The Mercy of Birds

CHAPTER 47: MORTALITY

CHAPTER 47
MORTALITY

+

They found her. They found her body buried under a blanket of shallow snow and dirt after twelve hours; a gun with an empty magazine was unearthed alongside her. The autopsy showed the result of death as loss of blood, caused by stabbing wounds that were incurred 47 times. Michael Lee, the only known family and relative of her, arrived to identify her body and upon first observation, confirmed the deceased as Miranda Lee who had disguised herself as Martina Turner.

They found her. They found her trudging along the highway Route 39, verging hypothermic, wearing only a cream dress that was bathed in dried blood in the below zero temperature, battered and bruised with a bullet wound lacerating her rear, right calf. A truck driver that was horrified by her condition, picked her up and was meant to take her to the hospital, but she insisted to be escorted to the nearest police precinct instead, persistently saying that she must turn herself in after the crime she had committed, but when she had received treatment and the detectives began the interrogations, she couldn't answer; she didn't seem to remember the events that had transpired, only she knew that she had transgressed.

Even if Cameron had tried to appeal for her to be placed in an institution instead, she was taken under police custody and was imprisoned awaiting investigations and trials because the status of her being unfit for prosecution for the reason of insanity was highly debated, and until they could determine her circumstances, she had to be confined in women's correctional facility of South Dakota, facing capital punishment.

Victor knew that she knew what was going on, not in a way that she was faking her disorder to try to deceive the justice system, but she knew that her days were numbered. It was in the way she would glance at the clock and the guard that would stand by whenever she had visitors. It was in the way she would be giddy on her chair when she introduced herself to Nova, expressing how delighted she was to have a new female friend because the ones she had inside weren't very nice to her. It was in the way she would ask if Victor's next trip was guaranteed to come and if he could make sure that Cameron ate well because every time she saw him he would grow exceedingly thinner and emaciated. It was in the way she was inquiring for Nicholas, who was missing to them, if he would ever come around... at least pay her a call... because there wasn't enough time.

Victor stared at her through the plexiglass, the translucent, bullet-proof partition made her feel so far away even if she was sitting directly before him. The distance between them seemed to enlarge that he literally had to get up and peer to see if the guards had deliberately created a more separated setting, but no, it was just in his mind.

"Victor?" she called with a slight tilt of her head, regarding him with a smile, always a smile like nothing else mattered but his presence, not even the fucking death sentence that was hanging over her head.

"Yes," he responded, a little too late.

She gazed up at him in concern, even though she couldn't meet his eyes. "Are you... are you okay? Everything is good... in there...?"

No! For fuck's sake!

Yet, he nodded, hiding his quivering lips as he bit into it. "Yes."

"You were explaining to me... about these specialties... about choosing these residencies..."

"Oh, yes," he perked up, suddenly remembering that he was in the middle of a conversation with her. He shifted in his chair, composing himself, but it was getting harder every second.

"So, you decide to try... to sign up for psychiatry?" she leaned in unconsciously, laden with interest.

"Yes, I think so, or maybe neurological surgery, but I don't know anymore. It's just... I don't know if this career is even right for me, because it is what was expected by them," he referred to their parents silently, unable to even mention their name.