Kathy's Kelter

Chapter Eight- How Do You Plead?

"I was there on the afternoon when the event took place. I bought some Won Tong noodles from Jimbob's, with my G, Ellie. We were slurping them up like slushies, when I saw an eager looking woman walk up to a window. She had a pebble in her hand, and pelted it at the window. Her aim was pretty bad, and the pebble zoomed straight over the roof like an emu. She didn't do anything wrong."

Trying to contain her anger, Kathy's eyes twitched truculently as she watched an elderly woman with short, white hair adjust her glasses.

"Thank you, Miss Davison, however this does not elucidate the smashed window, and the brawl that occurred near the estuary. How would you explain that?"

"I believe that the incidents were separate. You see Ma'am, Catrina is not the only blonde woman on the planet. In fact, I was also arguing with a few friends near the estuary, and things got a little heated. Violence wasn't intended, though someone did end up in hospital, and a fence was broken. Nevertheless, Catrina is not at fault here."

"Our other eyewitnesses have confirmed that the woman in the fight was the same woman who smashed the window. Furthermore, this incident you refer to may need to be looked into."

A bead of sweat trickled down Hebe's forehead once she realised the mistake she had made of describing a possible crime she had committed to the audience of a court hearing. The fazed woman had concluded all that she attended for, and hurriedly exited the building.

To her extreme dismay, Kathy was next initiated for authentication. Led to the witness box, Kathy recited her oath.

"I do believe that you were present at multiple events of the afternoon, Kathy Kallostone?"

Unrelentingly trying to ignore the complete butchering of her last name, Kathy responded.

"Yes. I watched her smash the window, and chased her throughout the streets until we reached the firth. At this point, Catrina asked me what my motives were, to which I answered. She then attempted to strike me, and I ducked and proceeded to call the police. I'm sure there's security camera footage somewhere; I wouldn't be allowed to access it so I didn't bring that evidence."

An aloof, balding magistrate examined her. "Upon seeing the window's ruination, why did you not call the police? Tailing her was useless, since the police are trained in search and retrieval."

Kathy was stumped. She had acted in the heat of the moment, and she was sure any other person would have done the same.

"I wasn't thinking completely clearly at the time. I had no means of harming her, I was just trying to subdue her until the police arrived."

Kathy was ordered to return to her chair.

She noticed the defence solicitor in quiet conversation with Catrina Wolf, and the latter was asked how she pleaded. Expectedly, Kathy was embraced by the utterly truthful words of 'not guilty'. Catrina's representative presented her side of the story, involving her apparently existing, relatively similar sister. Kathy had no idea how anyone could believe something so outright idiotic, though she had to remain calm.

After a few more witness accounts and discussions, the hearing was officially over. Katelyn informed her that she would receive the sentence in a few weeks by the Witness Care Unit.

Sick of the legislature and politically of the situation, Kathy was ecstatic that she could finally leave. She pictured the freshly baked macarons that could be waiting for her at home. Cula made them for her sometimes, except he was now dead. She avowed to vow that she would stop torturing herself like this - she needed to move on.

Stepping outside the reptilian building, Kathy inhaled heavily. Her breath created a visible cloud in front of her mouth when exhaling, and she looked up to the barren sky. Her ears were welcomed by the sound of the court's double doors closing, and as they closed, a small weight was lifted off her shoulders. Kathy imagined that around 0.1lbs of anxiety had been removed from her mind.