80: PRISON TALK LUKE’S POV I arrived at the police station, looking fixedly at everywhere. Today, I had decided to pay my ex -girlfriend a little visit. These past few days had been incredibly difficult for me. The loss of Riley, the young prodigy, had left a gaping hole in my heart. Her vibrant voice and infectious laughter were still fresh in my mind, serving as a reminder of the joy and brilliance she brought into my life. It was hard to believe that she was no longer with us, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of emptiness without her. The memories of her would always hold a special place in my heart, and I’d never forget the impact she had on me.Of course, I had been really depressed. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake off this overwhelming feeling of sadness. I found it difficult to engage in conversations with people, and even when I did, it felt like I was just going through the motions. Food, which used to bring me joy, now held no appeal and I had no appetite. It was a constant battle to push through each day, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever feel like myself again. Despite my efforts, this sadness seemed to have a firm grip on my mind, making it incredibly hard to let go. Again, I was at the police station, as I had come to visit Ariel. As I entered the building, the smell of cold metal which filled my nostrils. I walked up to the reception desk, where a stern- faced officer sat. “I’m here to see Harriet,” I said, my voice trembling. The officer looked at me with tired eyes and handed me a visitor’s pass. “Third floor, Cell Block C,” he replied, pointing in the direction I needed to go. “Okay, thank you,” I told him. “Don’t mention it,” he replied nonchalantly. I surveyed him before making my up the stairs.Each step felt heavier than the last. When I reached the third floor, I followed the signs that led me to Cell Block C. The dimly lit hallway was filled with locked doors, and the sound of muffled voices echoed in the distance. had Finally, I reached Harriet’s cell, after quite a long walk, which had me feeling somehow; a way I couldn’t explain. As I peered through the small window on the door, my eyes met Harriet’s and I could see the toll that her imprisonment had taken on her. Her once bright and lively eyes were now dull and filled with sadness. My hand trembled as I reached out to knock gently on the door, and she slowly turned to face me, her expression a mixture of surprise and resignation. I took a deep breath promptly. “Luke,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”“I couldn’t stay away,” I replied, my voice choked with emotion. “I needed to see you. I can see how this prison has changed you completely.” Harriet let out a deep sigh, turning her face away. “If you’ve come here to throw insults at me. You can kindly leave.” I looked at her for a moment, her ravishing hair that used to be one of a kind, was now messy, the complete opposite. “I haven’t come here for that.” Harriet looked at me immediately. “Why are you here then?” “What kind of question is that? You and I once had this passionate feeling toward each other.” “Not anymore,” she spoke coldly. I sighed, looking down. “I know. How have you been doing?” Harriet glared at me. “I’ve been doing great. Since I could no longer see your face or hear anything about you. But you had to show up and destroy the glee.” “There’s no need to lie Harriet. You’re looking horrible.” “If you know how I’ve been doing, then why ask in the first place?” “I was just trying to be nice,” I replied. “Well I don’t need you being nice to me. I don’t even want to see your face anymore.” “It’s so sad you’re seeing it ow,” I told her softly. “What do you want, Luke? Tell mo you?” exactly what you want. Or has that wife of yours abandoned I chuckled. “No, why would she do that?” “I don’t know. Because you don’t deserve to be loved by anyone,” Harriet spat bitterly. “Who told you that?” I aksed, curving my lips into a little smirk. “Nobody. It’s something I had to find out myself. I loved you, cared about you. Sacrificed most of my time just to be with you. And you had to break up in the end.” “You did that?” I raised an eyebrow. Harriet rolled her eyes. “Yes Luke. Do you know how many role I had to time with you?” “You should never have done that.‘ Ject, just to spend “Please don’t come here with any silly talk. Just get straight to the point, so you can get the hell out of here!” Looking at how she barked, I couldn’t help but smile at her. Harriet noticed the expression on my face, and she had to look at me in a confused manner. “Why are you smiling?” “It’s nothing actually,” I answered. “You just look so pretty when you’re mad.” Harriet chuckled. “I don’t want you to crack jokes around here either.” “How in the world am I cracking jokes? Does that sound like a joke to you?” Harriet shook her head. “Okay, jokes aside. Just tell me the reason why you’ve come to visit me. “I just felt like paying you a visit.” Harriet gaped at me. “You just felt like paying me a visit,” she slowly repeated my words. I nodded. “I can’t stay mad at you forever. Although you killed a holy priest.” “Wait. You’re not angry with me anymore?” Harriet looked kind of puzzled. “Well, I’m still mad at you.” “Of course. I knew that,” she said underneath her breath. “You went too far. I never thought you would kill someone.” “Have you come here to remind me of my mistakes?” She averted her gaze. “Do I have to remind you?” I aksed, and she looked at me. “I mean, it’s obvious that terrific scene play in your head every single day.” “Yeah, I know,” she whispered. “I know.” “I feel so sorry for you. Honestly.” “I feel so sorry for myself,” Harriet said. “But this is just my life now. And I’ll be looking forward to my trial.” “I hope you don’t get the punishment of a lifetime,” I brought out. “I know you did wrong, and I’m supposed to hate you. But I can’t hide the fact that we did share something in the past. And all those moments, I truly loved you.” I looked at Harriet. Her eyes were filled with guilt. “There have been some depressing things happening in my life lately.” I sighed and continued, “You need to cherish this visit so much. Because this might be the last time we see each other.” “So you’re trying say that I’ll spend the rest of my life in jail?” Harriet asked softly. “No,” I answered in a whisper. “I’m trying to tell you that I might not be alive to see you anymore.” I moved backwards, “So, goodbye,” I whispered and walked away. I could notice the pain in Harriet’s eyes. The moment I walked out of the building, I took my phone out of my pocket, and started calling that guy, who had the information. It was time to comply to his conditions. He answered the phone call, and immediately, I asked, “Where and when do you want us to meet?”
