Quarantine Blues

She decided to walk her favorite trail in the big city park, only a few blocks away. It was a grand city central park with a lake, a botanic garden, a castle, and a ZOO. The park truly was grand. It was her favorite thing about the entire city. She had gone lost in its beauty countless times. It was her small therapy when she needed one.

She walked the promenade surrounded by green trees and white streetlamps. It was the middle of March, but the air felt like middle of June–hot and the smell of late spring was in the air. Days like this were Elle’s favorite. When she was younger… Well, when she was happier. These warm, spring and summer evening in the park were the best! She and her friends would meet somewhere in the park, put blankets on the grass, beer in ice buckets, and blasted music. They would spend the whole nights outside, dancing, drinking, and enjoying their lives. It was one of nights like this when she had her first kiss behind a big oak tree, and it was nights like this when she and her friends were talking about their future, goals, and ambitions. Just remembering these nights brought a little tear in Ellie’s eye, and her chest felt heavy again. She felt like she would never be happy like that ever again. She had so much ambition back then. So much life in her, so many plans for the future–she wanted to go abroad, she wanted to see the world and experience EVERYTHING! And now… Big old nothing!

She was so wrapped inside her thoughts; she did not even notice that she had already made her way back to the street to the dorms. She looked at her watch, and it was already 9pm. “Time to go back home,” she thought. “It is already past the police clock.”

As she was rushing down the street, trying to get home as soon as possible, she saw someone. There she was again! The lady with the red chair! It was already getting kind of dark, but she saw that the lady was in a good mood, smiling and boarding slaloms on the street lines. The Labrador was with her too.

How can anyone be happy right now? In THESE times? When all is uncertain, and the fear of the new virus is among us. She seems so free, and unbothered. And what is up with that chair?

“Oh, fuck!” There was a police car that passed her, turning the lights on and blocked her path. Ellie stopped and waited for the police officers to step out the car.

“Good evening, miss!” Said the short, chubby cop. “It’s kind of late, isn’t it?” He said to the other policewoman. She was tall, mean looking, and most of all; she looked annoyed. “I need your ID,” she said quickly, extending her arm toward Ellie as the fat cop position himself uncomfortably close, right behind her. Ellie never in her life felt so uncomfortable and slightly scared, as she could literally feel his breath on the back of her neck. “I don’t have it on me.” She said quietly, “I am almost home. I live in the dorms at the end of the street.”

“So, you don’t have your ID on you?” Asked the woman with highly suspicious tone in her voice. “And you live in the student dorms? And you are out after 9pm”

“Yes,” said Ellie.

“And were you before?” Asked the male cop, eyeballing her from head to toe.

“I just went for a quick walk in …”

“I am going to have to frisk you for weapons,” said female cop.

“Weapons?” Ellie was as confused as ever.

The male cop extended his arms out in a T like position, nodding to Elle to do the same.

“So, you were coming from the city center?” The female cop was more stating than asking, while she was feeling Ellie’s body. “Did you just attend the protests?”

“The protests…” Elle stutter.

“She asked: DID YOU ATTEND THE PROTESTS? Did you throw paint at the parliament building?” Asked the male cop loudly with lots of anger in his tone.

“No. I went for a wasn't…”

“Show your palms!” Demanded the male cop.

“Show him your palms!” Screamed the female cop grabbing Elle’s forearm firmly.

“Ouch!” Came out of Elle’s throat, when the female cop’s grip became even tighter, hurting her.

“Show your palms!” Screamed the male cop, reaching his arms towards his waist where his gun and handcuffs were located.

Elle was trembling, on the verge of tears and in pain, as she slowly extended her palms towards the male cop.

“Miss, I am arresting you on suspicion of public clock violation and suspicion of vandalism and unlawful gathering…”

Ellie’s mind went numb, and she could not even hear the rest of the male’s arrest speech, as the female officer painfully bend her arms behind her back and put handcuffs on her.

What is happening? Am I really getting arrested because I am out after 9pm? What protest? Were the questions going trough Ellie’s mind as the officers sat her in the back of the police car and driving towards the police station.

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This is the 5th chapter of the book I am working on right now called Quarantine Blues. I hope you like it.

You can read the rest of the chapters here:

• 1st Chapter
• 2nd Chapter
• 3rd Chapter
• 4th Chapter