After my parents visit my mood grew a little bit happier. I guess their fear cheered me up a little. I was still having withdrawals though. I needed fire. I needed it bad. It was a slow and quiet week. Well it felt like a week. Days, hours, minutes second melt together and slow down here. It was followed by two the same as the last. Boring. No fire or visits. Nothing to cheer my mood. It wasn't till the four week things got interesting. I got a letter. I thought it might be my parents again. They haven't written to me since the visit. But I was surprised to see it wasn't my parents. It was anonymous. The letter read:
Dear Ed,
I heard about what happened. People keep talking about what happened. They say you're crazy. I'm so sorry it happened. I should have been there to control you better. I'm sorry I was never there when you needed me. You needed a friend to help stabilize you. I could have been that if I wasn't so nervous. I promise to help you now! Anything you need! I'll be there okay? We're friends Ed. I'm not going to let you leave and be alone again. I don't care what horrible things you did. I think you're smart and amazing no matter what. You just need a little help. And you can get it. Don't worried Ed you'll be fine. I'm coming to visit soon so please don't be too lonely or depressed. I know you are probably having withdrawals. I'm sorry I don't think I can anything yet. Anyways see you soon.
Love,
There was no name just a doodle of a flower. In the envelope there was another piece of paper. I pulled it out. It was a sketch of me. I was a little flattered but confused. Who was this? I had no friends, no one to talk to. I guess I have to wait till the visit.
I thought all week about who it was and why they even cared about me. I thought through the beginning of next week too. Finally I'm told I have a visitor. They guided me to the room again. They open the door and anticipate was killing me. I looked inside to see a kid sitting on the chair. He was short. He had wavy sandy blond hair. He looked up at me with a timid smile. I sat down.
"Nice to see you Ed," he said.
"Hello Casy," I replied.
"You remembered me," he smiled a bit more. We sat in silence for a bit. He looked at me and sighed.
"You look horrible..."
"Thank you for noticing..."
"I didn't mean to sound rude but..." he stuttered a bit.
"I just meant...agh I don't know...I'm sorry..." he said.
"For what?"
"Letting this happen to you...if I had just been able to control and help you...you wouldn't have lashed at those guys. What caused you to do it?"
"Anger and curiosity," I said flatly.
"Oh...okay...Let's move to a different subject okay? How about us...not rumors. How have you been?" He asked. I decided to tell him the truth. He wasn't like my parents and he was quiet. He was different...and plain. He was plain as in not very smart. He could be my ticket out of here if I played my cards right.
"Slowly dying inside..." I said trying to sound sad. I wanted his sympathy and pity. It might just make him become my puppet.
"Oh Ed...I'm sorry...but they are trying to help yo-"
"Help! This isn't helping Casy! I dying like this! I need fire! I need my flames!" I pretended to tear up.
"Casy...please help me..." I 'begged'. He sighed and took a notebook out of his bag. He wrote on it.
"I'll help you get out...we need to think of a plan. I'll continue to write to you and we'll use a code to not sound suspicious. Instead of fire or matches put flowers. Okay?" He wrote. I nodded. Maybe I was wrong he wasn't too dumb.
"Next time I'll bring you something. We have to plan how to get it to you without my just handing it to you. We'll cross that bridge when it comes," he wrote. I nodded again.
"For now I well visit every month and write a letter every week until you get out. Don't worry okay," he said. He grabbed my hand and smiled at me. I smiled back. He was head over heels for me. This was great. He was going to get me out of here. This lovesick idiot was now my only hope.
He left after we caught up for a while. He was sweet I guess. It didn't really matter to me. All I wanted was a to get out. I went back to my cell smiling. I couldn't sleep again but it wasn't from the normal need of flames. I was from the excitement and the promise of my happiness. And I had my good friend Casy to thanks for this new hope.