Scattered Leaves

Chapter 15: Trial

Devon and Autumn arrived at the courthouse fifteen minutes early. When they got out of the car Autumn looked up at the tall glass building like it was going to fall on top of her. She didn't want to be there and she didn't want to see Sarah again. She wanted to run away and hide from it all, but she knew that wouldn't put Sarah in jail any faster then this trial would. Autumn had no idea how this trial was pushed so fast. It seemed strange that a case like this would be pushed to two days after the incident. She didn't really care how. She would get to see Sarah in jail before her 6 days were up. 

Susan met up with Devon and Autumn in a large room. Autumn never paid attention to the details of the room, she was too nervous and scared. She hated being put on the spot and she hated being in front of people. All she wanted was for Sarah to be put in jail. She didn't want to have to speak and tell her story in front of a jury or a judge. Susan was there to make sure Autumn got to stay with them. Autumn didn't want to go anywhere else.

When Autumn walked into the courtroom fifteen minutes later, she felt alone and small, even with Devon's hand in hers. They walked up to a beautiful, blue-eyed man that lead them to a wooden table across from where the judge would sit. Autumn looked beside her and saw a glass enclosure. Sarah was inside, guarded by a cop. Autumn could still hear her voice as she mouthed "Hi honeybee!" and she shuddered at the memory. She hated Sarah's voice. Trying to distract herself from the crazy woman banging on the glass, she turned to her lawyer and took in his appearance. He had dirty blonde hair, square glasses with black frames, a grey suit and a black tie. He was a very fit man, quite young too. 

"Hi, Autumn?" 

She nodded at the blue-eyed lawyer.

"I'm Jason. I'm your lawyer! I have received pictures, statements and the full police report. Since we didn't have a chance to meet earlier-"

Autumn tuned him out, she didn't really care what he had to say right now. She couldn't even begin to concentrate with all of the emotions she was feeling. She glanced over at Sarah. She looked completely horrid. She still had a little bit of make-up smudged on her face, she had a giant round bruise on her forehead and the orange jumpsuit made her look like she almost belonged in jail. Sarah still had cuffs on her wrists. Looking at Sarah now, made her feel so much closer then she was. The courtroom was so small, so confined. Autumn wanted to run again, she wanted to run far away from here. Then there was a tug on her shirt, Devon signaled for her to stand for the judge. Everyone watched as a woman in a long black robe and white scarf went to the judges stand and sat down. When Autumn sat down she felt a searing pain shoot up her whole body, it almost felt as if Sarah was abusing her all over again, like the whip was still piercing her skin.

Both lawyers said their statements, but Autumn failed to listen. Sarah's lawyer called her up as a witness, she suddenly felt very nervous and shy. She became scared and reluctantly got up to the stand. She went up and sat in a chair a foot below the Judge. 

"Was Sarah the one that whipped you that morning?" Sarah's lawyer asked with a gruff male voice.

"Yes." Autumn's voice broke. 

"You aren't covering for the boy that came in with you?"

"No, Devon couldn't hurt a fly, let alone a person." She said with certainty.

The judge looked over at Autumn and said, " Please, tell us what happened."

"I was getting back home, to Sarah's, because the night before I stayed over at Devon's. On my way to my room, she surprised me, grabbed me, tied me up and gagged me." Autumn's voice broke and tears threatened to fall, but she kept her composure. "She pushed me onto my stomach and put my sweater over my head." Her vision started to blurr and she knew that she was going to cry soon, but she kept talking. "She took her whip out and started to whip my back. I tried to scream and loosen the ropes around my wrists, but I couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. When Devon finally came in I screamed as loud as I could, but she put a pillow over my face. I couldn't breathe and I almost passed out. She ran out of the room. The next thing I remember is Devon untying me. Sarah came in with the whip and put it around his neck. He elbowed her in the ribs, it loosened her grip enough for him to grab the whip and throw it across the room. Somehow she got another one and whipped Devon's wrist. When he pulled on it Sarah flew into her bedpost." Autumn's tears were flowing like a waterfall now, she couldn't stop them. The police officer standing beside her gave her a box of kleenex.