Crazy Angel

Contract

Jerome wasn't the type to get anxious, especially about someone else. His main focus was on himself... Most of the time, anyway. Today was different. Very different.

Emily had been gone for a long time now. Of course, with no clocks in the room, Jerome had to guess the time. If his calculations were right she was gone for more than thirty minutes. Judging by the darkness filling through the bars of the windows, that certainly wasn't there before she left, he knew it was a long time since she left. Was she okay? Was she in trouble? Did she get bailed out?

Of course, with all these never ending questions floating around in his head, he soon found himself dazed and confused. Too much thinking... Damn, Jerome hated thinking about other people. But... Why was he thinking about her? Why was he thinking about her well being? Last time he checked, Jerome didn't give a damn about people around him... Why was today different?

Sooner than later, getting bored of standing awaiting for Emily to return, he laid down on the bed that occupied most of the small perimeter of the room. He tried to rid himself of this seemingly prolonged condition of boredom by throwing a rock up and catching it with his open palm.

There he found himself. Laying there, doing nothing but finding himself falling into the deep abyss of worry. Jerome felt his eyelids become heavy, as he fought a long vigorous battle to keep them open. After what seemed an century, he gave into the warm feeling of sleep, and soon found himself relaxed and sleeping.

**********************************

"So, what's the catch?" Emily asked through the black telephone connecting her voice to the man on the other side of the glass. The man chuckled, shaking his head with a roll of his dark eyes.

"There is no catch, dear. This is your one way ticket out of here - a miracle if you would."

"How did you get the money to bail me out?"

"I... Pulled and tweaked a few strings." With a nervous smile, the man cleared his throat tapping his fingers impatiently against the wooden desk. "So, are you considering my offer?"

"Duh. I need a way to get out of this hellhole." Emily looked around at the guards, who seemed to be eyeing her like a hawk.

"Well, Miss Sylvester, tell your buddy-"

"His name is Jerome..."

"Okay... Tell Jerome the plan, and make sure you don't speak a squander to any of the other inmates."

"Righty-o, Mr...?"

"No need for formalities, call me Oswald." The man said, adjusting his collar. "Now, I hope you stay on board with the deal. When you are released from here there will be a contract for you and your friend." And with that, he left the phone and walked away... Well, waddled away. Emily found it amusing, as she had to silence her giggles. He was almost the living embodiment of a penguin, with his walk and his beaked nose.

"Come on, back to your cell Miss."

***************

Jerome, at the sound of the sector door opening, shot up like a bullet in his bed. The familiar buzz of the released mechanism was not alien to him, so it was a pure reaction that he scrambled out of his bed and looked at the door. Seeing Emily, he grinned wide. Thank god she was okay...

Wait, what? Did... Did Jerome just think that? Almost in an instant, his grin faded, and he was left with his lips pursed in a tight line. "Where were you?"

"What are you, my dad?" Emily said with a roll of her eyes, tucking a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Why did you take so long?!" Jerome said with his voice raised slightly, anger slowly seeping through his words.

"Jeez, take a chill pill Jerome. I was only-"

"You were gone for ages!" Advancing towards Emily, she was soon backed against the wall with a terrified look on her face.

"Seriously, Jerome... What's gotten into 'ya?"

"You don't understand, do you?! You are the only thing that is keeping me the slightest bit sane! God damn it, Emily!" Slamming his fist on the wall beside Emily's head, she visibly jumped as she eyed up his now bloody fist. Without any other words, Jerome stepped back and went into his cell.

"Wait, Jero-"

"Don't talk to me!"

"But-"

It was the look that Jerome shot back to Emily, the look of pure disgust and anger than made Emily's skin crawl. She's seen him bearing that look once - the last time she saw him with his mother...

How was she supposed to get Jerome to listen to her now?