Ekos 19 - Für Bessere Tage Beten

Posted on Friday, 7 May 2021 - 1:21pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

The days seemed to roll into nights, days into weeks and heaven forbid, was this weeks into months?

Adrianna hadn't seen actual daylight in a long time. There were no views from her cell and nothing seemed to have a real schedule. At one point she was convinced that she'd had breakfast for dinner, or maybe even food at 2am.

Since the fake pregnancy had been discovered, Leopold and Adrianna were not allowed to see each other. In fact, aside from guards, mainly König, she hadn't seen anyone. She prayed Leopold was ok; she hoped that he was having a semblance of mercy shown to him. The main thing she wondered, was whether he thought of her and if he did, were there any regrets?

Perhaps Leopold's father had a point. It was her idea to send the message, her idea to come to Ekos to rectify the first idea's consequence, it was her idea to free everyone, it was her idea to ensure that Leopold's sister came with them on the prison break that got her killed. Worst of all, if his sister hadn't got shot, he wouldn't have been in this prison. He was rotting in here because of her.

How did she deserve someone like Leopold?

Was he still alive? If he was, and if they got out of here, would he still love her or would he blame the events of the past - who knew how long? If he didn't forgive her, she'd lose him. Could she lose anyone else?

Adrianna sat in the corner of the cell. Her bed was bloodstained and still a little damp from her recent 'date' with König. Was he ever going to get bored of hurting her? She didn't think there were many bones that were left to fracture or worse, or many millimetres of skin that weren't bruised, cut or burnt.

Adrianna seemed to have a permanent tremor now. She wasn't sure if it was her body fighting back or if it was just that the cells were so damn cold. She brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face and reached for food that had been brought for her. It wasn't great tasting, but it was food. Oh, how she longed for grappa and to eat a hearty gnocchi soup like her mother used to make.

"Do you really think you'll ever eat that again?" she asked herself, between bites. Adrianna was her own best company at the moment.

"I don't know, but I can dream. Remember how mother used to start cooking at eleven o'clock and the whole house, and maybe even a mile beyond, seemed to smell amazing. That was the smell of love. She loved us so much."

"Remember when you cooked it for the first time? You somehow managed to burn the soup but get raw gnocchi."

Adrianna smiled to herself, reminiscing, "yes, I still don't understand how I managed that. On a plus side, I've never done it since. Leopold seems to like my cooking. I hope he misses it."

"He's probably enjoying not getting fat though," Adrianna mused with a chuckle.

"True, but mother used to say that a happy man was well one that was well taken care of, in all respects -- food just being one."

"I'm sure he would like being attended to in your current state," Adrianna sighed, "he already said that you weren't going to win many beauty pageants any time soon. He'd one day lose interest anyway no doubt. Though, with any luck, I'll have mother's genes that mean I'll never look old. I can dream."

Her conversation with herself was interrupted by a large baton hitting her cell's bars, making her jump, "will you shut up!"

Adrianna lowered her head in a feeling of shame and all-round defeat, muttering, "sorry."

Perhaps one day she'd find out, but she did find herself praying for death more the longer that she was stuck in the prison. Would there be a way out? Had anyone heard Leopold's message that actually had the power, and balls, to do something? The chances were slim. Stillwater had been clear about that.

"God, if you are out there, please, show me mercy and kill me, or at least send someone to help. I pray to you to spare Leopold and to bring him peace regardless of what happens. Please. Amen," she prayed silently.