Trial by Fire
Everything was white and freezing cold it had been snowing
outside for two days now the prison walls looked dull and grim there was no cheer it was the night before Christmas and John
lay on the hard bunk bed with his eyes closed trying to picture himself at home
in the warmth of the firepalce with his loving wife Clare and his little angel
Rose, he had’nt seen them for over eight years now he tried to picture Rose her
tiny hands and feet wrapped in woollen spleandor a cerubic face with pretty
smile all he could do was imagine as he had not been present when she was born.
Did she ever think of me? Or ask about me ? he wondered, left alone in
confinement for so many years his wife had not been in touch with him she had
hated him so much for being a criminal all he had was an old picture of hers
when they shared happy memories with each other.
It was the same snowy night eight years ago John and his
friends were out in the bar having drinks, “Come on John you need to have
another drink it will keep your body warm” jeered David “No im fine im taking
your leave I need to head back home Clare will be waiting for me we have the
carol party coming over” “Just one last peg John just for friendship “added
Peter, John couldn’t deny more he nodded in agreement. Next what happened
everything was just a blurr for him when he woke up he was in wooden cabin with
blood on his hands a gun lying next to him David was lying a few feet further
face down he seemed dead there was no sigh of Peter . He got up and went into
the other room there on the bed was the body of a prostitute with a knife down
in her stomach and blood all over. He tried to reach out but stumbled and fell
he could’nt remember a thing somewhere far he could hear police sirens he tired
to get up but the pain on his head made him pass out.
What followed next was a series of court sessions lapped up
by the paparazzi, the woman who he thought to be a prostitute was infact an
upcoming actress he had never met before , the forensics had found his finger
prints both on the gun and the knife, Peter was still missing and it was
believed that he was dead too but there had been no circumstantial evidence
connecting to the theory. John pleaded that he was innocent and he could’nt
remember what happened that night the jury and the lawyers argued that there
was no drug found in his blood so he very well knew about his actions. His
defence lawyers couldn’t say much and he was sentenced to death sentence as per
the jury. All throughout the trial no one from his family came to visit him
even his wife shunned him they had too much ridicule and negative media hurled
towards them that made them bitter within.
Six years he spent in the harsh conditions of the Blackwood
Jail he forgot the person that he was he never spoke or made friends with
anyone he would just spend his time in the cell reading The Bible or going back
in time into the fond memories that were held in his heart that coloured his
dull surroundings. And then one day out of the blue there was a visitor her
name was Kelly and she was a young lawyer interested in his case she felt that
he was innocent and wanted to reopen his case he had sat throughout the
interview with her just speaking in monosyllables half interested in what his
outcome would be. The case was reopened amidst media frenzy as per the hunch of
Kelly Peter was found hiding under a different identity in another country, he
confessed to the murders stating that he had an illicit relationship with the
deceased actress and she had got pregnant with his child she had asked him to
meet her at the wooden cottage alone but he had driven there with his two
friends who were intoxicated in drink, their argument had taken a wrong turn
and he had attacked her killing her instantly which was unfortunately witnessed
by David so he shot him too, then he hit John on the head and pinned the whole
crime scene on him while he was unconscious.
It was a nice Christmas morning the snow had fallen deep
John walked past the prison gates onto the car standing waiting for him it was
Kelly, he had so much to thank her for she had believed in him and given him
hope during those two years of the trial to meet his family again.
Kelly hugged him “Merry Christmas, are you ready to drive
Home” she asked “Yes” he said and they drove away to Freedom.
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