm to her chest. "I swear, I'm not sick like they say I am. I'm just... a little unwell, okay?" Anja sobbed, both with physical and emotional pain, and leaned against the bars. "I can't believe that," she whispered. "I can't believe that, Romy." "I don't need you to believe me," Romy implored, releasing her. "I just need you to come back. I can't stay here alone, look what it's doing to me..." Anja didn't reply. She collected herself, took a deep breath and set off towards the elevator, holding her arm at an awkward angle. But when she glanced back at Romy with cold, hard eyes, Romy knew that Anja would never believe her story. Oh, well. It wasn't true anyway. As the elevator rumbled up, through the stone to the clear skies and free air, Romy laughed. Once, twice, until the passageway rang with the insane, desperate, hopeless laughter of a madman with nothing left to lose. The mountainside rumbled, and the whole passageway, the whole elevator shaft, the whole prison, was buried in a single cave-in, killing everyone inside, Romy, Anja, the prisoners, even the guard by the entrance. Nothing left to lose for Romy Marlowe Morais, nor Prisoner 3901, nor Prisoner Outlaw, indeed.
