Chapter 11: meeting and leaving

Maria was just in the middle of her daily routine of staring at the walls when she heard a familiar voice. It wasn't too distant, maybe two cells away. She could hardly make out the words through the thick iron doors, but she was sure: It was him. Angrily she rose from her bed and hammered against the cold metal. „Hobbies, you damn idiot!“, she shouted loudly. Her fists hurt from hitting the door, but she threw some more punches. Not because she thought he hadn't noticed her already, but to show him how angry she was.

“Maria?”, he replied, now loud enough to be understood. He didn't even sound surprised, did he? Or was she just imagining that?

“What the hell are you even doing? You agreed to take a trip with me, not a crime spree! And now look where your stupid impulses brought us!”
“Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize that by taking a trip, you meant a trip with me on a leash!”, he screamed back, now obviously angry. “You brought that all over yourself, you know – If you had done what I told you, you'd still be free!”

“Oh, I should have just stayed with that psycho bandit woman? Yeah, that sounds like a good idea!”, she replied, raising her voice even more, although it made her throat hurt.

Suddenly another male, rough voice from a cell between them joined their heated conversation: “Is this stinking hellhole not bad enough? You two lovebirds can't even leave me some fucking silence?”

“Oh well sorry for interrupting your comfortable stay at this fine establishment, maybe you should talk to the management about a FUCKING REFUND?”, Hobbies shouted with so much anger in his voice that Maria became scared. He had never been this furious before.

To complete the chaotic scene, two guards came rushing to the source of disturbance, of course shouting while doing so: “Will you filthy rats shut your damn mouths? Who's responsible for this? Tell me and you might escape the beating you all deserve!”

“Him, the one to my left, it was him!”, shouted the unknown prisoner without hesitation.

Maria heard the guards approaching the door while Hobbies protested: “Yeah, go ahead, you fucking fascists! I have rights, you know! You'll regret it if you touch me!”

She heard the guards laughing, the sound of a lock opening and a heavy door that swung open with squeaking hinges. Then there was silence.

Silence. And no sign of him, as far as she could see in this moonlit landscape. How could that be? He had just left the motel's bar, and she had rushed after him after quickly paying the barkeeper.

Suddenly she heard footsteps on the stairs behind her, inside the house. It was Hobbies, he had fetched his traveling bag from their room.

“Where do you think you are going? And with your stuff, too? Are you just leaving me here?”

Maria was worried.

“Just wait here, I won't be gone long, I promise!”, Hobbies said to her reassuringly, but without paying much attention to her. It was obvious that he was somewhere else with his thoughts. With an adventurous look on his face he rushed past her before she could stop him.

Maria followed him out into the night, shivering from the cold. Hobbies now stood on the lawn next to the parking place, motionless, upright, staring into the distance where the hilly countryside stretched out for miles. He seemed very focused.

“Hobbies, please, just tell me what you are doing! And don't leave me here! Come on, talk to me!” Maria became upset. Why was he ignoring her? She waved her hand in front of his face, but he now had his eyes closed. “Hobbies!”, she shouted. And suddenly, from one moment to the next, he had vanished. A gust of the chilling wind blew some scattered snowflakes through the air. And then it was silent again.