Lock It In

One

Carson

I hated lawyers. 

I don't know if it was just the ones that I've had the displeasure to meet or not, but they all seemed to smell the same. Always a mixture of some awful Old Spice cologne and sweat, I thought. I never liked them, even before the incident. But now, I somehow hated them even more.

"If you would only cooperate here, Carson, it would really help me out."

I gave him a long look before looking back down at my paper, continuing to sketch the man. I had perfected his scowl, but I just couldn't get his bald spot right.

He sighed dramatically, sitting across from me at his desk and attempting to ignore my drawing. Today, he was going for the Good Cop routine, I noticed. "Please, Mr. Lowe, just help me. Don't you want to prosecute the man that killed - " 

"Don't," I said slowly, my gaze locking on him. He recoiled at my stare. I supressed a smile when I saw the beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. I immersed myself in the drawing, trying to forget that the trial was Monday. On Monday, I had to face the man that had shot her. I knew the face as well as my own. He had melded his face into my nightmares, never failing to wake me up at ungodly hours in the morning in a cold sweat. The idea of seeing him again, in person, terrified me. 

But I didn't let that show. I didn't let anything show anymore.

He sighed, sitting down. "Let's try again. We'll rehearse what you are to say when you go up there again, alright?"

I stared at him coldly, finally nodding in response. He smiled in victory, standing. He held up a picture. I clenched the armrests as he did. "Mr. Lowe, do you recognize the girl in the picture?"

"Obviously," I muttered, tearing my eyes away. "I was in the womb with her for nine months."

Mr. Kingsley looked like he was about to tear out the little hair he had. "Carson..."

"Fine," I growled. I crossed my arms, glancing at the picture again. "Yes," I said slowly. "That girl is my sister."

"And what happened to your sister?" he asked me.

"She was murdered in a convinience store," I responded passively, my hands shaking.

"By this man?"

He held the second picture up. I shook my head, closing my eyes.

"Please don't show the picture," I pleaded. 

Kingsley nodded, putting it away. "Your answer, Mr. Lowe?"

"You know the answer," I said through gritted teeth, trying to keep my cool.

"Does the people in the courtroom?"

I moaned. "God, he's gonna be in the room! Why do you have to show a fucking picture?"

The lawyer shook his head, sighing. "Mr. Lowe..."

I stood up from my chair, shaking my head. "I understand the script, okay? I've only gone over it ninety million times. I'm leaving."

"Carson, we agreed until nine..."

"Well, I'm leaving now. See you Monday."

And with that, I slammed the door shut, running past my parents and out into the night.

Daniel

"I still think that you should, you know, not."

Diamond smiled at me, her brown eyes curling. "Come on, Danny. It's just going to be a few inches."