Rose Berry sat beside Bradley Bloom in his cell, looking through a large collection of thin tools within her bag. Bradley looked down at her moving hands, “I wonder why you bother, Rose. It is likely I will be hung. It doesn’t matter much if I can hear my own choking with one ear or two.”
She picked up a round piece of glass and set it next to her on the bench, “Are you certain they will hang you?”
Bradley shrugged indifferently, casting a vacant look across his cell, “Edlain and Hank are saying they came to talk with me and that I attacked them. A man died, Rose.”
Rose glanced at him, her tone calm, “Is that how it went?”
“No one will care how it went.”
She looked down into her bag again, pulling out a half burnt candle, “I suppose you’re right.”
While she lit the candle Bradley let out a light sigh, “Did Burke say anything before he died?”
Rose thought for a moment and then replied in the most serious of tones, “Yes. He revealed the location of his secret fortune buried deep underground.”
Bradley huffed before closing his eyes, “Rose.”
“No. He didn’t say anything.”
She lifted the lit candle near his ear, placing the round piece of glass in front of her own eye. An enlarged eye narrowed and another closed shut while she sought to see within the depths of his ear. Eventually she hummed, picking up thin tongs while setting the glass down.
While she sought to spread the view to his ear, she spoke in a half-absent tone, “You probably deserve to be hung though.”
Bradley nodded subtly, “I probably do.”
"Don't move."
She wrinkled her face as she could not see anything out of the ordinary, “It is probably something in the inner parts of the ear... In case you truly are hung, do you mind me cutting into your ear after you’re dead?” She looked at him, expressionless.
Bradley returned her look, equally expressionless.
The guard who had been observing them, had an expression on his face however... That of confusion and disgust.
The silent staring seemed to last forever until Bradley replied in a silent tone, “If I end up dead, I think I won’t mind.”
Rose appeared briefly thoughtful and then blew off the candle, starting to pack her items into her bag, “I would not be too worried if that will be the case. I am certain it is a blissful state.”
Bradley smiled bitterly, “A lass of your age should not be certain of such.”
She let out hum before standing up, her voice growing quiet, “I’m sure there are plenty of things you should not be either, Bradley Bloom... But I wonder if it was ever our choice...” She stood there quietly looking in front of herself, while he stared up at her back. Eventually she sighed and stepped forth, “I will fetch the payment from your father.”
Bradley widened his eyes briefly, standing up after the guard had let her out. He took swift steps near the bars to speak after her, “Tell him I want Avery to have my house.”
