Blue Eyes, White Lies

Chapter 20

(I'm fully aware this isn't how courts work but I don't feel like researching. I'll also preface this with saying this isn't against any form of God that anyone believes in. Nor is it to mock any religion.)

Two months later, Pennsylvania state courthouse

The air was tense. Reporters littered the floors below. After all, people had waited months for this moment. 

Allow me to explain. 

Two weeks ago, we were told by the state police that Lysandre had been taken into custody. It's been an extensive search, but they'd finally found him. We'd been told he'd nearly turned himself in, realizing he had nowhere to go and fewer and fewer allies by the day. Since the address, people had started realizing his crimes. They'd started realizing that maybe that one weird streak of grey might just be a birthmark and not a blessing from God. 

Even with turning himself in, I doubted he'd get off with anything less than a fifty year sentence. At the very least, he committed first degree murder six times (or had a relation to a murder). 

Back to the present. 

Here I am, in a nicer suit than I was in two months ago, (which I didn't know was even possible), I'm sitting here, ready for the trial where I'd have to testify. From what I knew about the case, Lysandre had been in solitary for a good chunk of his time here. After the sentencing, I didn't expect him to be out of there for a long time.

Then the crowd went dead silent. Every reporter in the room stopped speaking, everyone sat up straighter. 

Lysandre walked onto the floor directly opposite of the judge, dressed in a typical orange prison jumpsuit with his hands cuffed behind his back. 

The judge says a few words.

"Aaron Hall. You are on trial for six counts of first degree murder with genocidal intent, two counts of arson, four counts of attempted murder, and three of assault. Do you plead guilty to any of these?"

Lysandre clicks his tongue. "It was my duty, your honor."

The judge looks both concerned and confused, but in a way only a law student would notice. (Typically, court rooms are a rather stoic place). 

"How so?" He asks.

"My fathers orders. They were betrayers. I gave them a quick end. The higher ups weren't so lucky." He says. 

"And who is your father?"

"Haven't you heard? I'm the son of God. My purpose is rid the world of monsters. It's what he wants."

"What kind of monsters?" The judge does the verbal equivalent of raising an eyebrow.

"Like the blonde, and the one with the black hair. The ones that hurt me. The ones he doesn't approve of."

The judge takes down a few notes, as do a few of the jury members.

"Mr. Bathory, could you elaborate?"

Eric stands, taking a breath. "I am what most people would call a werewolf."

The judge simply nods and takes down a note or two. 

"Mr. Hall, you may sit. Mr. Wallace, your testimony?"

Ethan rises, gathering the notes he has in front of him. 

"Ly- Mr. Hall found me when I was twelve years old. At the time, I had been having a few struggles with my family. He took advantage of these struggles to turn me into a minion of his. I worked closely with him for eleven years, until I was "discharged" by method of attempted burning at the stake."

The judge nods.

"Mr. Hall, did you do as he says you did?"

Lysandre chuckles. "Of course I did. There's a lot of things kids do to be recognized. And we have a protocol for high level traitors. My men taught him all he knows."

The judge continues his routine of taking notes and nodding.

"Mr. Bathory, your connection with Mr. Hall?"

"Childhood friends, your honor. We met a long time ago, went to the same college. We went missing a week apart. I dropped out due to my transformation and lack of control." You can nearly see the pain in Eric's eyes remembering it. You could see the same with Ethan, too. 

"Mr. Hall, your response?"

"Sure, we knew each other. But since that night he's been my enemy. I'll have to give him credit, though. He and I enrolled in that college together. If I hadn't been to that bar to drink off the grief of losing my closest friend, I wouldn't be as strong as I am today. And while my hands may be chained behind my back and I cannot physically hurt you, I know you well enough that I can do it with words alone."

"That is enough, Mr. Hall."

The judge continues with the questions, and for what might be the fourth time in two weeks I recite every incident and run in to the best of my ability. Before I know it, several hours have passed The  jury had started putting in their verdicts. 

An hour and a half later, after a brief recess, the jury had a verdict. Unanimously guilty. As I'd expected. 

"Aaron Lysandre Hall, this jury has given their verdict and declared you guilty of all previously mentioned crimes. What do you plead?"

"Guilty as charged."

There's a certain look of sass to him, a level of "fuck you."

"I don't care how long it takes. I'll find my way out. I will serve my purpose and rid this world of what plagues it most."

"Any other words?" The judge asked.

I raise my hand. "Just a few, your honor." I stare dead into Lysandre's eyes. "Rot in hell."

And with that, Aaron Lysandre Hall was escorted from the courtroom and back into his cell, hopefully padded. 

I could safely say everyone in that room felt better with him behind bars. He'd terrorized enough people, traumatized many more. I didn't recognize the feeling at first, but then it clicked to me.

That feeling was justice. The same justice I'd hunted for since I was thirteen years old. The whole reason I went to law school.

And damn, did justice feel good.

———-

Final chapter until the epilogue-

Y'all I can't this book was like- my child I cannot believe it's almost over-