Ready To Run // h.s

twenty three

  The building smelled like mold. It was small, not bigger than the average post office, with a small desk in the front and some chairs and magazines to the side. The police officer walked us to the back where a single cell was. 

  "We're going in a cell?" I squeaked.

  "Sir, this is not necessary." Harry said. "We are willing to cooperate, there is no need to throw us into a cell."

  "This is where you will be held until you are bailed out." The cop shrugged. "I don't make the rules, kid." He handcuffed us both and locked us in the cell, where there was a single bed and a toilet. I looked around for toilet paper, but found none. On the bed was one thin sheet and pillow that looked rock hard. 

  "Now." The police officer sighed. "You are allowed one phone call."

  "Who are we supposed to call?" Harry fisted his hair. "All of my friends and family are in other states or countries, yours are in another state and hate our guts."

  I started to cry. Maybe it was the fact that it was so early in the a.m, maybe it was the fact that I had been arrested, maybe it was the fact that I had to pee and there wasn't toilet paper. Maybe it was all three. Harry was quick to pull me into his arms, holding me close and kissing my forehead. The police officer was awkwardly watching our exchange, but neither of us could have given a rat's ass about him. 

  "You are allowed one phone call." The police officer spoke up again. 

  "We are not from the area." Harry explained. "I have money, plenty of money to pay our bail. I can pay you double, triple-"

  "Look, it's late." The police officer grumbled. "Even if I wanted to help you with the money thing, we'd have to wait until the chief comes in to sort out that issue."

  "When does the chief come in?" I asked.

  "Seven in the morning."

  I cried in frustration. It had to been two a.m and waiting another five hours in a dirty cell with no toilet paper after being used to staying in a luxurious hotel seemed unbearable. Harry started to argue with the officer, but after a while it seemed useless. His hands were apparently tied and there was nothing he could do other than offer us extra bed sheets and keep allowing us one phone call that would be completely useless for us to use.

  "We'll wait it out." Harry finally broke. "But as soon as it hits seven, we speak to the chief and get this thing worked out." 

  Eventually, the officer left to another part of the building. A few of the lights were suddenly shut off and it became much darker and scarier than it previously was two seconds prior. I whimpered and pulled Harry back into me, inhaling his cologne and finding a bit of comfort in it. 

  "Let's just sit on the bed, yeah? We can make a bed of our own on the floor, if you'd like."

  The floor was probably extremely dirty, but we used the extra bed sheets we were given to cover it as much as possible. We both wrapped ourselves up in the sheets as much as possible and used Harry's sweatshirt and the rock hard pillow on our heads. Despite having extra sheets, it was still cold, so we pressed up against each other as much as possible.

  "I'm really sorry this happened." Harry sighed. "Getting thrown in jail was never my intention."

  "Don't blame yourself." I said. "It's not your fault."

  "I'm the one who wanted to whale protest." He pointed out.

  "I'm the one that agreed to it."

  "True, true." Harry gave in. "We just need to survive these few hours and I'll get us out of here. After that, I'll contact my lawyers and sue that damn cop for being such an ass."