~Mark

          I restlessly paced around my sparsely furnished light gray cell. I had a small uncomfortable bunk in the upper right corner and a ticking white square clock on the wall with black hands, each tick representing another second I was stuck here. The only way in or out was a metal door with a small barred grate on the front and an equally small gap that was only big enough to receive letters. I didn't even remember what I did to deserve to be here, but I guess it doesn't matter now. There's no way out. I stopped mid-pace when an envelope slid under the door and at my feet. The paper was an aged yellow color and the words were written in sloppy cursive. "My friend, I hope this letter finds you well. How is prison life going for you? I know it must be hard, especially in times like these. As for me, I will soon start another one if my journeys into the unknown. Wish me luck. Felix the traveller." I read aloud. "Prick." I added with a snort of amusement at my own joke as I carelessly threw the letter onto my bed. "Who is he?" I wondered aloud as I re-read the letter. How did he know me and how did he know that I was in prison? A few seconds later, another envelope similar to the one I just received slid under my door. It was from Felix again. "Friend, I hope you aren't feeling too lonely in that dark cell. Just in case, I put a little bug friend for you in the envelope alongside the letter. Felix." I turned the envelope upside down over the bed and shook it lightly. A tiny black big tumbled out onto the pillow and began scrambling around wildly, crawling off of my bed and under the bed. "Thanks Felix, I'm feeling less lonely already." I rolled my eyes sarcastically as I placed the letter next to the first one. A few moments later, another letter came in, this one a pristine white with a red seal in the upper right corner. The font was different too. "Good day, we are happy to inform you that you have been selected by me, Doctor Bob, to join an exclusive program for inmates all over the country." I shrugged and put the letter by the others. "Unless it's a program to let me leave, I don't-" I was interrupted by another letter from whom I assumed was Doctor Bob arriving. "We have noticed that due to the recent outbreaks of a terrible virus, the population of our beautiful nation has started dwindling. This is unfortunate, but there is still hope. You." I let the letter fall from my hands and gently float to the ground. There was no point of escape. It was either stay here trapped or leave and die along with everyone else. Another letter came in. I hastily tore open the envelope and read it, praying it wasn't true. "Recent studies show that nintey-eight percent of our great nations population is already infected with the virus. Incidentally, many of the remaining two percent are prison inmates like you. We hope that you continue to be vigilant and remain healthy." I finished. Angrily I crumpled it up and threw it at the wall. It hit with a soft sound of crinkling paper, then fell to the ground under my bed. Behind me another letter hit the back of my foot. "In order to fight depression and suicidal thoughts in the fire situation you have found yourself in, you will be assigned your own personal Happy Buddytm. Enjoy!" I groaned as I flopped face first onto the bed, nearly smashing the letters with my face. Instantly after, a blue envelope appeared, the letter covered in a leaf border. "Hello hello hello!!! I am your own personal Happy Buddytm!!! I have a present for you!!! Five confetti poppers!!! Have fun!!!" I read with fake enthusiasm. I took one of the poppers and pulled the string attached. Colorful confetti sprayed everywhere with a little pop. "Great." I scoffed as another letter from my "happy buddy" appeared. "Hello my buddy friend buddy! Did YOU enjoy the confetti??? If so, I have another present for you!!!" I waited for another letter from him to appear, but instead I got a small package too. "It's a Doctor Bob portable entertainment machine!!!!!!! Game included!!!!!! Have lots of fun." I furrowed my eyebrows warily as I picked up and inspected the small rectangular vibrant purple box. The one game it had was called Serpent. I played for a while until I got too frustrated. I muttered curses under my breath as I swiped the letters off of my bed and onto the floor, then climbed into bed. "Goodnight Tiny Bug Tim." I whispered to the air as I closed my eyes and waited for sleep to come.