Innocence || Gotham

ONE

That damn ticking.

Every second is measured with tick tick tick! Loud enough to destroy one's mind if solely focused on it. Luckily for Evelyn, her mind's too broken to be any more destroyed.

Ice blue eyes stare at the wall clock across the hall, partially hidden from the bars of her cell. The skinny, long, and nearly invisible hand of the clock ticks clockwise as each second goes by.

Her mind's like static as she stares at the clock, waiting for the short hand to reach number four on the clock.

Three minutes, her mind buzzes.

She pulls her legs closer to her chest, the rough material of her inmate uniform rubbing harshly against her pale skin as she does so. She runs a hand through her hair, the black dye slowly being washed away over time to reveal the light brunette. Malnourishment and other living conditions have made some of her roots turn grey.

Evelyn lets nothing escape past her one brightly colored lips, now a chapped neutral color. Her cheeks have grown hollow throughout the months trapped in Arkham Asylum.

Tick tick tick

He would be here soon. He always is. Every Thursday at precisely four o'clock, he would sign in as a visitor only to sign out exactly forty-five minutes later.

Her toes clench the thin sheets beneath her as she anxiously waits for the time to arrive. Her lips part slightly as the sound of heavy footsteps marches towards her cell.

"Carter!" The voice yells, making her jump despite knowing that would happen. He slaps his palm against the metal door in order to gain her attention.

Officer Thomas gives a toothy grin with yellow and crooked teeth as he peers through the bars. "You've got your visitor."

The eighteen-year-old slowly rises from her small bed as the door creaks open. Officer Thomas opens the door wide enough for her to slowly step out, bare feet softly touching the cold cement beneath her.

He slams the door behind her, but this time she doesn't jump. Officer Thomas likes scaring the inmates, and Evelyn refuses to give him the satisfaction of scaring her.

He guides her to the visiting room, not that Evelyn needs it. Once a week for six months, she's been walking to the visitor area in order to see the one person that still truly cares for her.

The loudness of other inmates becomes a good indication of how close they are to the visitor room. A loud yet short alarm resonates throughout the hallway as the gate slowly opens.

Sitting at a table with an already set up board game is Reece. The twenty-one-year-old college student rests his head on his hand. Natural raven hair is neatly slicked back. Chocolate brown eyes stare at the board game's label as he harshly taps his fingers against the metal.

His eyes look around in boredom, only lighting up when he sees Evelyn standing only a few feet away. Evelyn smiles for the first time in a week before sitting in the chair across her brother.

Reece Carter smiles at his sister, already getting the board game ready due to their limited time. "Evie," he grins, setting up the SORRY! game as he speaks, "How's it goin?"

Evelyn lays her palm flat before tilting it either way, indicating it's been okay since last week. Ever since the "accident" Evelyn tends not to speak as often. She was always a quiet child, but her silence here was a little unnerving to the guards.

Reece loves his little sister with nearly the entirety of his heart. He always feels the need to protect her, even if she didn't deserve it. Though he can't protect her from the terrors of Arkham Asylum, he tries to at least stick by her.