just_darkjazz
She broke my spineAnd in that painI realized every dime I'd ever saved wasn't worth anything Cleopatrick
Artemis Adamou was parked across the front gate of Hunter County Correctional Facility, in the shade of a great old oak to protect herself from the high noon sun. She was leaning against her bike with her arms crossed, eyes watching the gate under thick sungsses. Dressed simple, in an old t-shirt over skinny jeans and her long, dirty blonde hair was tied in a side pit over her shoulder. She had her kutte on, a bck leather vest with the patch of the one-eyed skull wearing a viking helmet at the back. The kutte of the Old Gods Motorcycle Club, members of which were prohibited to wear it within thirty feet of a school zone or legal establishment, as per the test county ordinance. Artie was technically allowed to have it on as long as she stayed at that side of the road. A single step on the hot asphalt would give grounds to the police officer, watching her from her cruiser a quarter of a mile away, grounds to arrest her, though. The outw life was not easy, but the small moments of public disobedience like that made it so worth it.
She’s te, Artie thought, checking on her wrist watch. She had been told noon sharp, and it was already half past that. Patience wasn’t her strong suit on the best of days, and even without the scorpions circling her and the scorching heat slow-cooking her alive this would have been far from it. She was running low on reason, and as nerves started taking root she considered marching across and kicking down the gate, demanding to be accommodated. Thankfully it didn’t have to come to that, or any other drastic solutions. As if on cue, the gate sprung to life, slowly sliding to the side with a mighty creak. Artie’s breath was caught in her throat, eyes tearing up and heart beating faster as she id eyes to the woman coming out of the prison.
At the other side of the road, taking her sweet time to cross it, was Themis, Artie’s older sister. Dressed in the riding boots and ripped jeans she was in when she was arrested a year and some change ago, curiously enough missing her shirt and wearing a red fnnel with the sleeves rolled up instead. Artie had never seen her in fnnels. None of that mattered, though. All that mattered to her was getting her arms around her sister, ordinance and Five-O be damned. All she wanted was to hug her so tight she broke her ribs, and to never let it go. The cooler side of her barely prevailed, though, shifting her weight between her legs awkwardly as she counted down her sister’s every step. She pounced as soon as Themis was within grabbing distance, her sister returning the embrace in kind.
“Hey, big sister,” Artie said, her voice weak.
“Hey, little sister,” Themis huffed, feeling her sister’s love in the way her chest was being crushed.
They broke the embrace, Artie barely holding back tears as she inspected her sister as if it was the first time. She looked good, all things considered. Better than she did st they saw each other, with her nose bloody and half her face bck and blue. Through the bars between them was the hardest part to stomach. She had no makeup on, the weariness on her face was evident. Barely at twenty three, just two years older, and she looked twice Artie’s age.
“You cut your hair,” Artie said, noticing Themis’ slicked back chestnut colored look. Barely at shoulder length now, and straight. She used to have their mother’s hair, a curly cascade down her back that blew in the wind as the wind blew between her silky strands.
“Things changed,” Themis said. By the look of her, she had nothing else to say about it. Artie understood. Things had changed. The woman in her arms was not the sister she had grown up with. But she was close enough. Artie counted her blessings she had her back regardless, she wouldn’t change her for the world. “Are you gonna take me home?”
“Yeah, good idea,” Artie said, side eyeing officer Garcia who had used their tear jerking reunion to bring her car closer unnoticed. “Sorry for the bike, I tried to borrow the van from Carmen but she had to run an errand.”
“Since when are you on van borrowing terms with Carmen?” Themis raised an eyebrow, before her eyes went wide as the realization hit her.
She looked down, on the kutte over her sister’s sizable bust. The ‘Prospect’ patch on her pel was gone. Themis let out a celebratory ughter before grabbing her sister again, showering her cheeks and neck with kisses.
“Holy fuck, I’m so proud of you,” she excimed between rapidfire shows of affection. Not used to her sister this animated, Artie simply sat there and reveled in it. It took officer Garcia clearing her throat to bring the women back to reality. She had driven right up to them, looking at them behind a lowered window. She nailed Themis with an murderous stare, before beckoning her closer with a finger.
“Stay here,” Themis said. “Get the bike ready.”
Artie fished her helmet out of her saddle bags, as well as the spare she brought for her sister, and mounted the dusty Harley as Themis walked to the officer’s cruiser.
“Good morning, officer,” Themis said. “What can I help you with today?”
Guadelupe Garcia was an intense person. Her pitch bck hair was tucked under her wide brimmed hat, not a strand out of pce. Her uniform was always freshly ironed, her boots polished and her cruiser washed. She took her job extremely seriously, and demanded respect from everyone. Even old friends. She and Themis went to the same css in the town’s only highschool. They hung out together, made dreams together. And now, hers were realised while Themis was just barely getting started.
“Cut the bullshit, convict,” she sneered.
“Not anymore. As of today, I’m a free woman, just like the rest of you,” Themis grinned.
“Only until you slip up again,” Garcia retorted. “And when you do, I’ll be there. And it won’t be just a misdemeanor.”
“Me? Slip up?” Themis said. “No, ma’am. I learned my lesson in the hoosegow, I’ll be a model citizen from now on.”
“I guess we’ll see,” Garcia said, turning her car back on. “Enjoy your time out, convict. It might be cut short real quick.”
