The Rising. (ON HOLD)

The Rising.

Chapter One.

     As I’m sitting here waiting for my trial number, I notice a man sitting across the room. He’s dressed in orange, his arms and legs are handcuffed. He looks like an older man, and looks beaten down, tired, if you will. He’s crying. “I wonder what he did?” I ask myself under my breath. I mean, people come in court for so many different reasons, but all the others I see are dressed a lot like you and me. T-shirt and jeans, or a skirt. He’s the only one dressed in a prison jumper and handcuffs.

    Like me, why am I here? Why am I waiting for my court trial number to be called? Nothing big. I needed a new pair of shoes for school, but my mom didn’t have enough money, so I took them… no biggie. This man, though. He’s different. I decide to go over and sit by him.  He looks so lonely, crying. I walk over, and sit my bag on the floor beside me. I sit across from him, looking at him from head to toe. He finally raises his head and looks me in the eye. “Why’re you staring at me?” he asked softly. “I…I… I don’t know.. You’re just dressed different than anyone else here.. I was sitting over there.. and you just looked so depressed.. I wanted to see if you were alright…” I tried not to make him feel awkward. You could tell by the look on his face that he was embarrassed. “I’m fine.”

    Well. That was short, sweet and to the point. Kind of rude.. I was just trying to be nice. All well. A different approach, perhaps? “Well. What did you do to get yourself in this situation?”

    “Is it any of your concern? Why do you need to know?” he says, staring me dead in the eyes.  “I was just wondering.. I’ll make you a deal, okay? I’ll tell you why I’m here, if you tell me your reason.” I told him. He says, “It’s a complicated situation, okay? You wouldn’t understand.”

“You don’t know that,” I said blankly. “I may only be seventeen, but I’m a smart kid.”

“I’ve been in prison before. I’ve been in here for almost 9 months.. My ex wife pressed charges, swearing that I beat her, and my kids. I swear to you up and down, I never once laid a hand on them. Never. I’m going to fight for my kids back. She’s the abuser, not me! She put bruises on herself, and the kids, and told the kids if they told the judge that daddy did them, she’d take them for ice cream everyday after school… I DIDN’T HURT THEM!!” Now, everyone was looking at us. “Calm down,” I told him, “ it’ll be alright.” I look him dead in the eye as I tell him this, letting him know he has my full attention. “I stole a pair of converse.” I told him, laughing. “Nothing like your case…”

    He looks so sad, but so familiar.. I shake my head, “shake it off, Sadie,” I tell myself. The announcer sounds; “Sadie Thomas? Trial 374. Place your belongings in the lockers to the right of the entrance and come on in.”

   As I stood up, two guards came toward me, each taking an arm. I look back at the man. A thousand things are going through my head. I don’t even know his name, but I feel we have a connection, it’s weird. As I walked into the court room, the only things on my mind  are; What’s going to happen to me, and what’s going to happen to him.