The First Letter: I See You

A solitary confinement prisoner gets letters slipped under her cell door.

The First Letter

I See You

The sky.

The sky was something Tamara never saw.

The sky was something close, yet still so far.

So, so far. Like many other things Tamara would likely never see again. I need to stop, Tamara would constantly say to herself.  I’m never getting out.

How long had she been in here? The wall tally marks that had seemed so cliche were now pretty useful. Or, they would have been. If she had used them.

It was because of the letters.

The letters Tamara had started receiving three days ago. At least, she thought it was three days ago.

It had all started on one fateful Saturday. How did she know it had been Saturday?

The letter had said so.

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The walls.

The walls had been closing in on her since day one.

What day was it now? She didn’t know.

It had been a very long time since she had seen blue.  Blue was her favorite color. It had been her daughter’s favorite color, too.

Where was her daughter now? Was she still small like the last time Tamara had seen her?

Or had it been that long? Had it been so long that she was all grown up now? That she had moved on from worrying about her mother?

Tamara stared at the gray ceiling, the old paint stripping now. She turned on her side and stared at the door.

The door.

Would it ever be opened?

Would she ever see blue again?

Then it struck her.

It hit her eyes harder than anything ever had before. Something so bright and refreshing and pure.

White.

White was there.

Right there.

Tamara lifted herself off the board and kneeled behind the door.

A letter.

A letter, was it?

Tamara held it like a precious jewel in her palms. There was no envelope to protect the white that Tamara had been so grateful for.  I need to read it. I need to know what it says.

Tamara read the letter to herself silently.

Hello, Tammy

It’s Saturday, in case you were wondering. Nice weather we’re having.. Of course, you wouldn’t know.

Look before you leap, girl..

I see you.