A fresh new face {TAG: Eva}

Helga continued to pace the halls, not wanting to make eye contact with any of the prisoners. She knew she had showed weakness in befriending an inmate and that cost her the woman's life. Helga pursed her lips together at the thought. She made herself promise she wouldn't be sweet to any other prisoner again. She was there to guard and to guard only.

It didn't matter how lonely she felt. She could cure that by going to a bar after her shift and having a mindless one-night-stand with a stranger. But she shouldn't, under any circumstances, dare to become close with another prisoner.

"Guard?" Eva called out as she saw a woman pass by the cell. She had been awake for a little while now, and there was still no movement from her cellmate. She never usually struck up conversation with people she didn't know, unless she was told to. She never did it simply for enjoyment, but staring at the walls was becoming rather tiresome.

"I take it no-one is going to remove..." Eva frowned, she was about to say 'the head' but somehow it didn't seem right. It wasn't just a head, it had belonged to a body once and formed an individual, living, breathing human woman. "I take it she's not going anywhere anytime soon?" She corrected herself, gesturing towards the brunette head which was still dripping with blood. She hated to admit it was bothering her, but the head was beginning to make her feel unsettled. Something about the girl looked so innocent, like she was only a victim. She hadn't deserved her death, Eva was sure of it. Such a futile waste of life made her sick.

Helga froze in her steps when she heard a voice call out to her. She rolled her eyes and twirled on her heel to face the inmate. Before she could answer, the head of a woman caught her eye. She cocked her head slightly to get a better look at the severed head.

Korso killed another woman too? Helga let out a short sigh and shook her head. "Korso probably put it.." She cleared her throat and corrected herself. "..Put her there on purpose." She looked at the prisoner blankly. "There's nothing I can do no matter how," Helga looked at the head once more. "Gruesome it is."

Eva watched the woman carefully as she responded, she supposed her tendency to analyse people just kicked in automatically now. The guard seemed distant but like she genuinely wanted to help, bored but sorrowful.

"No matter," Eva shook her head and offered a smile. "I'm sure I can live with it, this is only the beginning." She shrugged, though inwardly she wretched at the idea of having to live with the staring eyes and bloody head until her next cell swap. "Thank you." Her gratitude passed her lips so quickly she barely realised she'd said it. Awkwardly, she wiped the wet blood from her hands onto her jumpsuit. It hadn't been nice to wake up in a pool of red.

Helga gave the woman a smirk, but her smile quickly faded. She cleared her throat a bit and looked away from the woman. Don't get close. She reminded herself. Don't befriend them, they are dirt. She watched the woman wipe the blood from her body. Maybe she had been the one who killed the woman. Helga shook her head. She couldn't speak for herself. She was also a murderer now. There was no difference between the woman in the cell and the woman guarding the cell.

"You should probably get cleaned up," Helga said, regarding the blood splattered on the woman. She felt sick to her stomach thinking about death, about killing. She hated herself for what she had to do. But most of all, she hated herself for choosing her job over an innocent woman's life.

"Oh, now you mention it, a nice warm bubble bath would be lovely," a playful smirk toyed across Eva's lips as she responded. "I'll be fine, I've had worse." She avoided looking down at the blood which was imprinted on her jumpsuit, instead she concentrated on the female guard.

"So... Helga," Eva read the badge on the other woman's jumpsuit. "Have you been here long? As a guard, I mean." She wouldn't usually make conversation with guards, but it seemed a hell of a lot more fun than staring at brick walls. The woman also interested her, she seemed nice and genuine. She wasn't like Dean or Korso. She was different. Refreshing.

Helga turned her attention from the blood to the woman. She nearly winced at her question. "First week of the job." she said, folding her arms. She kept her answers short and to the question. She didn't want to have to explain her life to a stranger again.

"What about you?" She asked, turning her head. "Have you been here long?" She couldn't help but let out a laugh. It amused her to play with the inmates, and most of them didn't seem to mind.

"Let me guess," Helga said, putting her finger to her chin. "You got locked up for malicious behavior such as.. murder?"

Eva was surprised at how short Helga had been here, she was so shocked she forgot to mask the expression from her face. Her eyes widened slightly and her lips parted, though that did explain the woman's persona. She had not yet reached the stage of dehumanising the prisoners, as both Korso and Dean had. She wondered how long it would be, before she realised that was easier.

"No, only a little longer than you actually," Eva smiled as Helga laughed. "Though I don't see myself leaving anytime-" soon. She stopped herself mid-sentence when it became apparent the guard wanted to guess her crime. Telling her how much time she had to serve would hint to the nature of her conviction.

Eva nodded when she guessed murder, though she didn't particularly like to call it that. For her, it was more duty. Duty to her country, to the motherland, to Russia.

"And other things," Eva left the rest open-ended. She had never discussed her origin, why she did what she did, her crime - and she wouldn't do now.

"Other things," Helga repeated shortly. "Isn't that why everyone's in here?" She let out a small laugh. She knew there were some real evil people in this prison but she didn't get the vibe that this woman was one of them.

