Poppy Playtime ~ An Angel's Bleeding Heart

Chapter 11 : Reminicence

Gabe never thought it would ever come to this, it happened so fast that everything was a blur from then to now. In the span of a few days he was once weeping in his own home, the next he is in the courtroom facing the final sentencing. He remembers it was a winters evening.

He didn't even look up to see the judge make his appearance even though he stood with reverence with all the rest in the court, he just kept his head low while staring at the wooden desk in front of him. The lawyer beside him put a comforting hand on his shoulder, prompting Gabe to glance up to see the lawman smile at him. 'There was nothing to worry about' he told him, the trial was over before it even started.

After everyone was then seated back down, the judge finally speaks. "Has the jury reached its verdict?" He said.

"We have your honor."

Even Gabe knew what their decision was going to be.

"We find the defendant, Gabriel Gibbions, not guilty. For the count of self defense against an armed assailant."

Gabe sighed, relived. But yet, he couldn't feel victory being ever more shallow.

"Very well." The judge declared. "Gabriel you are hereby innocent of all charges and are free to leave. I am terribly sorry for your loss." He then smacked his gavel, ending the trial.

A few days later, the funeral was well into procession. The ground open for two caskets, one for a woman, and another for a man. They were both siblings, Gabe's siblings. And despite the biting cold weather of midwinter, everyone still kept the tradition of wearing black clothing. Their dark coats and umbrellas contrasting starkly against the bright white snow both on the ground and falling around them.

There wasn't much people to begin with, only some relatives and mostly a handful of friends. And standing amidst of them, Gabe kept his eyes on the caskets as he watched them being lowered into the ground, his face unchanging from his somber, downcast expression.

"None of it was your fault, you know." Said a gruff voice beside him. "Besides, that trial was just to clear some air."

Turning to the voice in question. He is a big, burly man pushing past his late fifties, signs of grey becoming evident in his black hair and beard. Gabe knew this guy well, he was his friend Tyler's father, Issac.

Gabe didn't want to talk, but he knew it will be rude not to. "And yet here they both are. Buried six feet under the snow."

"Don't be unfair like that." Issac replied. "I couldn't think of any other way to stop him."

Gabe finally turned to look at him fully. "Issac, you do know what happened, right?" He said, his voice nearly faltering. "My brother and sister are gone. And it all could've been avoided if I-"

"If you what, helped him?" Issac interrupted. "You've already helped him. You warned him. You tried to reason with him and yet he still went for those damn pills anyway."

Gabe then replied. "I should've stopped him while I had the chance. Maybe even dumped them!"

"And what good would that do? He'll just go buy more." Issac then placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you really want to put the blame on yourself, then what you should've done Gabe was called the police. Granted they'd definitely arrest him, but he'll find better help eventually."

"..."

Issac looked down at the young man with a mixture of concern and worry. Ever since what his parents had done he had worked with the kid to get back on his feet. He worked with him, taught him, even did some farm work for him when he came down sick. A favor in return for helping his son through high school when he was on tour in Iran.