Abducting Ruby

Chapter Twenty-Two.

4 Weeks Later

"Are you sure you can do this?" Theo asked as he sipped on his coffee across from Ruby.

"I have to. If we don't testify, Master..." Ruby paused to correct herself, "Henry Walker could be released."

Theo reached across the small table to take her hand, "You were there much longer then I was. They're going to need more details from you, so if you need a break during the trial, don't hesitate to say so."

Ruby smiled at him before saying the words that she had been regretting for weeks, "Maybe we should get going. The trial starts soon."

Theo agreed and together they left the small coffee shop. The courthouse was only a couple of blocks away and it wasn't a far walk.

They entered the courtroom just as the judge was calling for the trail to begin.

"Henry Walker, you are hereby charged with first degree murder and first degree kidnapping. How do you plead?"

Henry seemed emotionless, "Not guilty."

The judge pushed his eyeglasses up the bridge of his nose, "Alright then, the prosecutor calls their first witness to the stand, Theodore Smith."

Theo looked at Ruby and took a deep breath before standing. He walked quickly to the stand and sat down in the small booth beside the judge.

The prosecutor looked at her notebook, "Theodore, is it true that this man," she paused to point at Henry, "abused you and many others?"

Ruby watched as Theo swallowed nervously, "Yes. It's true."

"Can you tell the jury one form of punishment he treated you with?" The prosecutor asked.

"He had these performances. And during my first and only one he hung me." Theo said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

The jury gasped.

"I see. And what are some other punishments you witnessed on others?"

Theo straightened his posture, "He forced Ruby to dance on glass."

The prosecutor smiled at this, "Ruby Towers? As in the same girl sitting here in the crowd?"

"Yes maam."

"Your honor, if the defense has no questions for Theodore, I would like to go ahead and call Ms. Towers to the stand."

The defense agreed and far too soon, it was Ruby's turn.

"Hello Ruby, may I start by asking how long you were kidnapped by the defendant?"

"Five weeks."

"Theodore mentioned that you were forced to 'perform'. Can I ask what he meant?" The prosecutor seemed proud, almost as if she had already secured the fate of this trail.

Ruby spoke through her fear, "He made us stand in the old theater surrounded by dead bodies. And we had to dance on glass." She began crying, "and if he didn't like our performance, then he would kill us."

The prosecutor turned to the jury, "As you all can see this man brutally tortured these children and he doesn't deserve to go free!"

Finally the defense attorney stood up, "Ms. Ruby, did you ever witness any deaths during these performances?"

"Yes. Davina was murdered after my first performance." Ruby said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"But did you witness the defendant killing her?"

Ruby was baffled, "No, but..."

"So how do you know my defendant did it?"

The prosecutor jumped out of her chair, "Objection!"

"Sustained." The judge said, and the defense attorney turned to go sit.

The prosecutor continued asking similar questions about Masters forms of torture and how many deaths Ruby had witnessed.

Once she was done answering the prosecutor turned towards the jury, "I think you've heard everything you need to, now I ask you to make a decision. To decide rather or not these children will get justice or not."

The members of the jury looked at each other and then one stood, "Your honor, we have made a decision."

The judge nodded, "Henry Walker you have been charged with first degree murder. How does the court find you?"

"Guilty."

"You have been charged with first degree kidnapping. How does the court find you?"

"Guilty, your honor."

The judge stood, "Very well. I hereby sentence you, Henry Walker, to a life sentence. With no chance of parole."

Theo threw his arms around Ruby and she cried into his chest with excitement.

Ruby couldn't believe it. This nightmare was finally over.

She survived.