Page 78 of Rat

“Fine.”

Sebastian stood up, but the officer pointed at him sternly. “No, you can wait.”

Rory walked out the door first, and Pauly quickly followed. They walked side by side back to the corridor but didn’t speak or glance at each other. They stopped at the gate, the officer opened it, then they were back on the wing.

“Interesting picture you did…”

Rory rolled his eyes. “Don’t you start.”

“You forgot to draw the red bandanas, though.”

“Whatever.”

Pauly blocked his path. “Do you want to know what my picture was of?”

“Not really.”

“I called itSplats.”

“Splats?”

Pauly hummed. “Yeah, blood splats, all that will be left of Sebastian once we’re done with him.”

“Keep dreaming.”

“And when we’re done with him,” Pauly continued, “there will be no one between me and you. We’ve got eight years together, and we’re going to have such fun.”

He patted Rory on the head, then walked off in the direction of his cell.

Rory hurried up the stairs, then hung his arms over the railings, watching the wing from the second floor. Metal grids stopped anyone hurling objects or people from the walkways, and Rory watched the inmates through a double cage filter.

He counted twelve bandana-wearing inmates and sighed in relief when he saw Captain, still not wearing one. They hadn’t spoken much in the last month. Each time Rory tried, Captain rebuffed him. It hurt. But watching him slowly deteriorate hurt more. He barely came out of his cell and had a gaunt look about him. The officers didn’t care, and neither did the majority of the inmates. They were happy as long as he was no longer screaming the place down in the night.

The gate opened thirty minutes later, and Ollie walked inside with his drawing pressed to his chest. Teddy followed him, tilting his head, trying to catch a glimpse of the picture, but Ollie laughed and denied him. It seemed to be a fun game between them, and Rory found himself smiling as he watched.

Sebastian stepped onto the wing and connected gazes with Rory. He didn’t smile but marched straight to the stairs. Rory went back to watching Ollie and Teddy.

Ollie ducked his head as he presented Teddy with the picture of the butterfly. He’d spent four weeks on it, and Rory hated to admit it was good, more than good. Ollie’s arrogant grinning was justified. Teddy gawped, took the picture, gawped some more, then he reached for Ollie, crushing the picture between their chests as he hugged him.

His lips found Ollie’s ear, and Rory thought he saw them move or press orsomething.

Hands tugged Rory back, and he didn’t fight against Sebastian. He let go of the railing just as Ollie and Teddy went into their cell.

“Pauly didn’t do anything to you, right?”

“No, he didn’t touch me.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he’s going to hurt you.”

Sebastian chuckled, and Rory turned to him with a fierce glare on his face. “You’ve got to take him seriously.”

“Why?”

Rory pointed to the ground floor. “Because those guys down there are taking him seriously.”

“Pauly’s all posturing, and no action. He won’t do anything, and when I leave, he’ll claim he was ready to take me on, but it was too late. It’s all talk.”

---