Wrapped in silence you lay on your bed, one arm tugged behind your head and enjoyed a book. In the corner of your eye, the young woman paced up and down the cell.

Just like every other prisoner, yourself included, she was dressed in a plain washed out top and illy fitting cotton pants. A metal plate was sewn to the fabric across her chest.

516.

You looked down on yourself.

48.

Many rumours were going around the prison about what these numbers actually meant. Some said that they were a simple numbering system to keep track of how many prisoners were being held.

However that wouldn't have made any sense since you've changed numbers a few times already. You couldn't recall the starting number you had entered the prison with but you knew that they handed them out with huge gaps in between.

Once you had stood at 458. And after a while it had jumped up to 211. Even though there was no evidence of it you speculated that the numbers were the equivalent to ranks within the arena.

That way the enforcers could place their bets on the most successful if they so pleased. And if a loss occurred they knew what number to send to the isolation cells.

A shiver crawled down your spine at the thought. Most times these cells were nothing but a threat but the imagination to be trapped below the ground in a small hole barely big enough to turn round was enough to make your stomach twist.

Again, your eyes returned to her. The red strands of her hair shimmered like scarlet crystals in the dark.

516.

It was a relatively high number considering that the highest you had ever seen had been 673. Hard emphasis on the had been since you've send the poor guy straight to the ground.

He hadn't been seen ever since. After that fight your number had jumped from 503 to 455.

The echoes of her steps bounced off the walls. It was such a strange rhythm that it irritated you all the way in the back of your mind.

"Would you quit that?!", you smashed the book shut with such force that a smacking sound made her flinch.

Torn from her mind, she blinked, then frowned. Greyish blue eyes examined you, top to bottom, before she lifted her chin in a huffy response.

"Careful.", you warned with narrowed eyes. "Like I said: don't get into my way and we'll be good."

"Kid.", she said with a crooked grin.

You frowned.

"Huh?"

"Kid. You called me kid."

With a shrug, you brushed it off as her trying to be petty and shook your head.

"Just stop being a menace.", your fingers counted the pages of the book to find the right one again.

Letting out a loud breath, she turned around and dropped onto the bed, but bumped her head as she wanted to fall back.

A cruse slipped out from between her clenched teeth.

You rolled your eyes with a sigh.

"I can't fucking believe I'm stuck here...", you muttered to yourself under your breath.

However it seemed as if she had some very good ears. Annoyed, she sat up straight again, popped her arms onto her knees and leaned forward. As if that would make her appear threading in any way.

"Why are you so grumpy, sweet cheeks?", she asked, one eyebrow raised.

You frowned, annoyed and disgusted by the nickname at the same time. For a short moment you considered if it was worth punching her in the face for. Then again it would only earn you another date with the enforcers.

And you have had more than enough of those.

"Don't.", you just hissed and turned back to the book.

She rolled her eyes. It was oddly charming, with just the right amount of confidence that it didn't pass off as ignorant.

"Alright. Listen I'm not thrilled either.", she gestured around the cell. "But you know just as much as I do that nothing makes no sense here. Doesn't it seem odd to you?"

You shrugged.

"Sheriff gets his way."

She huffed.

"For sure. Still, I'm not eager on... staying here for the long run."

Annoyed yet quite intrigued, you gifted her a glance from the corner of your eyes, one eyebrow lifted.

"Here as in Stillwater Hold or this cell?", you asked.

Smirking, she shrugged.

"Both? Not that I have anything against my new cell mate. I'm a sucker for (H/C) hair."

Annoyed, you groaned.

"Fuck off."

"(E/C) eyes?"

"Shut. Up.", you flipped to the next page. "Just a nice tip, my last cell mate ended because... he just didn't know when to keep his mouth shut."

You glanced at her again. And she seemed to take the hint. However, caring about it was not one of her priorities. With a roll of her eyes she threw her legs onto the bed and crossed her arms behind head her.

A sigh made her chest quiver. You rolled your eyes. Silence spread again. But it didn't last all that long.

"Can I ask you a question?", she suddenly asked.

Groaning, you closed the book again and let your head fall back against the stone wall.

How many minutes have passed since her arrival?

And was it long enough to consider cracking your skull open about it?

"Fuck...", you massaged the bridge of your nose with two fingers. "Sure. Hit me."

She grinned.

"That could hurt.", she chirped.

You glared at her, a warning growl in your throat.

She shrugged.

"Guess it's true what they say about you..."

"You had a question.", you reminded her in a warning manner. "Ask or forever hold your peace."

"Right...", she turned to the side, now able to look at you. "Is the arena real?"

Your frowned.

"Obviously."

"And it's a life or death kinda thing?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Your opponent.", you reached under your bed to pull a small metal box out. "If you've been transferred here to fight, I'd advise you to never be on the loosing side."

You popped open the lid and fished out a handful of snacks. Interested, she stretched her neck.

"What's that?", she asked with an excited shimmer in the blue of her eyes.

"Rewards.", you popped some snacks into your mouth. "That I earned in the arena. With my life. Quit culturing."

"Ugh, you're such a buzzkill."

"Say that again once I took a few of your teeth."

She huffed.

"You wanna get close to my mouth?", she asked with a wink.

Disgusted and even more annoyed, you pulled a face.

"The only thing I want to get close to is the end...", you muttered and ate some more snacks.