“Mr. Foreman, have you reached a verdict?” The Judge leant sat upright in his chair, hand resting lovingly on the gavel, as if he was waiting for someone to cause an uproar so that he could use it.
“We have, Your Honor,” the foreman affirmed.
“And is this verdict unanimous?”
The foreman looked a bit nervous, as if she was regretting her decision. “Yes, it is.” As the clerk approached the jury box, she slipped him the piece of paper, a grim tug at her mouth. Ebenezer watched her, his stomach churning, and then glanced at the judge. The latter didn’t show any sign he could interpret, but gave the clerk only a small nod – and the note, the note with his fate written on it, was returned to the foreman.
The judge opened his mouth to ask Ebenezer to rise, but then threw a glance at the wheelchair and pressed his lips together. “The defendant may remain seated.”
Thank you, Ebenezer wanted to say. But he found his lips to be dry; his tongue to be frozen; his throat to be clogged with tears. And even as he thought he was drowning and dying of thirst as the same time, both heat and cold rushed through his body. Tremors rocketed through him; sweat beaded on his forehead.
“In the matter of The State of Illinois versus Ebenezer Soon,” the judge began, the words trickling awfully slowly out of his wide mouth, “on the count of murder in the second degree, how do you find?”
A fly was trapped in a corner of the room. It buzzed loudly, trying to escape. In that same corner, a spider was weaving his web, waiting patiently for the insect to get caught in his silver, sticky trap. Ebenezer watched it carefully, trying to control his ragged breath and pounding heart. By now, it felt as if his tongue was glued to the ceiling of his mouth. He could feel rings of sweat form under his armpits, and closed his eyes, beginning to form a muted prayer with his lips.
“Not guilty.”
The courtroom exploded. Ebenezer could hear his mother and father clamoring his name loudly; could hear Samantha Limestone’s mother screech in pain and fury as she realized her daughter hadn’t been avenged. He could feel Walter Wylee’s hand shake his shoulder in a congratulations; could feel the disbelief and happiness trek through his veins ever so slowly. Slowly, he released his hold on the arms of his chair and began to cry out the name of the Lord, his voice wrangled with bliss.
Judgment day had come and passed for Ebenezer Soon.
ŞİMDİ OKUDUĞUN
Those Who Spoon
RastgeleEbenezer Soon is born lucky. He's intelligent, good-looking and charming. Loved by one and all, Ben - as he insists on being called - has never had a bad day in his life . . . right until he catches his girlfriend cheating on him, trips over a spoon...
