January 2008

Lindsey Wilson sat with a blanket draped around her shoulders gazing at the dancing flames. She heard a commotion but didn’t try to make sense of what the voices were saying. She was tired. She had just bought a new bed with shiatsu massage rollers, and saved $500 on it thank you very much. When he heard she was a prison guard, the salesman had said it would definitely be good for relaxing at the end of the day.

“Once you fire this baby up, I promise you, it will pay for itself!”

How ironic, she thought, and despite the situation, or perhaps because of it, she found tears of laughter streaming down her cheeks. She hadn’t used it yet, but it’d been “fired up” anyways. Lindsey knew she was drawing disapproving looks from some other building tenants, and did her best to stop. Still chuckling, she spotted Tim, her neighbor who faithfully tried to pick her up every time he saw her.

“Lindz. I, um, they. Well, they told me, I mean I asked, to be the one to tell you.” He had stammered. “Lindz they thought they had evacuated that floor, but no one remembered until it was too late that your kid brother had came to stay at your place. I’m so sorry. Dimitri didn’t make it.”

Lindsey let out a barking sound that started as a laugh but ended in a sob. The blanket fell from her shoulders as she dropped to her knees, the flames reflected in the tears making their way down her cheeks.

February 2011

Lindsey Wilson impatiently shifted to her other foot while glaring at the woman in front of her who had just realized that her 2-inch stack of coupons was in fact expired.

“Erm, can you get a manager please? Last time there was this nice young man who…”

Lindsey sighed absently fingered the locket around her neck that held a picture of Dimitri and her mother. She was all he had. Three years ago he was circling the drain, quite literally. He had gotten involved with GC, a gangster that was known for leaving the bodies of the people that crossed him in front of their own houses. Dimitri hadn’t ever explained all the gory details to her, but she knew that Dimitri had messed up, something to do with drugs and as usual, a girl, and that he was as good as dead. When they had set her mom’s apartment building on fire as a warning to him, Dimitri had seen the opportunity for what it was and played dead. He hadn’t told anyone at first, even her, and understanding what it felt like to lose him, she never wanted to go through that again. He had changed his last name and tried to start a new life. But old habits die hard. Dimitri had been picked up selling drugs and was looking at 15 years. The relief and anger Lindsey felt when she heard he was still alive and in trouble again was nothing compared to what would be in store for him in prison. The real trouble has come when someone in lock up had recognized Dimitri.

“GC’s got connections on the inside Lindz! If I go to prison I’m dead. You gotta help me! Please!”

The woman had finally settled the matter with the manager and Lindsey put the cardboard boxes she was buying on the conveyor and handed her credit card to the clerk. Lindsey walked back out to her car with her eyebrows meeting low over her eyes, remembering.

“I’ve got a plan D. I’m due for a promotion, so I’ll get access to the computer system. I’ll be able to see and make changes to transport times, inmate history, everything.”

Today was the day. It was down to a matter of hours.

8:45 AM

“Picking up. Last name Wilson.”

Lindsey was already running late and hoped her lack of a greeting or any pleasantries would discourage the cashier from making any small talk. Get in, get out. The older man looked surprised by her unfriendliness but went to his computer anyway.

She was thinking of the remaining stops she had to make; the pharmacy, pick up the food. Was that everything? Lindsey fumbled around in her purse for her wallet while he went to get her clothes. He came back with two hangers and glancing at the uniforms inside the bag said,

“That’ll be 20 even officer. You know its people like you who make the streets safe to walk down”

“I’m not that kind of officer. I’m a prison guard up at Fort Dix. ” she said, a little sharper than she meant to. By way of explaining her shortness with him, she added,

“Today actually we’re getting some new inmates. It’s an important day for me. Stressful. You said 20?”

A smile crinkled the corners of the man's eyes as he accepted her cash. Lindsey flashed a quick, false smile and thanking him, took both uniforms off the rack and walked out of the store.

10:00 AM

Lindsey dressed in her uniform quickly. She grabbed her locket from the dresser top and after weighing it in her hand for a minute, she clasped it around her neck and tucked it under her t-shirt. She folded her uniform into her already full, blue duffel bag and after a quick survey of the empty apartment, she closed the door and put the key on the doorjamb.