Raising Hell

Pleading Guilty

I quickly change into a sun dress with red roses on it and sloppily braided my hair. I added a red floppy hat and red lipstick and ran out my door.

"What's going on?" I ask Irene as I shut my door. She stands straight from leaning on the wall and inspects me.

"Follow me." She orders and starts walking quickly.

"Please tell me what's going on." I plead and she stops then turns to me.

"John was arrested." She explains shortly and begins to walk forward. I follow her, processing the new information.

"What for?" I finally ask and she shakes her head as she turns the corner.

"I don't have time to explain." She says and opens a door to the right. She steps in and motions for me to do so as well.

The court room was dark and lit by synthetic lights. It was older looking, not as lavish. I realized that no one dares to break the law, no one cared enough to renovate. The room was packed with people and we're standing amongst a few people, undetectable to anyone else if we were quiet. In the front of the room, John sat on a chair, chained to the arms and legs. Malak sat on a comfy, tall chair with a small desk in front of him. He had a gavel in his hand and was dressed in a black robe. In the front row of the court, John's family sat with teary eyes.

"John Hanson. We have reason to believe you were planning on conspiring against the government. What do you wish to plead?" Malak asks. He doesn't mention me, he needs to keep his reputation.

"Guilty." He grunts, avoiding eye contact with the audience. Malak smiles and looks to his left, at a guard.

"Now." He orders the guard. The man takes a device out of his pocket and presses a button, reluctantly. John's hands curl into a fist and his body goes limp. The audience gasps in surprise and John's wife shoots up.

"You bastard!" She screams through tears at Malak.

"Kill the family too." Malak orders, ignoring the woman. More guards come towards the family. The children look frightened, as they're being pulled from their mother by evil hands. I think quickly and begin to run up to the stage, where Malak sits. I stop in front of desk. He looks at me with surprise but then replaces it with anger.

"What're you doing here?" He hisses quietly.

"Kill them and the deal is off." I warn him. He looks at the struggling family and that back at me.

"Fine. But next time you interrupt me at work, you'll be the one in the chair." He seethes and walk off the stage.

"I've changed my mind. The family will not be executed. Instead their punishment is no food for three days!" He calls out to the room and the guards let go of the children. They run to their mother and she bends down as they crash into a hug. She sways all three of them back and forth.

"Court dismissed." Malak grunts and bangs his gavel against the wood of his desk.

***

I hear a knock on my door as I change into pajamas.

"Come in." I call lightly and the door opens. John's wife steps in and closes the door behind her. She walks to the middle of the room, where two comfy chairs are located. She sits and is silent. I sit down across from her.

"How did you get in here?" I asked finally.

"My husband did many things for other guards. They owed him favors and now they owe me." She says quietly.

"What's your name?" I ask and she smiles sadly.

"Adeline." She replies.

"I am so incredibly sorry for your loss, Adeline."