"But who am I to judge?" She started to say. "I don't know you or your life." Helga paced back and forth in front of the cell.

"I suppose so," Eva couldn't help but allow herself to laugh at the comment. No-one like to admit what they had or hadn't done and it never seemed to be as straight-forward as the general crime sounded. Yes, she had been a murderer, but more specifically, an assassin, aswell as a spy, gang member and terrorist. No-one's actions could be categorised into a simple crime.

"Are you alright?" Eva looked up as she carefully watched Helga begin to pace backwards and forwards. Her forehead began to crease, she had never seen a guard act so strangely. She seemed as though something was troubling her. "I mean, prison isn't really a place where you can easily talk about your problems," Eva laughed lightly, trying to ease the tension. "But if you want someone to listen and not judge you, I can do that."

Eva's body shrank against the wall as she leaned against the cold stone. She tried to seem relaxed, but really, she was tense. One wrong move and she could end up with pepper spray in her eyes, she didn't fancy that happening again. Though, Helga didn't seem like she would do that so quickly, so easily... She didn't seem so trigger happy.

Not everyone is as they seem though.

Helga stopped pacing and looked at the girl. A chill flew down her spine and she remained silent for a few seconds. She didn't know people could notice her anxiety. She took a deep breathe and exhaled slowly. She wished she could sit down and vent about her killing an innocent soul but she knew she couldn't.

She looked at the woman and scratched the back of her neck. "The last time I shared my personal thoughts to someone it cost them more than I had ever imagined. And I would never wish that upon my worst enemy."

Eva tilted her head in curiosity when Helga paused for a moment, looking at her. She could have sworn she was about to tell her, but something stopped her. As the guard explained what had happened to the previous prisoner she had become close to, Eva shivered. Her eyes unwillingly darted over to the brunette's head in the corner of the room. Had something similar happened to her? She couldn't help but wonder.

"So much for justice," Eva cursed under her breath. In this prison, the guards were generally worse than the inmates. "I'm sorry." It was all she could think to say under the circumstances, and she meant it. Whatever had happened to Helga, she could tell it tormented her and that she didn't want any harm to come to the prisoners under her care - unless they deserved it, perhaps. Either way, she seemed to be the most genuine person Eva had come across yet, along with Jim. She intended to remain loyal to them as much as she could.

Helga nodded at the woman, appreciating her kind words. But it still couldn't fix the ice she felt in her heart. "It's just apart of life, I suppose." She commented, tucking her fallen hair behind her ear. She looked back at the head of the woman. She closed her eyes a bit to get the picture out of her head. That's probably what Jane looks like in another cell. She shivered at the thought.

Helga turned her attention back on the woman. "You know, I would clean up the... mess if I were allowed. But I'm already in the hole with my boss and I don't feel like digging my grave any farther." She tried to sound sympathetic but the words came out awkward. She usually was a cold hearted person who didn't care about anyone else, but something about Jane changed her. She felt softer inside. Sweeter inside.

Eva couldn't help but let out a small, bitter laugh when Helga said how death was just a part of life. She was right, it was ironic how much power the dead held over the living long after they were gone. When Helga mentioned the woman's head again, Eva's eyes fluttered over to the pool of blood and the bench. It seemed she was going to have to get used to the sight. Death and the dead never usually bothered her, it was purely the innocent look of this woman and the futility of her demise that sickened her.

"Thanks," Eva managed to smile up at the woman, trying to shake the image from her head. It was comforting to know that someone wanted to help, even if they couldn't. "Korso will get what is coming to him eventually." She wasn't threatening him, it was simply a fact. One day, karma would get him, or so she believed.

Helga knew the woman was right but didn't dare to agree with her. She already had this awful gut feeling that he hated her and she didn't want to extend that anymore. She was to be his faithful and obedient servant. She needed to keep her head down low, stay out of trouble, do her job, and stay on his good side. Helga sighed. Though that was nearly impossible.

Helga returned her attention on to the woman. "You seem like you don't belong in a prison," she said. "I don't see any evil in you." When Helga envisioned herself working with a prison, she pictured herself toughening up- not softening because of the sweet words the prisoners say. These people weren't like the ones back at her home. They weren't ruthless or cunning. They were real people. And she just now finally saw that.

Eva was taken aback when the woman stated how she didn't seem like she belonged in a prison. Perhaps that was simply because she was good at deceiving people, pretending to be someone else. Or maybe it was simply because she wasn't ruthless like the others, she didn't kill people for sport or leisure but for her country. It was her duty. It was all she had known.

"Everyone has some evil in them, it's just whether or not they choose to act upon it," Eva replied after some thought. Helga interested her and it was nice to converse with someone who could hold an intellectual conversation. Jim had been too awkward and Mulan was more into fighting than talking, apparently whomever she was currently roomed with enjoyed sleeping. So, Helga was a nice change.

Helga looked up from the ground and stared at the woman after she spoke. She knew she was right. Helga knew she always had evil in her. But now she just acted upon it. Now, Helga was one of the prisoners. She just happened to be on the other side of the bars. "Well said." She finally replied.

