Stillwater Equestrian Academy

Chapter 8

Maddie's and my trophies and awards were really adding up. My side of the room had at least twenty trophies, twenty blue ribbons, twenty gold medals, and twenty belt buckles. And that's for the first semester of school. I knew I'd be taking some home with me at Christmas time.

We had the court date. It turned out that the man had done this many times. A hundred and fifty times around the country to be exact. My sister's death was the one that caught him red handed. A witness called the police and they caught him running from the scene.

Anyway, I watched via Skype. I watched as the man was sentenced to life in prison. My family had a few words for the man. But then again, so did I.

"Mr whoever you are, and I don't care, you're nothing but a coward to me!" I said. "All you do is kill children and women! You're a pedophile, a murderer, and a kidnapper. You have no guts to walk away and not kill! You deserve prison! You deserve to be locked up as far back to where you won't ever see daylight again! That was my sister you murdered! How could you be so much of a coward and be so heartless at the same time? I'm glad I never have to see your ugly face again! I shun you!"

I stood up and turned around to where my back was towards him.

I heard my family and friends shun him too. And I saw it in the full length mirror. They stood up, turned around, and shunned him. I heard the judge and bailiff shun him. I heard both attorneys shun him. I heard the police shun him. Finally, I heard everyone else, including his own family shun him. Plus I saw everything in the mirror. I stood up and did the same thing to him again.

The judge tapped his gavel. "Officers, take Mr Carter to the jail where he will be transported to the prison. And I order that Mr Carter be locked up so far back, he will not be able to see daylight again. Plus he is hereby denied any visitors. He will die in prison."

The judge pounded his gavel. "Court is hereby dismissed."

The police escorted a crying Mr Carter out of the court room. And I clicked out of the live feed.

I put my laptop back on my desk and smiled. I was proud of myself. I didn't say anything that would land me in Juvenile Hall.

"Justice has been served." I said. "And good riddance. The trial is finally over."

"What?" Maddie asked.

"Justice has been served. The guy who murdered my sister got life in prison. Plus he's being put so far back that he won't see daylight anymore. He'll rot in prison. And he can't have any visitors. He deserves that sentence."

"That's great, Stevie. But guess what." She said as she sat down on her bed.

"I don't know, Maddie. What?"

"They cancelled all the competitions until further notice. Too many schools are being hit by the bandits."

"What? I mean, that's ridiculous! But yet, I can see the reasoning behind the decision. It could be worse though."

"Stevie, if this thing with the bandits continues for too long, we won't be going home for Christmas. We'll be having Christmas here."

"And I'm supposed to be going to see my grandma up in Canada this year for Christmas. What's with the bandits anyhow? It's not right."

"I know. But there will still be competitions among the students here though. And that's better than nothing."

"That's true, Maddie. That's true."

"I wish this thing with the bandits was over." Maddie said.

"So do I." I said.

We went outside and decided to ride our horses. But it wasn't a full run. We had a plan of just leisurely riding and let them walk. We walked them outside and tacked them.