Murder High

Episode 7. The trial

"Who is that?"

I blinked twice, trying to get my eyes used again to light, after two long days in punishment room...It had been a real nightmare, being locked there, totally isolated for such a long time...

When he opened the door, Harris didn't say a simple word, and nor did I. Just managed to go back to my dormitory...I hadn't slept in 48 hours and was exhausted...

Six months later

-"Connor, Warden Yates wants to see you in his office. Now."

I was in the carpentry workshop, when Harris came looking for me. What would Yates want from me now? After being locked for two days in that damned hole they used as a punishment, I had managed to get unnoticed by both Yates and Harris, and even by Wallace. I had forgotten my revenge ideas, mainly because of Sam. As he had told me, " Those three always have the winning hand"

I rushed to Yates's office, and it was kinda surprising finding my lawyer there. That only meant one thing, and even if I would finally leave that Juvie, I was afraid what the trial could bring. I was eighteen by then, and if I was found guilty, would surely go to jail. To a normal one...and the simple thought of it froze my blood.

"Probably you'll know why I came...the trial has been dated, it will be in three days. I'm sorry I couldn't come before to tell you, or to see how were you doing here..."

"No, it's ok..."

"Listen, I won't lie to you. Things don't look good, we haven't found a single witness who had seen or heard something. Still, I don't want you to lose your hopes ok?"

"Yeah...sure, I won't." Who was I trying to lie? I'd better get used to that place, since it was quite likely I'd have to stay for a long, long time.

"Get your things ready, Connor. Two guards will take you to Olympia"

Before I left Yates's office, Gregory asked me about the way I had been treated there...I said nothing, there would time enough to talk about that. I went back to my dorm, to pick my things and to say farewell to Sam. He only would have to stay one more week there, and we told to see each other eventually, in Washington or in Colorado...if I was lucky enough...

On my way back to Olympia, I thought of what Gregory had told me... He did his best to sound reassuring, and said a miracle could still happen. But it was just that...A miracle, nothing real to believe in. He also told me that the trial would begin next morning, at nine, and till then I would have to be in the police station. He was going to try that Hallie, or my folks, were allowed to see me, even for a short time, but he didn't want to raise my already low hopes. My mood was getting lower by the moment, I was going to need a huge lucky break to go out of that mess.

We arrived about eight, and I would have to stay that night at the police station, until someone came to look for me the following morning...

Next day, at eight, one of the officers came to take me to the courthouse. Once there, I still had to wait before being taken to the courtroom. When I did, first thing I saw was Hallie, my folks, and Paul and Becky. I smiled at Hallie, and she did the same in return. God, I wanted so much holding her! It did bother me not seeing the rest of the gang there... Why hadn't they come? Did they think I was guilty?

The Judge came finally in, and after he had said some words, it was my turn to be interrogated. I walked slowly to the stand, and put my hand over the Bible, to make my oath of "telling the truth..."and all that.

Next thing I saw, was both Gregory and the prosecutor checking their papers. I looked at Hallie, wondering what was that about. They approached to the Judge and Gregory asked him something. The judge and the prosecutor nodded, and Gregory threw me a ball of paper. I took it with my left hand.

The judge banged three times with his bagel.

"The defendant must be released inmediately. This trial is declared void."

I waited no more, just got up and held Hallie with all my strength. And in her arms, all the stress I had accumulated, broke finally out and I started crying. I didn't know what had happened, and didn't really care.

I was free.

Hallie

I couldn't believe it when Mike 's ma phoned to tell me he was coming back. Yeah, it was because of the trial that was going to be held and all that, but at least he was here again. Those months without him by my side had been sort of a hell. Besides, after my argument with Marcia, both her and Hank started avoiding me...and that led to a break among the rest of us. Paul and Becks were on my side, and Bill and his girl Lily on theirs. I found that funny, considering the way both of them had behaved with Lily...she had arrived two years ago, and when she started dating Bill, Marcia did...overreact a bit.. But, anyway, it was not my business at all. And well...Linda and Jim did what they do best, trying to keep on good terms with everyone. But doing that ain't always possible, sometimes you have to make a choice.

The night before the trial, I could barely sleep. Things looked terribly bad, with no witnesses at all. And the evidences talked by themselves. I tried to be prepared for the worst result possible, but it was too hard to accept.

I arrived early to the courthouse,and sat with Mike's folks, Becky and Paul. No trace of the others. It would have been the best way to arrange things, but it looked like they just didn't want to.

I was talking to Becky when I heard the Judge:" The defendant must be released inmediately. This trial is void."

Following an uncontrollable impulse, I got up from my seat and went to the stand, to do what I had been longing to do for six months.

There would be time enough to know what had happened...at the moment, I couldn't care less about that.