[THE VERDICT AND THE LETTER]
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After a short recess, the shortest Matt had ever seen, the jury filed back in. Everyone stood. The judge was handed a piece of folded card-stock paper. She was filled with anxiety, hinged on the vulnerable faith she placed in the faulty system.
The judge cleared his throat and read to a silent room.
With everyone's gaze on the girl who died and the monster who lived, the judge rang out truth:
"Mister Fernando Rio Zollas... Guilty of Murder, Sale of Illegal Substances, Child Abuse, Kidnapping..." The judge folded the paper and said, "Life sentence with chance of parole."
He hit his hammer against the slab of wood and the two officers took him away. Mari watched him go, and this time, he didn't look at her. He looked straight ahead.
She didn't feel magically relieved. The tightness didn't release and the bruises didn't fade immediately.
Mari stood, losing her grip on her present reality.
Matt passed her congratulations and she thanked him, numbly. Her family rejoined and her mother nearly squeezed the life from her chest. Nina cried tears of joy.
Believe me, Mari was happy. She was so happy. He was finally getting what he deserved. Karma was paying the dues. Her family would get peace of mind.
She was happier, but she wasn't freer.
She smiled despite feeling a loss of air, and hugged her family and friends. She rejoiced. Then she slipped away from the noise, and stepped outside for some air.
On the courthouse steps, she sat and watched those who passed by. People from all walks of life came and went, and bucket drummers beat on down the street.
Traffic ebbed and flowed.
Mari sat still amongst life.
Peter stepped down and sat beside her. She looked at him, and noticed a pair of lion statues on either side of the stairs.
She looked at him; focused on him.
He looked concerned. Most people looked that way when they looked her way, now.
"What's wrong? We won..."
"I feel defeated."
"Why?"
She thought of all the ways to say it, watching the still lions. Still like her.
"He and I are very similar," she said sadly. "Toxic and manipulative, even cynical at times. Yet there's something..."
He waited for her.
"We have stupid courage and self-righteousness. We want to be the victors of our own battles, and will believe we are."
YOU ARE READING
toxin | parker | book two
Fanfiction"YOU WERE TOXIC, AND YET I KEPT BREATHING YOU" • { disclaimer : I do not own the marvel franchise, the characters, movie/comic/novel plot lines, or rights to any trademark due to marvel. I own my original plot lines and my original characters and ba...