Helga fiddled with her belt and made sure to periodically keep an eye on all the other prisoners. She searched the walls trying to find hidden cameras but there weren't any to be found. Korso has to be watching somehow.

Eva nodded with a slight smile as Helga complimented what she had said. It was true enough. There was dark in everyone. The conversation seemed to have taken a morbid turn, so she tried to think of a way to talk about something more light-hearted.

"If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?" Eva looked at Helga and ran her fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes briefly, picturing where she would go if she wasn't here. She knew instantly and the image flashed before her like a photograph. She could remember everything perfectly. Opening her eyes again, she had a more genuine smile on her face. When in a bad situation, the only thing that lifted her spirits was that one memory.

Helga raised her eyebrows at the question. She really wasn't supposed to make small talk with the prisoners. She didn't want to get any one in trouble. But she knew she wasn't going to let herself get too close. "I think I would go back to Germany, and make a life there." She whispered quietly. "Although now, I feel it is too late." She got quiet for a second then raised her head.

"What about you?" She asked. "If you could go anywhere, where would it be?"

When Helga raised her eyebrow, Eva was ready to be told to 'stuff off and mind her own business'. She was about to go on the defensive when the blonde replied quietly, almost reluctantly. She could tell she had touched a nerve.

"It's never too late," Eva disagreed. If you wanted something enough, you could claim it, it was simply whether or not you were willing to do what was necessary to get it. She forced a smile of encouragement towards the other woman, though her words weren't meant as consoling. Generally, to get what you wanted, you had to face a lot of consequences aswell.

"Ah, me," Eva sighed. She couldn't tell Helga the whole truth, no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't admit she was from Russia or her identity would be blown. She decided to tell part of the truth. "Well, I can't remember exactly where it was, but in my childhood, there was this place with a cliff. I remember standing on the edge of it and feeling like the whole world was out there, in front of me." She pictured it once more, she wasn't lying. She didn't know exactly where in Russia it was. "I'd go back there if I could." She finished bluntly, her eyes opening to face the bloodied head once more.

Helga tilted her head a bit at the woman's story. She wish she could've enjoyed the freedom that she did when she was a child. But she wasn't one to complain. It was now her who had the freedom instead of the woman in front of her, so she really had no place to say anything.

Helga leaned up against the wall on the opposite side of the cell and slide down to where she could become more comfortable. "The past is the past," She started to say. "I suppose, we should look onto the future rather than dwelling on what we wish to do." She enjoyed talking to the woman. It helped distract her from all the other problems in her life.

Eva nodded in agreement with Helga. "I suppose my point was, that when I remember that place and feeling like I could do anything, I remember I can do anything. The future is there for us to do what we want with it." Or at least, it had been before she'd been thrown in a cell. Better not to dwell on that last point.

"The first thing I'm going to do if-- no, when I get out of here, is buy my own sweet shop," Eva wasn't sure why she was saying such personal things to the female guard. Generally, she didn't tell anyone what she wanted, that way, they couldn't take it from her. Nonetheless, something about Helga made her want to open up. Perhaps she just hadn't been surrounded by an understanding person before, in her gang, you couldn't trust anyone but yourself. Hell, you were even doubtful you could trust yourself most of the time.

"Just in a small village somewhere in the country," Eva continued. "Where no-one expects anything of me, where I can just make people happy in a smaller way." Where I can make people happy without having to kill someone.

Helga closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Just the though of paradise such as that, made her shudder with pleasure. She always wished to go away and live on her own without any distractions from the corrupt world. But unfortunately, when she opened her eyes- she was back to the same dirty prison she had been in when she closed her eyes. Dreaming was no use.

Helga pulled up her sleeve and glanced at the clock. "It's almost time for your bread and water," she commented calmly. She really didn't understand why all the prisoners got only bread and water. Even if they were delinquents, they still deserved a more balanced diet. But God knows Helga wasn't going to complain to Korso about the "well-being" of the inmates.

Eva watched as Helga closed her eyes and took in the blissful dream, she saw the disappointment reflected in them once she reopened her eyelids to the prison. She would achieve her ambition of the sweetshop one day, but perhaps not any day soon. Until then, maybe Helga was right. Dreaming was no use.

"Oh I can't wait," Eva remarked bitterly. She wasn't blaming Helga and she hoped her sarcastic comment didn't sound like that. It wasn't her fault. No-one could blame anyone else for ending up here. What she had done to get into this hell whole was her own fault and hers alone.

Helga stopped, turning her head and eyeing the woman curiously. "Hey, you need it to survive. I'd be thankful if I were you." She told her in a light tone. "I mean, you out of anyone knows how awful it is to be down in the C Division." She thought back to the atrocious stories the C Division guards told her about. She couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"I heard you ruffled prisoner C48300's feathers down there." She said, biting her lip to control the laughter. She felt bad for Eva having to live with a psycho bitch for a week. At least now she was in the Isolation Ward where she couldn't bother anyone any further.