I Want To Live....

Chapter Two: "Meeting No. 8888"

Aunt Michell had been a chaplain for a few decades now. She goes to see any convicts who doesn't have any visitors and does things like sending them letters, without charging any fee.

Honestly, I have no interests in that kind of job. Living your life sustained by sermons.

10:00 am

I arrived at a huge building. The solid walls were very high. It was really quite, even outside. Most of the trees that can be found around the buildings are dead. The piles of leaves are all withered. There was only one gate and it was guarded by two big guys heavily equipped with firearms.

It was already 10:04 am when I entered the building. Standing at the huge and old grandfather's clock was Aunt Michell.

"I told you to be here 9:30 at the latest."  she said with a bit of high tone.

"Traffic." I replied. I grabbed a cigar at my bag and when I was going to light it

SLAM

Aunt Michell slapped my hand. Both the cigar and the lighter were thrown due to the impact. "Hey... What are you doing?!" I shouted out of surprise and anger.

"Let me tell you this. You said that the hours of everyday are trash. But that is someone who is lucky enough to welcome the next day thinks. I asked you to help me with my work but it’s not because I wanted to give you an easy alternative. If you're going to take this lightly, please return to the mental ward."

I was surprised. Never had I seen Aunt Michell as angry as this. In fact, she never got angry before, or, I haven't seen her get mad like this.

"W-Wait Aunt Michell..."

I quickly followed her. She was walking in a fast pace.

"B-But you're going to let me meet the man r-right?  I don't even know if we'll be able to meet him today or not... I...... It was my fault. I'm sorry."

But there was no response. She was still walking fast. Like she didn't hear anything. She didn't look back at me, not even once. Her head was just facing forward. I just followed her silently across the empty lobby. I didn't talk because I was afraid that she might get angrier than before. We kept silent while sitting at the sofa located at the reception room of the building. Our silence was broken when a fat man with glasses arrived. He was walking with a very fast pace while holding a mountain of papers and folders.

"Sister Michell! I'm very sorry that I kept you waiting." he said while bowing his head.

"Warden David." Aunt said while standing.

"Uhmm, is she from the Catholic Education Committee?" the warden said while scratching his head.

I didn't want to be left alone in the conversation so I answered him "Y..Yeah. I'm her niece, Charlotte."

The warden led us to a room separated by glass, with telephones for communication. It was like in the movies when someone visits their beloved ones in prison.

"H-here?... " Aunt Michell said in a disappointed tone.

"Well, it’s the law...." The warden replied.

"But I was hoping that I can hold his hand. We can finally meet at last, but even so, there's a wall between us. I want to speak with him in person, please Warden David, can you do that?" Aunt Michell bowed her head to force Warden David so that he would allow her to meet "No. 8888" in person.

After a few times of pleading, Aunt Michell was successful. The warden then led us to the room with chairs and tables. And then he started speaking..