The Hanging Tree

b o n u s

[ a/n: Zoe to the side ]

JUNE 1 - 31 DAYS AFTER - 3:09 PM

"This is Westchesterfield Correctional Facility for Young Women. You have received a call from inmate Jessica Phillips. Do you wish to take this call? If so, press one."

"Hello?" An older woman's voice crackled through the receiver, and Jess was surprised she had answered. Out of the thirty other parents she had tried, she was one of the few who had even picked up. Most were too spiteful towards Jess to answer.

"Hi, this is Jess Phillips. Is this Mrs. Pullman?"

"I was once the foster mother for Damian Pullman, yes." The woman answered calmly.

"Then I'm sure you've heard the news?" Jess continued.

"No, I'm afraid not," The woman sounded concerned, and suddenly Jess froze up. Her lawyer hadn't told her what to do if this happened. She was just supposed to call the parents and apologize for murdering their children to make her look better during her trial.

Which she wasn't even sure she was having.

"Excuse me, miss? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Jess answered hesitantly, wanting to hang up. She didn't want to deliver the news.

The few times parents had picked up? Were to yell at her, insulting her.

"What happened to Damian? We don't have TV or anything out here, so we usually hear about things through our neighbors. But they're on vacation, and we're kind of cut off from everything for a little while."

"Um, he was murdered," Jess whispered into the phone, and she wasn't even sure Damian's foster mom had even heard until there was a loud clanging sound as she dropped the phone - at least, that's what Jess assumed was happening. There were several moments of silence. "Ma'am?"

"Sorry. I'm here," The voice came through, trembling slightly. "W-will there be a funeral?"
"I don't think so. Nobody really knew him that well in Moonlarkville, he had only been living there for a month."

"It's just, Damian was very close to us, treating us like we were his actual family. He was a very bright young man. We were wondering why he hadn't stopped by to visit yet. He promised to do so every month. And if you know Damian, then you know he always keeps his promises." There was another uncomfortable silence. Then, tentatively, came the question Jess had been dreading. "D-do they happen to know who did it?"

"Me." Jess replied.

And then there was a beeping as the other line disconnected.

JUNE 2 - 32 DAYS AFTER - 10:29 AM

"This is Westchesterfield Correctional Facility for Young Women. You have received a call from inmate Jessica Phillips. Do you wish to take this call? If so, press one."

"Do not ever call this number ever again."

JUNE 2 - 32 DAYS AFTER - 1:03 PM

"This is Westchesterfield Correctional Facility for Young Women. You have received a call from inmate Zoe Swan. Do you wish to take this call? If so, press one."

"Hey, dad."

"Your friend Jess just called here, and I'll tell you what I told her: do not call this number ever again."