The Innocent Man

Chapter 1

I tilted my chin down, looking at the handcuffs bounding my wrists. The red line already beginning to form beneath the cuffs. Images of my blood-stained clothing flashed through my mind as I was lead to the bench.

***Author's note***

Hello, in case you couldn't already guess, this story isn't like the ones that I usually write. There will be not much romance, there will still be a romantic interest of sorts, but this romantic interest will be portrayed more in the sense of a high school fling that the main character never quite let go of despite the romantic interest moving on and starting a family. I got this story idea from a writing prompt I saw on Pinterest so it is a bit more sadistic than that of what I usually write about; furthermore, please keep in mind that this story is being told through the eyes of a murderer. This means that the scenes will be described in the way that he sees them, causing them to be more bloody and dramatic. Also, because this character has some mental disorders, I am trying very hard to embody them within the writing, if you have any tips, please let me know. If this makes you uncomfortable, you may want to stop reading the story. If this doesn't make you uncomfortable, then you may keep reading. As always, feel free to comment and vote as you please and I hope you enjoy!

***End of author's note***

"All rise, for the honorable, Judge Kennedy." An officer's voice boomed through the courtroom as everyone stood in one constant motion. Judge Kennedy strode into the court, his skin hanging off of his bones, his hair coming out in clumps as he ran his bony fingers through the thin, white, wisps.

A sigh escaped through his wrinkled lips as his tongue traced over them, "Will the... Mr. Deaux, please rise." Kennedy paused as he watched me stand slowly, the backs of my legs pushing the chair back as effortlessly as one would push a beach ball backward. A smile broke across my face as Kennedy began to read off the charges against me, "... Manslaughter... Aggravated Assault... Breaking and Entering... Attempted Murder..." His voice droned on for several more seconds and I soon grew bored, I found myself scanning the room, my eyes glazing over each person, lingering on the lovely woman I had seen just a few nights ago. A smile crept across my face as I pictured her the way she was that night: blood splattered across her face, her shirt hanging off of her shoulder, her sweatpants hanging off of her small figure. I missed seeing the way that her hair bounced when she walked, but I didn't miss seeing the way she smiled at him. A tugging sensation on my shirt sleeve got my attention, I looked down and offered up a smile at the small girl beside me. She waved her hand, motioning me to lower my head, I obliged. My hand's held each other as I lowered myself into my seat and leaned forward so that she could speak.

"Did you kill that man?" Her voice broke through my thoughts, it was so child-like yet so mature, it was almost as if she knew something I didn't. The sing-song aspect of her voice and her baby doll face coupled with the almost princess-like way she dressed almost made her seem so familiar.

"No, sweetheart. No, I didn't," my voice sounded foreign in my own ears after having heard one as... as innocent... as her's. A smile crept across her face much like the way my daughter used to smile at me. I rested my elbows on my knees and looked into her kind eyes, those beautiful, big eyes that I could have sworn I'd seen before as I smiled down at her.

"Mr. Deaux, if you don't mind, we'd like to start the trial, please." A sarcastic voice came booming down from the stand as my lawyer whipped around to face me, a look of pure hatred burning behind his bloodshot eyes. My smile faded almost as fast as the anger in his features turned to fear. His eyebrows separated and his eyes widened a bit as he took a step back, regaining his composure almost as fast as he lost it. I folded my hands and placed them on the table in front of me, sitting up in my chair as I did so. I glanced over to where the little girl once stood, nothing but air replaced her body.