"8 Years Ago..."
Breaking News
A prominent doctor is now facing second-degree murder charges for allegedly administering a lethal dose of medication to a patient. The doctor has vehemently denied the allegations, asserting that he had no role in the patient's death. Authorities are continuing to investigate whether the incident was a case of intentional criminal activity or a simple act of malpractice within the medical field.
"Mamamatay tao ka!"
"Anong silbi ng pagiging doktor mo!"
"Hayop!"
"Mabubulok ka sa bilanguang gago ka!"
"Dapat sayo dinederetso sa impyerno!"
"Wala kang kwenta!"
"Mamatay kana!"
Painful and biting words rang out from the crowd as the doctor, handcuffed with his head bowed down, made his way slowly toward the police car. Accompanying him were spits, kicks, and a barrage of thrown objects, as if each step he took and every movement he made only fueled their rage.
Eggs.
Garbage.
Filth from humans and animals.
Stones.
Sharp debris, and so much more were thrown in his direction.
He could do nothing but lower his head and withstand the relentless torrent of abuse projected at him—venomous accusations intertwined with keen objects that sliced into his skin, leaving a cruel trail of blood and suffering across his head and face.
Supreme Court
"I hereby impose upon you the sentence of reclusión perpetua for the crime of murder, with a term of 20 to 40 years of imprisonment without the possibility of parole," mabigat na wika ng hukom sa naturang kaso.
"N-no..."
The doctor's body gave out, collapsing to his knees as his cuffed hands hung uselessly in front of him. Silent tears spilled from his eyes, falling one by one, as the weight of the verdict shattered whatever strength he had left.
"H-hindi ko 'yon ginawa! W-wala akong alam sa mga ibinibintang n'yo!"
Sobbing helplessly, he cast desperate glances at the crowd, searching for even the slightest glimmer of mercy or the faintest chance at redemption. With his spirit crushed and no other way out, he choked on the words, confessing to a crime he never committed—each word like a dagger to his soul—praying in vain that it might undo the verdict that had already condemned his fate.
He made a frantic, last-ditch attempt to break free, thrashing against his captors, but the officers escorting him were quicker, slamming him back into their grip. They pulled him away, ready to take him to the correctional facility that would soon become his confining reality.
"M-maawa po kayo sa a-akin! N-nagsasabi ho ako ng t-totoo!" he begged, writhing in their grasp, the anguish in his voice rising as he fought against the officers, oblivious to the piercing pain their iron grip inflicted.
When his eyes landed on a woman sitting in the front row of the courtroom.
"N-Nurse Innessa?"
"N-Nurse I-Innessa!"
"T-tulungan mo ako! A-alam mong hindi k-ko ginawa 'yon!"
"You w-were there, p-please c-change y-your statement!"
"A-alam mong hindi ko k-kayang g-gawin 'yon!"
"Para mo ng awa!"
He sank into his knees before the woman, his sobs exploding in a desperate, gut-wrenching plea almost pressing his lips to the ground. But she merely bowed her head, tears cascading down her cheeks, her silence a devastating mirror of the pain that bound them both in shared despair.
"P-Patawarin mo a-ako, Doc"
YOU ARE READING
Heartbeats & Bullet Shells: De Ville #1
General Fiction"Once you step into my world, there's no turning back. I'm offering you a chance to leave while you still can, but know this, if you choose to stay, there will be no escape."
