When I Find You (Completed) (Not Edited)

Chapter 16

Nathaniel passed a group of guards sitting around a table. They were all talking loudly and laughing. A few were smoking cigarettes, and the air was hazed with the smoke. Nathaniel put his head down as he went to pass them, hoping they wouldn't notice him. He wanted to get Adriane clothes as soon as possible. One looked up, noticing Nathaniel as the rest started laughing at some joke.

"'Ey! Nate! How'd questioning the new prisoner go?" Nathaniel froze mid-step. He weighed his options on what to tell his co-worker. By then, all of the guards had turned to look at him. Some were curious as to what they were talking about. Others already knew.

"She was decently cooperative. I still have a few more questions, but she demanded to have clothing before she'd say anything else." He half lied. She had obviously not said that. The guard that had stopped Nathaniel hooted.

"I'm sure she had a smokin' body! Did you get a glance at it?" Another guard snorted at his colleague. He sent him an amused, yet slightly insulted look. He was older, with his light brown hair peppered with gray. His had deep crow's feet and laugh lines etched into his features. He sipped into his coffee mug before bringing the brim slight away from his lips to speak.

"You think those wolves are people? They are parasites that invade the earth and the body. Saying that they are people is like giving animals the same rights as humans. They don't deserve it! Look at the rogue wolves that are on our side. They aren't people. They are snarling, foaming animals. Best remember that when you ask someone how an animal's body looks." Nathaniel's being tensed. He was ready to pick a fight with the original guard for asking about Adriane's body. I'm the only one able to see that. He seethed internally, catching himself off guard. Only him? Where has that came from? He barely knew the girl; who was a prisoner no less. But, the old coot's words did a number on him.

He glared angrily at the older man who raised an eyebrow over the rim of his mug.

"What does that make me, Paul? I'm neither human nor am I a wolf." He bit out, clenching his fist as his sides. Paul swallowed his drink. He set his coffee on the table, the two materials making a dull clanging noise. Paul sat back in his seat, crossing his arms over his beer gut.

"You, my son, are a person. You don't have some animal rotting your mind into animalistic instincts to lead you through your days. So yes Nate, you're a person." Nathaniel sent him another withering look, causing some of the younger guards to flinch and cast their sights downwards at the table. He made a tsking noise with his tongue before passing the guards without another word.

"What's got his knickers in a twist?" He heard one guard whisper once he left the room. He furrowed his eyebrows. How did I hear that? Deciding to just ignore the situation, ruling it as a fluke, Nathaniel continued on to his room.

His room was marked A-45. Inside the room was minimal furniture, like all the other rooms. There was a single bed with white sheets. There was a dresser with three large drawers, and two drawers splitting the top section. There was a small desk and chair for filling out papers, and a small wire trash can which stood next to it. The community bathroom was a few doors down from his room.

He made a beeline for his dresser grabbing a shirt and pants. He didn't know why he didn't just grab the standard clothing given to wolf prisoners when they shift out of anger, but bringing Adriane his clothing just felt right.

He closed his door with a soft click behind him after leaving. Nathaniel detoured around the facility, not wanting to have to deal with the guards around the table. Walking down the bare halls, all that accompanied him was the sound of his rhythmic footfalls and the scarce shuffling of the clothing in his hands.