Freefall
oo4.
Ryan leans back against the wall leisurely. His eyes flutter open as the door across from him clicks unlocked. He isn’t moving, just watching the door patiently. Slowly, it is being pulled open and the light rushes in. A silhouette shuffles in to view, imposing in every form of the word. It takes deliberate steps forward into the light, illuminating the clean-shaven face of a man. His face remains hard, stoic.
“Do you want to play a game with me?” Ryan squeaks excitedly at the figure.
“Come with me. You have a visitor.” The man tells him gruffly, waving off Ryan’s question. Instantly, the boy’s face falls. In disappointment or an attempt to hide anger, one could not be certain…
---
She taps her foot impatiently on the dirty linoleum tile. She had to at least see the boy. After all, it would be twelve years in a few days. The newspapers certainly hadn’t done the situation any justice, and had, in fact, exploited it to the point of no return. They’d written about the parentless, mentally unstable boy who had jumped off the high rise. Thank God they didn’t get his last name, she sighs. It couldn’t be good for her reputation after all. But they would come looking some time, and she had to make sure that he wouldn’t speak a word.
The clock above the door to her right ticks incessantly, bundling her nerves into tight-knit anger. She looks up as the metal door is pushed open. A guard walks into the room, followed reluctantly by a scruffy haired young man. His eyes are pinned on his feet, and his jaw is clenched tightly. He is led to the middle of the room and seated somewhat forcibly into the cold metal chair. After making certain that the patient was stable here, the guard takes stiff steps back to the other room.
Ryan is unmoving, like a statue almost. The woman sits directly across from him, hands on her knees, ruler straight posture, a crooked smile painted on her face.
“Hello, Ryan.”
Ryan’s hands ball into fists at his sides, but he does not look up.
“That was quite a story I read about you in the paper,” she remarks, relishing in his reactions. There is no response, so she continues. “You know something? You should have died, should’ve saved the world from having to put up with your worthlessness. I should never have had to deal with you. You’re pathetic. Throwing you out was the best decision I ever made. I should’ve just let you die. You’re pathetic.” She repeats emphatically.
Ryan’s head snaps up, eyes flashing with pure hatred. He opens his mouth, but snatches it shut instantly. His sneer is wiped away, replaced by fear. His breathing slowly becomes more rapid, more desperate, like he was hyperventilating. She hurries to his side, not wanting to be held responsible for whatever was happening to him.
A horrid shriek tears past Ryan’s thin lips, roaring through the room in search of an exit. The woman’s hands shoot up to shield her ears from the noise. The door is thrown open and two guards rush in to assess the situation. Ryan’s scream ceases instantaneously, but it is followed by a series of pitiful choked sobs.
After assuring the guards multiple times that she had done nothing to the boy, she takes her seat once more. Ryan is escorted gingerly from the room, leaving her with her thoughts. “Amazing,” she remarks, lurching to her feet after a moment. “Truly amazing…”
“Do you want to play a game with me?” Ryan squeaks excitedly at the figure.
“Come with me. You have a visitor.” The man tells him gruffly, waving off Ryan’s question. Instantly, the boy’s face falls. In disappointment or an attempt to hide anger, one could not be certain…
---
She taps her foot impatiently on the dirty linoleum tile. She had to at least see the boy. After all, it would be twelve years in a few days. The newspapers certainly hadn’t done the situation any justice, and had, in fact, exploited it to the point of no return. They’d written about the parentless, mentally unstable boy who had jumped off the high rise. Thank God they didn’t get his last name, she sighs. It couldn’t be good for her reputation after all. But they would come looking some time, and she had to make sure that he wouldn’t speak a word.
The clock above the door to her right ticks incessantly, bundling her nerves into tight-knit anger. She looks up as the metal door is pushed open. A guard walks into the room, followed reluctantly by a scruffy haired young man. His eyes are pinned on his feet, and his jaw is clenched tightly. He is led to the middle of the room and seated somewhat forcibly into the cold metal chair. After making certain that the patient was stable here, the guard takes stiff steps back to the other room.
Ryan is unmoving, like a statue almost. The woman sits directly across from him, hands on her knees, ruler straight posture, a crooked smile painted on her face.
“Hello, Ryan.”
Ryan’s hands ball into fists at his sides, but he does not look up.
“That was quite a story I read about you in the paper,” she remarks, relishing in his reactions. There is no response, so she continues. “You know something? You should have died, should’ve saved the world from having to put up with your worthlessness. I should never have had to deal with you. You’re pathetic. Throwing you out was the best decision I ever made. I should’ve just let you die. You’re pathetic.” She repeats emphatically.
Ryan’s head snaps up, eyes flashing with pure hatred. He opens his mouth, but snatches it shut instantly. His sneer is wiped away, replaced by fear. His breathing slowly becomes more rapid, more desperate, like he was hyperventilating. She hurries to his side, not wanting to be held responsible for whatever was happening to him.
A horrid shriek tears past Ryan’s thin lips, roaring through the room in search of an exit. The woman’s hands shoot up to shield her ears from the noise. The door is thrown open and two guards rush in to assess the situation. Ryan’s scream ceases instantaneously, but it is followed by a series of pitiful choked sobs.
After assuring the guards multiple times that she had done nothing to the boy, she takes her seat once more. Ryan is escorted gingerly from the room, leaving her with her thoughts. “Amazing,” she remarks, lurching to her feet after a moment. “Truly amazing…”