She scanned the table, waiting for the girl she was standing behind to make her decision. "Go ahead. Take 2 cards." The girl argued she needed more. "No you don't, " she told her. "She'll take 2." The cards slid across the table, and the girl picked them up. "There you go. You can thank me later. " As she walked away, the girl called out, "Girl you damn lucky that you was right." Katie smiled. "Got that right. I'm damn lucky." Passing by the checkers table, she stopped another girl from eating the red, plastic disk. "No. no. no. no. Don't eat it. They'll put you back in physc again. You don't want that do you? Remember checkers are friends, not food." Again she was on the move. Her fingers tickled the keys of the piano in the room. "Not today ladies," she shouted. "No. Not today. No requests. Please. Thank you!" No one had said anything in the first place. "Maybe later. Fresh meat came in today, didn't it?" A few glances her way at the words, let her know she was right. "Aaaaaah it's okay. I know. I gotta be this tall to ride that ride huh," she asked, holding her hand above her head. "It's okay. I get it. You don't like me," she feigned sadness and tears. "I guess..I'll just go on," she mocked. "I think I'll go by the nurses station and get a bandaid for my boo boo that you gave me by not liking me." She could hold it in no longer. "Fresh meat is in my cell," she told the room, once again drawing a few looks. "Don't worry. I know people are in there playing games, and it ain't checkers or poker. Well. It might be poker," she laughed." A voice rang out, "shut up Firefly." Another laugh came from her. "Hey. That ain't nice. I'm gonna tell on you. No dessert for you, and tonight it was finally gonna be something you wanted. Chocolate." She loved the laughs she got from the room. "I ain't stupid. No way in heck I'm going to my room. I know the skinny," she said slipping down to the seat at the piano. "How about a song after all?" Her fingers danced across the keys. This was one simple pleasure that she was glad she was allotted. It helped make her feel normal. Not many people could play. So the piano was left alone for most of the time. That was fine. It was hers' when she wanted it. She could hear and feel the happier tone in the room. 'Great,' she thought. 'It's helping.' She began to sing out, her voice rising higher and higher. It was an outlet, a release value, and the steam was pouring out from her in the form of music and song.